To Clot or Not to Clot…That is the question…

I stayed at the hospital for one night. It was a rough night getting the anesthesia out of my system. Didn't realize It would make me sick first. My night nurses were great and pretty patient. After many hours I was able to finally walk across the room to bathroom without getting lightheaded or sick. So progress. Pain was definitely there but the meds helped.

All my doctors came to check on me throughout the day. Dr. Camal came first at 6am (yikes) and checked my incisions. And also to let me know she got everything out and didn't need to do a third incision to remove lymph nodes. She was able to remove all them through the same breast incision. Which was great! All looked good to her so far. My only concern was my right arm was in a lot of pain. But it was also very swollen from the IV that filled it with fluid.

Throughout the rest of day each PA and Doctor came to check my incisions. I mentioned the same arm pain to each of them and still wasn't sure what it was. Could be my drains and where they are rubbing and i was still very swollen from all the fluid in my skin.

Afternoons Nurses came to give me meds and check my drains. And around 1pm I was told I was release and able to go home. They said take my time so I took a little nap and Sharon and Maggie both came to help Doug bring me home. The Nurses gave us the last instructions on the drains and medicine and off we go home.

The first few days home were tough. I was tired and sore. Any honestly everything kinda ached. It took time to get comfortable. It hurt even to talk. I couldn't go to the bathroom alone or anything. The meds helped tremendously. Let me relax and sleep to heal. But still had the most pain in my right arm. Although the swelling had gone down in my hand. So silver lining!

Friday was my follow up with Dr. Griffith. So Doug and I headed over to the office.

Mary the PA checked my incisions and drains and all looked great. But I mentioned again My pain in the right arm. Which was concerning to her after looking at the swelling on the upper arm. Especially since this was not the arm that had the lymph nodes removed. Mary wanted me to go get an ultrasound to rule out a blood clot.

So off we go across the street to the hospital for an ultrasound. Now let me put this into perspective- I left the house with NOTHING. No ID, No purse, nothing but slippers and sweats... assuming we were just heading there and back.

So now im back at the hospital in the radiology department AGAIN for another test- thank god I was just there so they had all my info. I was rushed ahead of everyone for my ultrasound on my arm.

Now the ultrasound tech was a wonderfully sweet woman who helped me get undressed since I can't use my arms. As she did the ultrasound we chatted and she asked how i was feeling. And about my family and then told me she had just lost her mother 2 weeks ago. We had a beautiful heartfelt conversation about grief while she took the images.

When she was done she said to me with tears in her eyes "Sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers about this."

And I said "As someone who lost a parent I can understand. There isn't any judgment and you can be honest. It doesn't get easier, just different."

If I could have used my arms I would have given her a hug because in think she needed one. But instead i just told her to be gentle with herself and feel all the feelings.

When we were done she told me not to leave until the radiologist came to speak with me.

Not a good sign.

So Doug and I sat there for what felt like forever. The tech came back again and said please don't leave it will be a few more minutes. Finally after the radiologist came over and told me we needed to go directly to my Oncologist Dr. Horkheimer and that he was expecting me.

My brain is going 1000 miles a minute and every thought went through my head-

Why does my oncologist need me now??

This wasn't even about my cancer!

This was for a blood clot!

This is my good arm, not my cancer side!

Doug and I left the hospital and as our minds are racing we head over to my oncologist. It felt like the longest drive ever. Even if the office was only a few miles away.

We get to Dr. Horkheimer office nervous as hell... the staff was ready for me. And it felt like a drug deal... we were snuck in kinda quickly and quietly (which again makes you think the worst)... Dr. Horkheimer takes Doug and I into an exam room.

I didn't even sit down on the exam table and he starts to explain to Doug and I that I do have a blood clot in my right arm. He says this is not abnormal and they have noticed that if you have had Covid in past I may be more prone to a blood clot. Lovely never was told that before. Ah Covid stikes again. Lol..

So he, Dr. Camal and Dr. Griffith decided that instead of having me in the hospital for two days with injections to break up the clot: they would give me xarelto pills to thin my blood.

He said "This is why we have these pills"

Doug and I both took a breath and I said "I was freaking out because I didn't know why I'm coming to my oncologist for a blood clot. "

To which he said, "I'm also a hemotologist."

Doug looks at his lab coat and right on it, clear as day it says "hemotologist/ oncologist ".

Dr. Horkheimer said " About 30% of the time I work with hemotologist patients and 70% oncology."

So I said " I guess you get to work with me 100% of the time! Lol!

He then explained how to take my pills and let him know if I develop a fever or pain gets worse.

And then back home we go... to jump this next hurdle. Never a dull moment in this journey of mine.