For the past month or so, I've had the unexpected
opportunity to be on the receiving end of hospital care.
Right after Christmas, I developed a serious blood
clot, a deep-vein thrombosis, in my left thigh. I had no
idea I had a blood clot for about a week until I
received a phone call from my physician telling me to
get to the hospital right away.
Deep-vein thrombosis is one of the leading silent
killers. When the thrombosis is spotted early, and
prompt treatment given, it might often resolve itself.
When left untreated, it might cause severe and even
fatal complications. Such complications kill up to
200,000 people a year in the United States. That's more
than AIDS and breast cancer combined.
The symptoms for deep-vein thrombosis might be subtle
and difficult to detect. Contact your doctor if you
notice pain, tenderness or sudden swelling in the leg,
discoloration or visibly large veins, or skin that is
warm to the touch. Seek urgent medical help if you
experience shortness of breath, rapid pulse, excessive
sweating or anxiety, sharp chest pain, coughing up
blood, dizziness or fainting.
My symptoms were a sudden swelling of my entire leg,
similar to the three times I have fractured my tibia. I
immediately assumed that was the issue. As several days
passed, the skin on my leg became tight, bruised and
painful.
After an ultrasound, I was placed on the blood
thinner, heparin, immediately. I was fortunate the clot
didn't break off and cause a lung, heart or brain
embolism in the days before I went to the hospital.
After a few days, I was placed on another blood
thinner and an anti-blood clotting agent, coumadin.
Coumadin doesn't dissolve blood clots but does help in
preventing them.
Within the first 30 days of a clot, the body is prone
to repeating the event. I had to keep close watch for
any of the symptoms of a new clot or an embolism.
Luckily, with the great care I received from three
teams of doctors, interns, nurses and support staff, I
have improved greatly. But the final outcome will not be
known for another five months. It takes six months for
the body to decide to dissolve the blood clot, or it
will calcify and remain permanently.
For a paraplegic to feel pain means the injury is
quite severe and dangerous. I thought I was too young
for such an experience, but blood clots are common for
the disabled.
I can honestly tell you I had never been so
frightened in my life. I'll never make an assumption
about my health again.
For more information on blood clots and how to
prevent them, visit www.dvt.net
McKee, a wheelchair user, is a freelance writer
and producer. You can e-mail her at chairgrrl@chairgrrl.com.
