scary
Saturday morning.
7:45 am.
I woke as usual and made my way to the bathroom to make the shocking discovery that my right leg had swollen overnight to nearly 3 times the size of my left leg and was as hard as iron to the touch. I got back to the bedroom in a state of severe shock, collapsed on the bed and started to experience what is commonly known as a heart attack.
Tighening of the chest, pain travelling down my left arm, perspiring heavily and short of breath I thought I was about to meet my end.
An ambulance was called and I was rushed to the local A&E department.
It turned out I had not suffered a heart attack but a very severe anxiety attack on seeing the state of my leg. Apparently the symptoms of both are very similar.
But on being told the good news about my heart I was then given the bombshell that I almost certainly had a deep vein thrombosis. Somehow I am more prone to these because of my cancer, my lack of mobility and even the drug regime I follow.
OK, I can handle that but then the doctor went on to say that it's likely I will also have blood clots on my lungs. Well I'm sure you can imagine the fear I was now feeling that I would suffer a pulmonary embolism and die instantly for the second time that day.
A second doctor reassured me that even if this were the case I would not go off to meet my maker at any minute as any clot is likely to be small if there at all, but that the first doctor had to give me all the facts about my condition.
I am waiting for a scan and final diagnosis but DVT seems the most likely one, but after 2 doses of treatment my leg has returned to its normal size and touch. However I have to remain on this treatment for the next 3-6 months by which time hopefully my myeloma treatment will be finished and I will be free of any fear of DVT at least for the time being.
Never a dull moment when you've got cancer.
7:45 am.
I woke as usual and made my way to the bathroom to make the shocking discovery that my right leg had swollen overnight to nearly 3 times the size of my left leg and was as hard as iron to the touch. I got back to the bedroom in a state of severe shock, collapsed on the bed and started to experience what is commonly known as a heart attack.
Tighening of the chest, pain travelling down my left arm, perspiring heavily and short of breath I thought I was about to meet my end.
An ambulance was called and I was rushed to the local A&E department.
It turned out I had not suffered a heart attack but a very severe anxiety attack on seeing the state of my leg. Apparently the symptoms of both are very similar.
But on being told the good news about my heart I was then given the bombshell that I almost certainly had a deep vein thrombosis. Somehow I am more prone to these because of my cancer, my lack of mobility and even the drug regime I follow.
OK, I can handle that but then the doctor went on to say that it's likely I will also have blood clots on my lungs. Well I'm sure you can imagine the fear I was now feeling that I would suffer a pulmonary embolism and die instantly for the second time that day.
A second doctor reassured me that even if this were the case I would not go off to meet my maker at any minute as any clot is likely to be small if there at all, but that the first doctor had to give me all the facts about my condition.
I am waiting for a scan and final diagnosis but DVT seems the most likely one, but after 2 doses of treatment my leg has returned to its normal size and touch. However I have to remain on this treatment for the next 3-6 months by which time hopefully my myeloma treatment will be finished and I will be free of any fear of DVT at least for the time being.
Never a dull moment when you've got cancer.
Jeez.......I don't know what to say......glad it wasn't a heart attack seems kind of lame........still, I'm glad it wasn't worse.
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