Having come back after a few days and re-read my last two posts, it has dawned on me that they are quite lengthy. If you managed to get this far, then thank you for taking the time to hear my story. My story is important to me since those 6 weeks back in 2001 changed my life for ever.
Every single day I get glum feelings when I think about how DVT has changed my physicality, energy, appearance and functionality. I try not to dwell on it at the time. I simply think sod it and get on with what I was doing.
Any way, I digress a little. I'll also try and wrap up the back story as best as I can.
So, now being at the point where I can walk again I was then able to return to work. I was fortunate to have very understanding management who supported my returning to work when I felt ready. If I remember correctly they allowed me to come back on half days for the first week followed by full time again from then on.
It was around this time that my wife informed me that we needed to attend a medical prior to our leaving for Botswana. My wife was due to start working as a teacher in Botswana in the September after my DVT's. We had been working towards and looking forward to the move for almost a year. Anyway, my heart sank. Of course a medical would be required, but I honestly did not think I would be allowed to accompany my wife considering the seriousness of my illness just months before. So I attended the medical and the report was sent to the British Council who were organising the UK end of the teaching post placements. The British Council got back in touch wanting to know more about the condition and asking for an opinion from my haematologist as to whether they thought a move to Botswana would be possible?
I remember speaking to my haematologist about how important this trip was for my wife and I and how much we had been looking forward to it. But non the less, it was ultimately going to be her medical opinion that would change the direction of our lives. The haematologist send an email to all clinical staff asking if anyone had any experience of life in Botswana and what level of medical care would be available? Apparently she received a couple of replies from medical staff who were from Botswana. The answers they gave convinced my haematologist that the move would be risky but could be managed if I found an appropriate place for INR checks. For me this was an amazing step to take. She could have simply said no, the move would be too risky, at which point the British Council would have pulled the plug for both of us.
Shortly before we left for Botswana I recieved a letter in the post from the hospital. Apparently one of my blood samples had been taken for genetic testing. Results had come back and apparently I have a genetic condition that makes me slightly moore prone to clotting. It's called 'Heterozygous Prothrombin Gene Mutation' or 'Prothrombin 20210 Mutation (Factor II Mutation)'. Click here for an interesting article on all aspects of this condition.
From that point on we never looked back. We moved to Botswana in the September and set up a new life in small village called Mathangwane near Francistown. I would get me INR checked once in a while in the local clinic, but to honest I did not at the time understand the variability of warfarin. I think I was tested about 6 times in the two years I was there. I now think I was lucky that nothing untoward happened.
During our time in Botswana I never really had cause to struggle due to damage to my legs. On the odd occasion I would find myself needing to climb a steep hill or walk up dunes. It was really only then that I felt any discomfort.
In April 2003 we returned to the UK 6 months pregnant. It was at this time I stopped taking the warfarin. I had been advised to take warfarin for at least two years. I think I took it for two years and a few days. To be honest I simply stopped doing anything related to reducing the risk of a repeat episode. I got on with my life, worked hard at my new job and enjoyed bringing up our son. I kind of secretly knew that in the furture, maybe when I was in my 50's that further complications might arise. But I was certainly kidding myself at the time that I needed to do nothing.
If you happen to have a question about what happened to me and the process of recovery I went through, please feel free to post as a comment. I will endeavour to get back to you as soon as I can.
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2 comments:
What a story. I have a question and i reach difficulty in obtaining the answers.
I had a opperation in my achelis tendon due to a cactus thorn. 5 days after the opperation i had cramps in my calf and thought it was due to being immobile for a week. On day 8, 3 days after the pain, i went back to the Dr and same day i was admitted to the hospital. 5 days in hospital my INR levels were low enough to go home and 3 days of self injecting and warfarin im on 2.1. It is now the 3rd week after admission date.
My question: after 5 days in hospital all the swelling and pain went away. Its now day 13. What possibilities are there for this DVT to become a PE and travel to my lung or worse, heart?
If no swelling and pain persist, is the clot still there?
May i be walking and sitting or is inclinded rest the only answer?
I don't know if you will ever see it,because your post is a bit old now..but I really want to wish you all best..I was diagnosed with DVT when I was 18 and my life became pretty dramatic after that..still haven't recovered,and it's been almost two years after it..I stayed 2 months in hospital and going to take warfarin for the rest of my life..but I just keep thinking that there are lots of others whose problems are much bigger
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