Jordan and I returned from our bike trip to Golden. We had tickets for Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler at the Fourth of July event at Red Rocks. I was experiencing severe fatigue, shortness of breath, pallor, and leg pain. It took me four periods of rest to ascend the Red Rocks stairs.
Fortunately, Jordan encountered some individuals there, and I was able to depart early as I felt unwell. The cause of my condition remains unknown. Jordan and I were traveling back to Minnesota, and we departed early. It was that morning that I began experiencing memory issues and felt significantly worse. We returned home, and I resumed work on July 5.
Therefore, the header/title words were similar to those I heard this past weekend, not from a single physician but from two physicians and several nurses.
For several years, I have experienced persistent fatigue, sleep disturbances, and a multitude of other health concerns. Despite these symptoms, I refrained from seeking medical attention or consulting with a doctor. I attempted to mitigate fatigue and other issues by reducing my weekly workload to 70 hours and minimizing stress levels, while also increasing my exercise routine.
On Friday, July 5th, I reached a critical juncture where I could no longer ignore the signs of my deteriorating health. I was experiencing severe pain, and even ascending the stairs caused my muscles to ache and my heart to palpitate. Frequently, I found myself compelled to take breaks due to overwhelming exhaustion. If I had attempted to continue, I would have experienced extreme dizziness. Consequently, driven by my tendency to procrastinate, I decided to visit urgent care after work.
Upon arriving at the urgent care facility, I was subjected to a series of questions. I informed them that approximately 17 months ago, I experienced unexpected and intense pain in my right calf. I attempted to alleviate the pain through self-massage, the administration of ibuprofen, and the application of ice and heat therapy. Subsequently, a few months later, the pain manifested in my left calf. This pattern persisted until the pain was localized in my left calf, which was extremely severe. I had recently returned from a lengthy vacation. I explained that I had spent an excessive amount of time in a car on several occasions, including the initial onset of pain over a year ago. I speculated that I may be suffering from bronchitis, pneumonia, or a severe cold.
Despite my apprehensions, the urgent care facility declined to provide treatment and instead directed me to the emergency room. They even reimbursed my co-payment and indicated that the cost of the visit would remain unchanged.
I proceeded to the emergency room, where I began to recount the entire incident. According to the medical staff, I appeared rather pale. Subsequently, a series of tests was administered by doctors and nurses, which caused me to faint as numerous individuals surrounded me. The manner in which they handled the situation instilled a sense of urgency and fear within me.
After three hours, I was administered an intravenous infusion of Heparin. The attending physician, Dr. Pepper, entered the room and informed me that the following had been discovered:
- Pulmonary Embolism (significant - they used that word that said they do not recall seeing that bad - blood clots in each lung)
- Deep Vein Thrombosis – Ultrasound found several areas in the left leg and one large clot in the right.
- Anemia - A normal red blood cell in men. It’s 15g/DL; I have 6.1g/DL, and they are trying to find out why. The remaining possibility is cancer if they can’t find internal bleeding. They have sent the biopsies to U of M, and the results should be ready in the next few days.
During my hospitalization, I encountered the first individual who informed me that the majority of individuals would not survive. Consequently, I endured a series of invasive procedures over the subsequent four days, including an upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, several biopsies, and an excessive number of blood draws. Despite these extensive examinations, the underlying cause of my anemia remained elusive.
I was discharged late yesterday after expressing my preference for receiving instructions from the medical team before departing. I am currently experiencing significant fatigue, which hinders my ability to perform full-time work. To maintain confidentiality, I refrained from informing my colleagues about the medical issue throughout the day. I adhere to a regimen of two daily injections and three distinct medications until the underlying cause is identified. Until then, I must persevere and exert my utmost effort to endure. While this task presents challenges, it is preferable to the alternative.
Oh boy! (my polite version of oh shit!) You are lucky to be alive. Those types of clots can kill (speaking as someone who deals with anticoagulation[warfarin/lovenox] daily for my work). I am glad you went in, despite the delay. And that you are now home. Please take care of yourself and let us know (if you want to) how you are doing. Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at 9:43:00 PM CDT
That's some serious stuff to deal with! Hang in there; we're all pulling for you. Thursday, July 20, 2017 at 10:42:00 AM CDT
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