bikes, bruises and blood clots

When we were shopping for bikes for the family last weekend I had a bike fall on the back of my right calf.

Severe pain, bit of bleeding and instant bruising with hard lump resulted



the day I hurt it.
doesn't look THAT bad!



But that didn't stop us from doing a 6 mile ride that day even with my calf muscle screaming in pain.

Or stop another couple mile ride two days later.

By the time we got back to the house I could barely walk.

My leg hurt so bad that I took Ibuprofen 800 and went to bed.

Last Thursday I drove to up Oklahoma for my OBGYN follow up to last month's HSG and round 2 of clomid. I thought since I was at a hospital and the bruise was getting bigger I would have them check it out.

The ER doctor came in and flipped out. The bruise measured 8cm across and was rock solid.

I found out that the lump in my leg was actually a huge blood clot!

I got my tetanus shot (haven't had one since 1989!), a huge dose of blood thinner injected into my gut (PAIN!) and had blood work drawn to see if the cut had given me an infection (thanfully no infections!).



12 hrs after blood thinner.
bruise is now yellowing from center out which pleased the ER Dr's



The next morning I was back in the ER for follow up care.

The doctor measured the clot now at 6cm! Going down yeah!

The doctor then sent me to radiology for an ultrasound of my right leg for free clots.

Praise GOD there were no clots found in my veins!

The only issue is my veins are dilated and so my valves don't shut all the way.

Which explains the leg swelling I have as the day wears on.

Once my leg is healed I will get back on my bike which should help reverse the vein issues.

I will see my PCP about it on April 14.

For now I get to rest and take baby asprin.



pic from yesterday. the blot clot can now be seen
as an oval lump under the scab middle of the bruise
FINALLY PAIN FREE



I never would have thought to have "just a bruise" looked at by a doctor. Blood clots never entered my mind! It scares me to think that I let 5 days go by with something that could have killed me in my leg.

Now I know  'just a bruise" is ok.

BUT a bruise with a lump that grows and becomes MORE PAINFUL needs attention!

And because my body hates everything considered "good for me" I had a reaction to the tetanus vax.

My lymphs under my arms swoll up 2 days after the shot

and I can barely move my arms.

A OBGYN from church said it means my immune system is working REALLY WELL and corralling the tetanus vax into the lymphs and to treat the pain with massage and pain med. Great...

So I am doing lymph massages and starting a detox to help clean out my system.