Totally is. I was thinking today that I really do not notice Marcs cane at all, I don't even remember he has one at times! It has just become part of him....his third leg...or fourth (WOW I need help). I was also thinking about the progression of the cane, from the humble walker cane to the stream lined beast (not really a beast but I'm calling it that).
Random note: My fat tabby is sitting on the computer desk and he likes to dive in for a kiss so forgive any spelling mistakes I might miss.
Yes, Marc started with the walker cane. The cane that has four feet and looks horrible. We were both embarrassed to be seen with that in public but he had a very hard time walking and it gave the most support. After a bit he acquired a new cane. One of those pharmacy curved handle canes. Nothing impressive but It was very old person looking. Yes I can call it that because I am 24 and Marc is 27...we are not old. He searched for stores in Montreal that sell fancy, young looking canes but there was not much available. He then turned to the net and found a few sites. I can not remember the site he got his cane at but Marc insert the link HERE. He searched this website for awhile until he settled on a very nice carbon somethingorother cane. And this stream lined beast has been his cane since April I think. He's going to go buy another cane for the winter, on that is cheap and is ok to get messed up.
This has been a very random post I know and I could add other stuff but I really want to go have lunch.
O! O! O! This weekend we are having our date night here at home. We are going to be making a whole bunch of Indian food...except samosas...we are looking forward to this adventure ^_^
Showing posts with label clot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clot. Show all posts
03 December 2010
14 September 2010
Marc's doctor's visit and more
I forgot to update after Marcs Doctors visit a few weeks ago. It went well, he found out that the clot is not genetic (that's good right?!) but they still don't know what caused it. There are other tests they can do but because of the medication they can't give him the tests. Apparently the medication fucks up the tests. So his INR is still at a good level and he actually bought non prescription compression stockings this weekend. They are Sigvaris but the compression is less. He tried them out yesterday and so far he really likes them, if these stockings work it will save us so much money. His doctor gave him to go ahead to try them and said if they don't work it's a 20$ loss. Today is the real test i guess, Marc is wearing one of them to work. What is good about these is not only the price but they are knee high so they do not fall down and annoy him. (he can get knee high prescription ones but they cost 120 and insurance does not cover them).
So Marcs leg is behaving so far and we are glad it has become something we don't worry or think about on a regular basis anymore. I still check his leg out to see how it is doing but we can relax a little bit.
I turned the big 2-4 last Thursday. Wasn't to bad i guess. I hate my birthdays (not because of the age but because almost every year it has been a disappointment.....). This year Marc decided to leave friends out of it and just spend it together. He gave me perfume (Vera Wang Classic...love it!) and some cake lol. On friday he told me to get all dressed up and he took me to a lovely little Italian restaurant. The food was soooo good! I also got new heels which are so comfortable! Anyways so that was my birthday, it was quiet and good.
In less that a month we are off to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary! We can not wait. It will be a well deserved weekend away from everyone and everything. We can't wait to try all the wine and just relax! My super awesome dress is apparently arriving today. I still can not believe that. I ordered it from the states 2 weeks ago and last week i got an email saying they were behind and that it would ship on the 17th. Ok :( so i checked today and it is already in Montreal. I have NEVER had something ship that fast from the states. Crazy i tell you....Crazy.
Besides all that life is good. We got our new couch and we are toughly enjoying it (although getting it is a whole other story....never buy anything from Leons...NEVER)
So Marcs leg is behaving so far and we are glad it has become something we don't worry or think about on a regular basis anymore. I still check his leg out to see how it is doing but we can relax a little bit.
I turned the big 2-4 last Thursday. Wasn't to bad i guess. I hate my birthdays (not because of the age but because almost every year it has been a disappointment.....). This year Marc decided to leave friends out of it and just spend it together. He gave me perfume (Vera Wang Classic...love it!) and some cake lol. On friday he told me to get all dressed up and he took me to a lovely little Italian restaurant. The food was soooo good! I also got new heels which are so comfortable! Anyways so that was my birthday, it was quiet and good.
