A sonogram of my legs yesterday showed no lingering blood clots. That's of course good news, as it means there shouldn't be any new embolisms coming. What it doesn't tell us is whether the original clots came from the legs or from the valve itself. The leading theory is the legs, or, more specifically, from the insertion points for the catheters.
Knowing the original cause of the clots would help future patients. Could clots like mine be prevented in the future? Was I more susceptible this time compared to 2009? Am I hyper-coagulative (prone to form clots more quickly)? For my short term, knowing is moot, partially since it's behind me, and also that I'm on a blood thinner for six months. I'll have bloodwork for hyper-coagulation sometime soon, so that may add a piece to the puzzle.
That I'm feeling better each day is a good sign. Less pain. No fever. Good energy. I even walked a mile last night with Eddie, stopping to rest now and then, but light years better than a short walk to the corner with Alli I think on Sunday.
Because nothing like what I've experienced has happened in the ~3,000 other United States Melody valve cases to date, the next step was jointly determined by Dr. Ringel and his trusted colleagues around the country. On Monday we'll do an echocardiogram to estimate what change, if any, has occurred with the pressures in and near the heart. It could be that my body is still adjusting to the valve and reacting to the clots, or it could mean there is something else going on. The results from Monday will tell us if we wait longer or if we do more tests (probably a catheter echo and camera inspection).
In the meantime, thanks for reading. Enjoy the weather if you live near us! The Washington Post gives the rating for today a subjective 10 out of 10 ... superb for a DC July.
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1 comment:
Appreciate the continued updates. Hope each day is another step closer to complete health!
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