I decided to write a blog about my last week of events to catch everyone up to speed. It all started a week ago Monday. I came home from work with chest pains. The pains weren't constant, only when I took a deep breath, but they were happening every time I took a deep breath. I went to bed early Monday night hoping a good night sleep was all I needed. I thought maybe I was coming down with a bad chest cold? Tuesday morning I woke up and the first breath I took hurt, I knew this wasn't a good sign. I also had pain along my right side. I told Mike something wasn't right. I went to work and brainstormed all day at what it might be. Sunday afternoon we cleaned out the attic, did I pull something? Monday afternoon I came home during lunch and vaccuumed the entire house - did I strain a muscle? I couldn't figure it out. Tuesday night it did not get better, only worse, and we decided I would go see the doctor in the morning. Wednesday morning, no improvement, I asked my boss to work through lunch and go to the doctor at 1:30. My doctor was not in but a nurse practioner could see me, I went because I knew what was happening was not right, becuase it is not easy for me to go to the doctor, but I had not had a breath that didn't hurt since Monday afternoon, it just wasn't getting better. the nurse checked me out, and we didn't really come to a conclusion, but she finally said she thought it was pluracy - an inflamation around my lungs which was why I was having a hard time breathing. Than she said that I couldn't really take the medicines I needed to take to get rid of it because I was nursing, so to just try tylonal and ibprofen. I left a littel confused and stupid for going all the way to the doctor for them to tell me to take over teh counter medicines, mike was with me. I went back to work and took 4 ibprofen and 2 tylonal. That night the pain got even worse, and I was frustrated becuase I just didn't think that ibprofen was the answer. It definatley was not helping. I went to bed early, again, and called my parents and my inlaws who were nurses to get their opinions, and turned to the internet. Everyone was worried about blod clots becuase of my history, but I had already went to the doctor and they told me what to do. Thursday morning came, and I am thankful that my mom finally ended up calling the nurse at my doctor's office and asked her to have Dr. Schemel look over my paperwork from my appointment. He thought I might need to have a blood test done. Thursday afternoon I went to the hospital to have some labs, and again went back to work. Thursday night the pain was so bad, I couldn't not even pick up Max, it honestly felt like I got hit by a bus. MIke was worried, we almost went to the emergency room, but I ended up taking some pain pills I found from my c-section in february, and finally got to sleep, somehow. Friday morning was tough, I wasn't sure if I could make it to work, but somehow did. Finally, after I returned from lunch, my doctor called me and told me my blood work came back abnormal and he would prefer me to have a ct scan. I went around 3:30 to have the test ran, and mike came down from Bentonville. AFter we got done, it was around 5. I go the ok not to head back to work, so MIke and I headed out to Sonora to pick up Max. We didn't even make it 10 minutes down the road and I got the phone call from my doctor. He said, "Ashley, it's not good news". He told me to turn the car around and head to the emergency room. He said the test showed blood clots in both of my lungs, that I needed to be admitted to the hospital as soon as possible, and that we were lucky we found the clots in time. Me and Mike couldn't believe it, and honestly the news never really sunk in. We called everyone we could on the way to the hospital, and got checked in. They started me on an IV Heprin Drip, Saline/Potassium Drip, a heart monitor, and oxygen. I also took some additional tests a doplar on both of my legs and pelvic area, and chest x-rays. The Doctor than delivered more bad news, I needed to stop nursing because of all of the medicine I was going to be on, etc. I said, what?. we hadn't prepared, I was not ready, I didn't know that last time I nursed max was my last time, and max wasn't even going to be with me, but we knew what we had to do, and began the process than and there. Between just being completely worn out from not being able to breath all week, all of the stress, being emotionally drained, not to mention the blood clots in the lungs, for me to get to sleep that night it took 2 hydrocodone pills, than an extremely high dose of morphine ( the nurse said they never give that much of a dose at that hospital) and than 2 more hydocodone pills. It was a difficult night, but Mike stayed right by me the whole night, and thankfully my parents took care of Max for us. I stayed in the hospital through today, tuesday to give the heperin enough time to disolve my clots and thin out my blood. Thank you to everyone for the phone calls, emails, facebook posts, cards, flowers, candy, and visits to the hospital. It did really help cheer me up and keep me in a surprisingly good mood given the situation. I have to stay at home this week and rest and have Mike continue to give me 2 shots a day to continue to thin out my blood. thursday I will go back for a check up, and every week after that. On FEburary 26th I go back for a complete exam to make sure everything is ok.
I still can't believe everything that has happened. I am so thankful Mike and my family were so persistant on getting answers and getting me help. I guess sometimes it's just hard to admit when you really think something is wrong and after the first doctor's appointment it was even harder to go back a 2nd time. I am very thankful for Dr. Schemel following his gut instinct and ordering me the ct scan on Friday. I am just so thankful for that. I consider myself very lucky that I went an entire week with blood clots in both of my lungs with nothing even more serious happening.
Thank you to everyone for everything. We are so incredibly thankful to be at home again as a family. Please continue to pray for me a healthy recovery, and for Mike as he does extra around the house and takes on the extra stress of helping and encouraging me, and Max as he gets used to a new routine.
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