In less that a month we are off to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary! We can not wait. It will be a well deserved weekend away from everyone and everything. We can't wait to try all the wine and just relax! My super awesome dress is apparently arriving today. I still can not believe that. I ordered it from the states 2 weeks ago and last week i got an email saying they were behind and that it would ship on the 17th. Ok :( so i checked today and it is already in Montreal. I have NEVER had something ship that fast from the states. Crazy i tell you....Crazy.
Besides all that life is good. We got our new couch and we are toughly enjoying it (although getting it is a whole other story....never buy anything from Leons...NEVER)
18 August 2010
My Rant
Last post was made by Marc. And i don't blame him for his anger towards that hospital, i hate them. I do not care if my guts are hanging out of me i will not go to that hospital. I am frankly surprised they didn't kill him.
I have to add to that they should start taking a look at their nurses and maybe train them to not give their opinion on something they know nothing about and also to NEVER tell a person who is not the patient that they are fat. Also your ultrasound technicians either need to get more training or hire more people because waiting over 4 hours for a leg ultrasound is unacceptable...o and also have no record of finding the clot or how big it is is unacceptable. Also tell the people who draw blood to lose the attitude. If i get a call from the family doctor asking me where the blood test is and then we find out they fucked up the blood test and would not of told us till god knows when and then we get told we have to drive all the way back there from Montreal is more than enough reason for me to tell them they suck and to get their act together.And no giving me 3$ to get free parking is not enough, your whole hospital can go fuck itself.
Alright my little rant about the hospital is over. Like i said i will NEVER go back to that place, and if i see that nurse who thinks she's the smartest person i'm going after her.
So we headed up to the parents this weekend and it was fun. We didn't get home till 3am, i think we are still tired from Saturday night. I have the day off and it really sucks. I think i am getting to the end of work, i really need another job.
I ordered a dress about 2 weeks ago and i measured to make sure it was long enough, well it arrived and guess what. To damn short, removing the hem wouldn't save it. I really wanted that dress too. I ordered a skirt and hopefully it will look good.
I have to add to that they should start taking a look at their nurses and maybe train them to not give their opinion on something they know nothing about and also to NEVER tell a person who is not the patient that they are fat. Also your ultrasound technicians either need to get more training or hire more people because waiting over 4 hours for a leg ultrasound is unacceptable...o and also have no record of finding the clot or how big it is is unacceptable. Also tell the people who draw blood to lose the attitude. If i get a call from the family doctor asking me where the blood test is and then we find out they fucked up the blood test and would not of told us till god knows when and then we get told we have to drive all the way back there from Montreal is more than enough reason for me to tell them they suck and to get their act together.And no giving me 3$ to get free parking is not enough, your whole hospital can go fuck itself.
Alright my little rant about the hospital is over. Like i said i will NEVER go back to that place, and if i see that nurse who thinks she's the smartest person i'm going after her.
So we headed up to the parents this weekend and it was fun. We didn't get home till 3am, i think we are still tired from Saturday night. I have the day off and it really sucks. I think i am getting to the end of work, i really need another job.
I ordered a dress about 2 weeks ago and i measured to make sure it was long enough, well it arrived and guess what. To damn short, removing the hem wouldn't save it. I really wanted that dress too. I ordered a skirt and hopefully it will look good.
12 August 2010
The Story
So around January 24, 2010 my husband (Marc) was told he had a blood clot. DVT.
The hospital we started with was well.....lets just say they need either new staff, new equipment or both. The told us that the clot will be gone by mid-week. We didn't know much about clots then and we were hopeful that a few shots of heparin would dissolve it and his leg would no longer be the size of popeyes arm. We were wrong.
Every day that week he had to go in for a shot of heparin in the stomach. He bruised like crazy, he was extremely tired, had no energy and just looked lost. None of the doctors really knew anything. There is a blood clot clinic in downtown Montreal, close to where we live. But the hospital (an hour away) told us they have everything they need to care for Marc.
He had to get an ultrasound. That took over 3 hours of waiting and we eventually found out that they actually never put the information in the file (where the clot was, about how big it was--that is another story).
