It Really is Always Something!!

Boy, when Cheryl picked the name for this blog, she chose a good one. Sometimes I get embarrassed, because it seems every time I have any kind of doctor's appointment it is some new problem. I swear I used to think I was fairly healthy--but I'm having second thoughts lately. We had a great holiday here at our house-way too much food, lots of noise and laughs as we watched the old home movies of the family taken by Grampa Smith and Daddy. Aaron and I spent a quiet New Year's and hope for a great 2009. On the 6th, I was scheduled for a CT scan at Brighton Medical as a follow up to my chemo. Next Tuesday, I meet with Dr. Small to get the "official" word on my cancer's status. Keep your fingers crossed for good news! Anyway, the CT scan was uneventful, until I got a call from my oncologist's office around 3. They wanted to know how I was feeling, any fever, shortness of breath, Wheezing etc. etc. No, I thought, I've actually been feeling pretty well since the pneumonia and blood transfusion. Then they let me know the CT scan had shown a pulmonary embolism (blood clot) in my right lung. They needed me to get back to the IV therapy office to get a shot of tinzaparin. Apparently it's a fast acting blood thinner to help dissolve the clot. I found out I'd probably need to get a shot in my stomach, every day for the next week. I've also been put on Coumadin another blood thinner. So,today was day 2 of the shots, not pleasant, but bearable.
Now don't go looking on the internet and read about blood clots in the lung, if you want to sleep! I did and by this afternoon I was convinced I had a ticking time bomb inside me. But, thanks to my daughter-in-law, Erin's cousin (a cardio- thoracic intensive care nurse) I feel a little better. Apparently the dangerous time for the clot has passed-when it is moving it can cause a blockage in a vein that can be lethal. Also I had no symptoms of it to begin with--go figure- so I guess what you don't know actually CAN hurt you, but if you don't know it, you don't worry! So, that's the latest update on me at least for this week! Let's hope this is it for now and that 2009 will be a healthier New Year! Take care-Nancy