Happy New Year, Everyone!
I have missed you all, but we have had challenging times here. The report:
Acute occlusive thrombus is noted within the mid to distal left femoral vein.
This clot is huge. I have been sick for a while when my nephrologist stepped in when the surgeon, as you all know, has done nothing to help me, and he re-ordered from a new source an ultrasound. DVT IS PRESENT. It runs a long distance, as I understand it. It has to have been there a long time as the mid-thigh pain and knee pain has never changed. I have been struggling. I was admitted to the hospital through the emergency room with multiple issues, one of which was spitting up blood, which leads the doctors to fret about the clot, thinking that it had hit my lungs.
The clot caused so much swelling (still so) for so long that the fluid build-up forced open two sores, and we fought that infection. I had been stating it was 13 pounds of fluid after surgery, but the math and I were wrong. I weighed almost 145 at the surgery, and within two days, my weight was 162, and with this new additional weight from transfusions, my weight added another 4 pounds. I need this to stop. Has anyone ever gone through this or have a clue how to help me?
But then I could not breathe and aspirate into my right lung causing bacteria pneumonia, and an x-ray shows a large mass. Somehow, I became severely anemic, and my red blood count dropped to 7, and even after having two units of blood and two iron infusions, my numbers did not improve but to 8.8. They have not figured out where the blood is going but now believe it is leaching into my tissues as my weight keeps going up from fluid they cannot rid of. After the transfusions, my weight is up another 4 pounds (166 pounds-21 pounds up from surgery weight, all but 4 pounds within 3 days of surgery), and I feel it and look it. Now, my last diagnosis was Congestive Heart Failure with complications of pneumonia, which all began because the hose for my legs to prevent blood clots was forgotten at the time of surgery. In spite of all this negative, my knee/leg still remains at 90 degrees but the swelling will not allow more. I continue to use my recumbent bike.
Please forgive my absence; I did not want to drag anyone down or discourage anyone from having their knees revised. Just be sure to find the right surgeon and ask every question you can think of. The surgeon works for you. Get references. It is YOUR RIGHT.
I am praying I can survive this ordeal so that I can be encouraging to everyone here. For now, the discussion is whether the clot should be removed or not. I will check in when I can, and if anyone needs whatever I can offer, I am here. If prayers are available from anyone, please may I ask for them? I am not ready to give up.
Happy New Year,
Mamie