After about 3 weeks of constant hospital visits, him staying at his parents (which i am so very Thankful for, they stressed me out but i am so Thankful they were there to help. As well as his aunt and uncle). He came home. He needed a cane to walk and even then he could barely walk for 10 minutes without pain. He needed constant rest and was (still is) on Cumadin.
Eventually, after constant calls to his doctor and me ready to punch his nurse in the face he got seen by the blood clot clinic. Ever since he has been there his energy and his outlook on having DVT is so much better! They give him so much information, they told him to get compression stockings (a post will come about this) and he got a stylish cane.
They actually give proper ultrasounds for blood clots and get the results fast. They know what they are talking about and have lots of experience.
So it's the end of July. He was told the clot is almost completely dissolved and he can actually walk for a long time without his leg balloning up or causing pain (compression stockings are amazing!!).
I still get asked when he will have a normal life. Marc has a normal life, he is a little slower but he is still Marc. Still the man i love. Still the man i told i would be with in sickness and in health. He is still living a normal life.
The hospital we started with was well.....lets just say they need either new staff, new equipment or both. The told us that the clot will be gone by mid-week. We didn't know much about clots then and we were hopeful that a few shots of heparin would dissolve it and his leg would no longer be the size of popeyes arm. We were wrong.
Every day that week he had to go in for a shot of heparin in the stomach. He bruised like crazy, he was extremely tired, had no energy and just looked lost. None of the doctors really knew anything. There is a blood clot clinic in downtown Montreal, close to where we live. But the hospital (an hour away) told us they have everything they need to care for Marc.
He had to get an ultrasound. That took over 3 hours of waiting and we eventually found out that they actually never put the information in the file (where the clot was, about how big it was--that is another story).
After about 3 weeks of constant hospital visits, him staying at his parents (which i am so very Thankful for, they stressed me out but i am so Thankful they were there to help. As well as his aunt and uncle). He came home. He needed a cane to walk and even then he could barely walk for 10 minutes without pain. He needed constant rest and was (still is) on Cumadin.
Eventually, after constant calls to his doctor and me ready to punch his nurse in the face he got seen by the blood clot clinic. Ever since he has been there his energy and his outlook on having DVT is so much better! They give him so much information, they told him to get compression stockings (a post will come about this) and he got a stylish cane.
They actually give proper ultrasounds for blood clots and get the results fast. They know what they are talking about and have lots of experience.
So it's the end of July. He was told the clot is almost completely dissolved and he can actually walk for a long time without his leg balloning up or causing pain (compression stockings are amazing!!).
I still get asked when he will have a normal life. Marc has a normal life, he is a little slower but he is still Marc. Still the man i love. Still the man i told i would be with in sickness and in health. He is still living a normal life.
11 August 2010
What is DVT?
DVT: Deep Vein Thrombosis.
It is a blood clot found in deep veins in the leg or pelvis area. Sometimes it can appear in arms. In Marcs case he had a constant muscle cramp feeling in his right leg, and the leg grew to twice it's normal size. He had trouble walking and on the Sunday that is when we went to the hospital.
You can get DVT from having surgery, being obese, traveling for long distances, certain drugs or already being at risk for clots.
The clot can dislodge and travel to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism. It can be fatal. Doctors do not always want to remove it because it can cause parts of the clot to dislodge or the whole thing can move. Most times it is treated with blood thinner. In Marcs case he was told that the vein would be unrepairable, his leg would always swell up and he can be at risk for another clot.
Doctors find the clot using ultrasounds and they detect it with blood tests. They either put the patient on heparin-shots that are given in the stomach or they put them on blood thinner pills (cumadin, warfarin). They start with the shots first to stabilize and then work from there. It takes many blood tests to get the right dosage of blood thinner. Marcs blood had to be between 2.0 and 3.0.
Usually if you get more than one clot they put you on blood thinner for the rest of your life. In Marcs case, although he only had one clot so far, he may be on the blood thinner forever because of his damaged vein.
Compression stockings. They have helped so much! He has to get thigh high ones because the clot was found behind the knee (maybe he can get knee high ones now but we wont know until August). They can be a pain in the summer when it's really hot and he wont wear shorts. He has just started to go out in flip flops. I don't know if i would be able to wear anything but pants if i needed a compression stocking. They aren't the prettiest things out there, but they help.
