Unlike some of the posters here, I don't send or receive many private messages but someone recently sent me a PM asking why I didn't defend myself when someone made a comment that could have been interpreted in a negative way. I answered the person but continued to think about the question and decided to answer it more fully and openly here.

As someone who has worked full-time as an RN in critical care for over 2 decades, I have seen my fair share of death and dying. I've also seen many people beat the odds and live. This past January, I became one of those people.

On a night off from work, I awoke at 5 AM to use the bathroom. About 10 steps in the direction of the bathroom, I felt a pain in my right calf. "Oh, a charlie horse is threatening" was my first instinct. However, upon sitting down on the "throne," I noticed that I was breathing very fast, felt faint, was diaphoretic, and couldn't get in air. It was very much the same experience as being in deep Water and needing to take a breath. The only problem was, once I got to the surface, the breath would not go in.

As an RN, I immediately knew my charlie horse was actually a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that had broken loose from the vein in my leg and traveled to my lung. That DVT was now a pulmonary embolism (PE). I called for help and my sister came. I controlled my breathing, tried not to panic (my sister was doing enough of that), and instructed her to call an ambulance and bring back some water and 4 baby aspirin (I had taken one a day for years). Why the aspirin? I was not 100% sure I was not also experiencing a heart attack. The heart and lungs work as a unit and the effect of the PE caused my heart to beat wildly.

I managed to slowly walk to the front door and sat in a chair waiting for the ambulance to arrive. At the hospital, dopplers of my legs revealed no blood clots (DVTs). My EKG was fine and my cardiac blood tests revealed no heart attack. I now knew with 100% certainty that "they" would discover the clots that were no longer in my legs had moved to my lungs. Since I'm the one usually reading the EKG's and dealing with emergencies, I was not happy being a patient but I was too sick to dwell on it.

A ventilation/perfusion scan (V/Q), also called a lung scan, and a CT scan with contrast of my lungs revealed that I was unfortunate enough to have PE's in BOTH lungs. Over half of my right lung was non-functional and over one third of the left was non-functional. I asked for a clot busting drug. Unlike heparin and aspirin, etc., which can help to PREVENT clotting, only a clot busting drug (TPA, TNK, streptokinase) can help to dissolve a clot. I knew there was a risk that I might bleed out or suffer a stroke but the alternative was to live a life attached to oxygen. As an aside, clot busting drugs can be given for lung attacks (PEs), brain attacks (strokes), or heart attacks (MIs) but you HAVE to get them within 1-3 hours of the onset of symptoms so get to a hospital fast if you suspect any of the above.

Over 2 hours, the TPA dripped into my veins as a team of specialists came in and out of the room to observe me. One of the MDs, prior to the infusion, told me to call my family as it was not likely I would survive. Clot busters "thin" your blood like crazy so I looked horrible as my gums began to bleed, blood puncture sites turned into huge bruises and my period came on. It was as if I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson in the ring and lost miserabley. LOL About half-way into the TPA infusion, I felt it was a little easier to breathe and by the time the infusion was completed, I knew I was going to be OK. I was determined not to die on a toilet seat at home (hmmmmmmmm... now that would make an interesting read in the death notices, LOL) and I was determined not to die in a hospital either.

I was moved to the ICU and spent a week there. After 9 days I went home on NO oxygen and given an "expected full recovery" prognosis. I was scheduled for lapband surgery in late January but that obviously had to be post poned. Rather than rest at home, I forced myself to keep pushing more each day and my lungs continued to improve. I went back to work in 2 weeks despite the advice of my MD to take 8 weeks off and it was hard but i did it. Each day I could breathe more easily and felt better and better.

Last week, I had pulmonary function tests to evaluate my lungs, a repeat chest x-ray and a repeat V/Q scan. I am also nearly 5 months post-op from lapband surgery and down 50 pounds. The results show that my lung function is NORMAL at above the 95th percentile. In December, prior to the PEs, my lung function was at 80%. Genetic testing showed I am positive for a gene that predisposes a person to clotting (MTHFR2 gene) and I have a cardiac condition called ARVD that was diagnosed a few years ago. Because of this, I will have to stay on Coumadin and other meds but that's fine with me. LOL.

