Day 52 post LBL, medial thigh lift

You aren't going to believe this, although with my luck maybe you will...

I woke up on Tuesday morning at 4am with a pain in my back. I thought I slept wrong and pulled a muscle. Deep breaths hurt, but non-deep breathing was fine. Given my last 2 months, I texted my primary care doctor that night and said, "I think it may just be a pulled muscle, but it hurts to take a deep breath. Can I be a hypochondriac and see you tomorrow to listen to my lungs?" He said yes, come see me at 1. An hour and a half before my appointment, the pain just vanished completely and I could breathe easily. I sheepishly kept my appointment anyway and apologized for wasting his time.

He said my lungs sounded fine, but just to be cautious he ordered a chest x-ray and a DDimer test that can rule out a blood clot. The chest x-ray was clear. Yesterday he called and said the blood test was elevated and he made me an appointment to get a CT scan in an hour to be safe. I'm laying in the CT scanner feeling silly for paying $350 to learn I have a pulled muscle when a radiologist rushes in and says I have a "huge" pulmonary embolism on my right side and she can't believe I'm asymptomatic. Oh and I can't get up from the machine and they've called the EMTs and an ambulance to take me the two blocks to the hospital. I was admitted and put on blood thinners right away. They ultrasounded both my legs and and it came from my left leg. Still parts there. I feel totally fine with no pain or shortness of breath and will be just fine, but thank God my doctor is thorough and cautious!! My maternal grandma died from her second PE (though she smoked). And my Dad has had a DVT. I was discharged this morning with an Eliquis prescription for the next 3-6 months. Gigantic sigh. Likely culprits are the surgery followed by being much more sedentary after, family history of clots, and oral contraceptives.

Holy crap! Talk about being lucky - lucky that this was found!!

That's a really good way to look at it, Gwen. Thank you for the perspective as I was feeling pretty unlucky for getting this in the first place! If I canceled the appt because I felt fine or if he thought it wasn't a big deal because the pain has gone away it could have killed me.

a good lesson in this: Never ignore a potential problem because you feel silly or like you might be making something out of nothing or don't want to bother your doctor!

Yes! That was something my dad was big on saying and telling people. If something is odd, talk to your doctor!

I'm so glad you did. Sure, it sucks that you have to deal with this - but I'm glad that you found out about it while you CAN deal with it.

Wise man, your Dad!

Wow you've had a second chance at life! The outcome usually isn't good for this.

I did. It can be bad!

SO glad that you went and that all of the medical staff were on top of it! I am sorry that you've had another problem post-op but Gwen is right, you are so lucky with this! It was caught and treated and you are back out of the hospital and alive!

BIG hug!

Thank you, Janet! I am too!!!

As you know, I am SO GLAD you are okay. I also glad you posted this. It is a real eye opener to realize that PS is not always a smooth path.