Marc goes in for another ultrasound on August 5th and then see's the doctor the next day. Hopefully the good news will continue!
It is a blood clot found in deep veins in the leg or pelvis area. Sometimes it can appear in arms. In Marcs case he had a constant muscle cramp feeling in his right leg, and the leg grew to twice it's normal size. He had trouble walking and on the Sunday that is when we went to the hospital.
You can get DVT from having surgery, being obese, traveling for long distances, certain drugs or already being at risk for clots.
The clot can dislodge and travel to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism. It can be fatal. Doctors do not always want to remove it because it can cause parts of the clot to dislodge or the whole thing can move. Most times it is treated with blood thinner. In Marcs case he was told that the vein would be unrepairable, his leg would always swell up and he can be at risk for another clot.
Doctors find the clot using ultrasounds and they detect it with blood tests. They either put the patient on heparin-shots that are given in the stomach or they put them on blood thinner pills (cumadin, warfarin). They start with the shots first to stabilize and then work from there. It takes many blood tests to get the right dosage of blood thinner. Marcs blood had to be between 2.0 and 3.0.
Usually if you get more than one clot they put you on blood thinner for the rest of your life. In Marcs case, although he only had one clot so far, he may be on the blood thinner forever because of his damaged vein.
Compression stockings. They have helped so much! He has to get thigh high ones because the clot was found behind the knee (maybe he can get knee high ones now but we wont know until August). They can be a pain in the summer when it's really hot and he wont wear shorts. He has just started to go out in flip flops. I don't know if i would be able to wear anything but pants if i needed a compression stocking. They aren't the prettiest things out there, but they help.
Marc goes in for another ultrasound on August 5th and then see's the doctor the next day. Hopefully the good news will continue!
09 August 2010
Sorry but today is a double post day, and it’s a novel.
I haven't gone into how i felt during all this. I felt many things-anger all the way to fear.
At first i was lost. I hate going to the hospital (i almost died from my gallbladder just by not going to the hospital till the last minute) and taking Marc to the hospital for some weird leg issue was frightening.
When we were told it was a clot he got his shot of heparin and we headed to his parents house. He was so tired, from being up till 2am and from getting the shot. He fell asleep but i stayed awake checking his chest to see if he was still breathing. I barely slept that night (and for many nights after), and when i did I would awake with a start and check his chest again.
I had to leave on Tuesday night for school the next day. Not being able to check if he was still breathing at night made me very emotional. I was scared that he would die and i would not be with him. I would be at our place because i had to go to school and i couldn't be there by his side if he died. I know it's crazy to think that but when you are told it's a clot and you know they can travel and kill---it's a scary thing.
I headed back to his parents Wednesday night and i stayed for a few days, bringing him back and forth to the hospital for daily blood tests and shots. I then went home again, without him, but he was able to come home that Sunday. (In my first post i said he was gone 3 weeks....it felt like it...but he was gone a week and we had to go back up there almost every day for about 3 weeks. Those days were a blur so times are a little messed up).
In all this though, i'm sure i annoyed the family (constant worrying and stressing--i don't handle stress well) and they annoyed me (why would they want to keep my husband, why can't i take him home with me! I know it was better he stay there though, closer to the hospital and his parents were home all day). But, like i said, i'm so glad they were there to help.
Even while he was back home with me though, i would get up and check if he was breathing. I got very little sleep, it affected everything in my life. I had no energy and i was in my first semester at University. The stress was to much and my marks began to show it. I would try so hard not to cry in front of Marc, i had to be strong for him. He was so confused, and angry. Having his wife bawl in front of him wouldn't help.
Every day i would wonder if this was the day the clot would move. I was so terrified of losing him. Only being married for just over 3 months and i lose my husband, that's not fair!! Maybe praying would of helped, i don't know. I'm not religious at all but i hoped someone out there was praying for him.
His blood started to stabilize, he got a shiny fashionable cane and he was being seen by specialists. Our out look started to get better. I was sleeping more and more at night, my head wasn't a mess of stupid thoughts and tears and our sex life was back on track (i know, i know...TMI but it helped and it made us feel back to normal again).