Given the fact that I truly have a new life and survived when the odds were against me, does it make any sense for me to waste my energy trying to decide if an off-handed comment was indeed negative towards me let alone address the comment? NOPE! I have more important things to deal with. Obviously, I lived for a reason and I'm determined to make the best of it.

Sometimes people are having a bad day and leash out without even realizing they are doing it. Sometimes people feel the need to transfer their "pain" to another person through a cruel comment in order to feel better. As someone who had one of those "life changing events" that "only happens to other people," I chalk it up to a lapse of kindness and good judgement and move forward. For now, I'm focusing on getting the fat off so I can take full advantage of my "second chance" and accomplish whatever is I am still here to do.

I shall now step down from my soap box but not before turning into an RN and saying, Don't wait for symptoms of a stroke, PE, or heart attack to get better or go away. Unless contraindicated, take 4 baby aspirin or one adult aspirin (NOT enteric coated) as someone is calling the ambulance. The life you save TRULY might be your own or that of a loved one. Stepping down now... LOL.

My daddy (yes, I'm a huge daddy's girl) has suffered a heart attack and takes an aspirin daily along with other meds. He is flying out next week to visit family and I will pass this along to him. THANK YOU AGAIN!! I knew about the car thing and did so on my way home from my own surgery since it was a 3 hr drive.

I know aspirin products are supposed to be a no-no amongst bandsters, but in my case I've had 5-way-bypass surgery and must take a baby aspirin a day. I explained this to my lap-banding surgeon and he is more than supportive of it. I have had no problems with taking aspirin since I got banded, and hope I won't after my first fill in a week.

Thanks for sharing Elizabeth. You have endured a lot and I know what that is like...I've been there...not a PE but 5-way-bypass with 98% clogged arteries. My red blood cells went on vacation for close to a year and it seemed like all I did was sleep and eat...and therefore...now I had to look at lap-banding as a means to put a stop to the fact I can't exercise much and cooking for one isn't much fun, and I'm afraid I chose the wrong foods.

I didn't like the idea of using the ignore button, but I've recently decided it is the way to go for me to avoid any conflict, so I'm exercising it and feeling good about it. What you can't see can't possibly hurt you.

You put a lot in perspective for everyone I think.:clap2:

I'm curious. What causes DVT/PE?

There are many causes of DVT/PE. Since the clot is in a vein (as opposed to an artery), the problem is in the venous system. I had genetic testing after the PEs and came back positive for MTHFR2 gene. This occurs in 12% of the population. 44% do not have the MTHFR gene and 44% have MTHFR1. They are carriers but are not predisposed to clotting problems.

Some of the major causes include venous insufficiency, obesity, congestive heart failure, cancer, smoking, oral contraceptives, immobility, bone fractures, traumas, etc.

What can help is losing weight, stopping smoking, not taking oral contraceptives after 35 years old if you smoke and are obese, elevating your legs, taking diuretics for congestive heart failure, not sitting for prolonged periods of time, flexing and extending your legs while your're sitting, etc. Meds that are helpful include aspirin, folate, and prescribed anticoagulants and platelet inhibitors such as doses of aspirin higher than 81 mg or Plavax.

Great question!

Dody, you should be fine with the baby aspirin. I take one a day also as well as coumadin (my INR is 2.8 as of yesterday). My cardiologist consulted with the lapband surgeon to make sure the band would not interfere with the meds and I'm nearly 5 months out and doing fine. Because I have to take naprosen as well, I was started on Nexium as a precaution. If you have any problems, you might ask your MD to add an acid blocker as a band protector.

I hope this does the trick because it's a small pill and easy to swallow. I've had no problems at all since being banded...no gas or anything. We shall see after the first fill if this continues though

I'm a retired nurse myself...been for a few years now. I think your last poster was asking the definition of PE and DVT. It is pulmonary embolus and deep venous thrombosis....neither are a good thing to have. You are lucky Elizabeth. At the first sign of heart pain I took a regular aspirin and the dr. said it probably saved my life. You definitely knew the right thing to do.