Thursday April 30

Well, today turned out to be a very busy day. As usual, it started with the "Greys Anatomy" team of docs coming to see me. First, they took me off the lovonox - the shots I just learned to give myself in the belly. They said I would be getting an ultra sound of my legs to determine if that is where the clot in my lung came from.

They planned to insert an interior vena cava filter in the vein. The interior vena cava passes blood from the lower extremities into the atrium if the heart. If the clot comes from the leg, this filter would stop additional clots from reaching my lung or heart.

Also, an IV was inserted and I was put on a heparin drip (a different blood thinner).
Within an hour or so, the RN was instructed to stop the heparin IV drip. Since the IVC filter procedure would likely be soon depending upon the leg ultra sound.

Shortly after, I was picked up and taken for the ultra sound on my legs. The ultra sound apparently clearly showed plaque buildup behind my right knee - which most likely the source of the clot. I was informed that they would insert the IVC filter today.

Then, I was visited by a urologist to discuss blood that I have had in my urine. They scheduled me to go back to ultra sound - this time for an ultra sound of my kidneys and bladder. They apparently want to rule out issues in those organs.

Right after those ultra sounds, they transported me to have the IVC filter insertion. This involved entering through a vein in my neck and going down through that vein to a point about belly button height in my back. When they reached the desired spot, the filter expanded like a butterfly bolt to provide a filter to prevent passing of future clots. Not painful, but kinda odd procedure.

Also, around lunch, I got a visit from Marla, Jeff, Cindy and Melissa (all work for me). We had a very nice visit and it was great to see someone other than docs and RNs.

Very shortly after, Jill came in. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see her for very long before they showed up to take me for the ultra sound and for the IVC filter procedure. Shortly after the procedures, my dad and his wife, Rheta, were here to visit. So...it was a very busy day.

Hopefully tomorrow, the docs will come closer to a solution for the pulmonary embolism. It is very good that I am feeling much better - I'm sure partly due to restarting the steroids. But, for now, I'll take what I can get.

I am sure I have left off something - but, covers everything in general. So...I'm going to try to get a good nights sleep and just see what tomorrow brings.


Take care and be well. - JimA