I think though the happiest moment (i mean the moment that made me cry tears of happiness for the first time in so long) was when Marc told me his clot is almost dissolved. We made it. Sure he could be on this medication for life, sure he needs to wear compression stockings and walk with a cane but i don't care. He is still Marc, he is still the man i love and will always love.
So that's how i felt. A lot of days were hard, nights even harder but we made it. I think this was the first big trial in our marriage (there will be more) but if we made it through this--through fighting, tears and fears--then i think we will be alright.
And seriously i should not write while at the office <em>:P</em>
At first i was lost. I hate going to the hospital (i almost died from my gallbladder just by not going to the hospital till the last minute) and taking Marc to the hospital for some weird leg issue was frightening.
When we were told it was a clot he got his shot of heparin and we headed to his parents house. He was so tired, from being up till 2am and from getting the shot. He fell asleep but i stayed awake checking his chest to see if he was still breathing. I barely slept that night (and for many nights after), and when i did I would awake with a start and check his chest again.
I had to leave on Tuesday night for school the next day. Not being able to check if he was still breathing at night made me very emotional. I was scared that he would die and i would not be with him. I would be at our place because i had to go to school and i couldn't be there by his side if he died. I know it's crazy to think that but when you are told it's a clot and you know they can travel and kill---it's a scary thing.
I headed back to his parents Wednesday night and i stayed for a few days, bringing him back and forth to the hospital for daily blood tests and shots. I then went home again, without him, but he was able to come home that Sunday. (In my first post i said he was gone 3 weeks....it felt like it...but he was gone a week and we had to go back up there almost every day for about 3 weeks. Those days were a blur so times are a little messed up).
In all this though, i'm sure i annoyed the family (constant worrying and stressing--i don't handle stress well) and they annoyed me (why would they want to keep my husband, why can't i take him home with me! I know it was better he stay there though, closer to the hospital and his parents were home all day). But, like i said, i'm so glad they were there to help.
Even while he was back home with me though, i would get up and check if he was breathing. I got very little sleep, it affected everything in my life. I had no energy and i was in my first semester at University. The stress was to much and my marks began to show it. I would try so hard not to cry in front of Marc, i had to be strong for him. He was so confused, and angry. Having his wife bawl in front of him wouldn't help.
Every day i would wonder if this was the day the clot would move. I was so terrified of losing him. Only being married for just over 3 months and i lose my husband, that's not fair!! Maybe praying would of helped, i don't know. I'm not religious at all but i hoped someone out there was praying for him.
His blood started to stabilize, he got a shiny fashionable cane and he was being seen by specialists. Our out look started to get better. I was sleeping more and more at night, my head wasn't a mess of stupid thoughts and tears and our sex life was back on track (i know, i know...TMI but it helped and it made us feel back to normal again).
I think though the happiest moment (i mean the moment that made me cry tears of happiness for the first time in so long) was when Marc told me his clot is almost dissolved. We made it. Sure he could be on this medication for life, sure he needs to wear compression stockings and walk with a cane but i don't care. He is still Marc, he is still the man i love and will always love.
So that's how i felt. A lot of days were hard, nights even harder but we made it. I think this was the first big trial in our marriage (there will be more) but if we made it through this--through fighting, tears and fears--then i think we will be alright.
And seriously i should not write while at the office <em>:P</em>
04 August 2010
Today… today is Wednesday.
Yesterday was quite the disaster. No work meant me surfing all day and spinning in my chair. I got pretty down about it, wanted to cry. Also not getting an email about shipping costs for the dress i wanted to buy was not helping. Luckily when i got home after work there was an email and i was surprised at how cheap (and awesome: Tracking included, insurance) the shipping was, and that's coming from the states! I look forward to getting the dress in the mail, i just hope it looks good on me.
Marc bought me and himself some wine. I enjoyed one of my favorites (Merlot Donini Delle Venezie i.g.t. 2008) and he got some kind of blackberry wine i think (it tasted like a frezzy). Anyways i was supposed to cook chicken last night for tonight but i completely forgot so i think we're having Alfredo tonight. Marc makes a good Alfredo.
