[CindyLou]

Thank-you Toebin for your kind inquiries. I suppose my title should now read: Finally, out of hospital, for 4th time. Had another scare Monday evening, actually early Tuesday morning, on the 19th at 1 a.m., so just 4 days ago. Woke up with exact same symptoms that sent me to the Brainerd hospital on August 7th, for 4-5 days, only a week and a half before. Sharp left sided chest pain, sudden onset, and unbearable....a 10 on the pain chart. Could not even sit up, pain was so bad. My husband called 911, and ambulance came fast. (how sad, my husband has become the expert, with the 911 ordeal) They kept me over night and all day till discharge, end of day on the 19th, Tuesday. After all kinds of tests, it turns out I still have the pleurisy, pleural effusion, and partial left lung collapse. The good news is, the CAT SCAN showed the pulmonary embolism to be absorbed by my body, hallelulah. And the bi-lateral pneumonia was gone. However, I was/am still at risk for these because of pleurisy, etc., so I have been doing my deep breathing exercises like a maniac. Tire easily, but feel am on the mend. My Mother left yesterday, which was a big relief. Difficult to "host" family under grave health conditions. Good to see her, but I was exhausted when she left. My Doppler US finds were curious, to say the least. I'll just quote the IMPRESSION: Negative Doppler study of the bilateral lower extremities. The visualized posterior tibial and peroneal veins without definite thrombus but cannot totally exclude calf thrombus. What the hell does that mean? My right calf is the one that still gives me throbbing pain, on and off. But it feels like it is coming from the front side of my calf, not the back. And when I asked my back surgeon, he said the clots only come from back of leg. Could it be referred pain? I just don't know. My INR's finally jumped to 2.7 last Monday, so we readjusted, somewhat, and I get checked again this coming Monday. They thought 2.7 was a bit too high........seemed ok to me, but I'm just the dumb patient. That's it. I think I answered all your questions. Oh, fyi, I declined a trip to Australia in mid September with my husband. (I'm not that stupid, to risk throwing another clot) So, he is taking our 21 year old, junior in college son, as his guest. He's stoked. This is an award trip, fully paid for. So, they'll have a fantastic time together. Hope you are well too, my friend, as we all must lift each other up to wellness.