I was....i guess sick last night. My right leg was aching so bad and i felt dizzy so i took some strong Tylenol and man did i feel better! I try to stay away from Tylenol because it used to make me sick but i think i might be passed that. And i just realized that i forgot the bottle at home. Crap. We carry Tylenol now (instead of Advil) because it wont mess with his clot and medication. He was sad about not being able to take Advil but so far the kind of Tylenol we got (i think it's the fast acting one, in the little capsules) is working out. Also he can still take robax for when his back hurts, I take some too if i have a really bad migraine and just want to pass out-works pretty well.
I really have no clue what i'm going to do today. My boss said she has some things for me to do..but she said that yesterday. If no,t i'm going to work on personalizing my blog, we'll see how that goes. Or i can spend the day poking Marc to make sure he's awake.Yeah, I like option 2.
Besides that, Marcs leg is good today. I try to look at it every night to see how swollen it gets but the compression stockings are really helping with that. His leg looks less like a balloon and more like a normal mans leg.
Marc bought me and himself some wine. I enjoyed one of my favorites (Merlot Donini Delle Venezie i.g.t. 2008) and he got some kind of blackberry wine i think (it tasted like a frezzy). Anyways i was supposed to cook chicken last night for tonight but i completely forgot so i think we're having Alfredo tonight. Marc makes a good Alfredo.
I was....i guess sick last night. My right leg was aching so bad and i felt dizzy so i took some strong Tylenol and man did i feel better! I try to stay away from Tylenol because it used to make me sick but i think i might be passed that. And i just realized that i forgot the bottle at home. Crap. We carry Tylenol now (instead of Advil) because it wont mess with his clot and medication. He was sad about not being able to take Advil but so far the kind of Tylenol we got (i think it's the fast acting one, in the little capsules) is working out. Also he can still take robax for when his back hurts, I take some too if i have a really bad migraine and just want to pass out-works pretty well.
I really have no clue what i'm going to do today. My boss said she has some things for me to do..but she said that yesterday. If no,t i'm going to work on personalizing my blog, we'll see how that goes. Or i can spend the day poking Marc to make sure he's awake.Yeah, I like option 2.
Besides that, Marcs leg is good today. I try to look at it every night to see how swollen it gets but the compression stockings are really helping with that. His leg looks less like a balloon and more like a normal mans leg.
30 July 2010
Friday!
It is about 7:30am and the construction in the office has already begun. Constant hammering right on the wall behind me. This could be a long day. However, tonight we are headed to a friends house. Marc is RPGing it up and I'm just going to hang out, should be fun.
So Marcs ultrasound is not on the 5th (like i mentioned in another post) it is actually on the4th i think. And Marc if i am wrong again just write it in a comment :P. I have an interview on the 3rd and i am freaking out about it! It's just an office job, entry level-nothing big but still I need a job for the fall and if i have this job, rather than spend forever looking for a job again-my stress levels will be down and we can build up our savings and fun money.
I'm not really sure what to wear to the interview, i know i have to look good but....i still feel like i have nothing in my closet :P. I think we might buy a new hookah this weekend or at least a new pipe (i think our pipe is dieing), might grab some more strawberry sheesha (sp?) too.
If Saturday is cool i plan on making a big Indian dinner. Butter chicken, an appetizer, have some samosas. MMMM i'm drooling thinking about it.
So Marcs ultrasound is not on the 5th (like i mentioned in another post) it is actually on the4th i think. And Marc if i am wrong again just write it in a comment :P. I have an interview on the 3rd and i am freaking out about it! It's just an office job, entry level-nothing big but still I need a job for the fall and if i have this job, rather than spend forever looking for a job again-my stress levels will be down and we can build up our savings and fun money.
I'm not really sure what to wear to the interview, i know i have to look good but....i still feel like i have nothing in my closet :P. I think we might buy a new hookah this weekend or at least a new pipe (i think our pipe is dieing), might grab some more strawberry sheesha (sp?) too.
If Saturday is cool i plan on making a big Indian dinner. Butter chicken, an appetizer, have some samosas. MMMM i'm drooling thinking about it.
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