Right Leg Flare

Starting last night shortly after I went to bed, I had a painful episode with my right leg. By the way the lower part of my leg, just above the ankle, is where the remaining patch of the DVT discoloration is.

As I was falling asleep it started to itch. It has gotten itchy in the past and I have learned not to scratch hard as it can get riled up very easily and then start to hurt. It itching continued and in my sleepy state I'm sure I went from rubbing the area gently to some brief moments of scratching.

I took some Vicodin and fell asleep soon after. I woke up about an hour later, just before midnight, with some serious, sharp pains in the location of the DVT and into my upper leg. I took some more Vicodin and sat up for a while applying warm and cold compresses to the lower leg. At 8:00 A.M. I still had a lot of pain, my whole leg, and went to the emergency room after reading about many dire possible causes. I had a two hour wait then I got processed and interviewed.

An ultrasound showed nothing serious as did the the EKG and other monitors I was hooked up to. Finally the principal MD told me it would either get better or worse. If it gets worse they'll have a vascular specialist look me over. He asked if I needed some painkillers and I said I had plenty at home. He then told me thses thing come up and go away and they don't really have a clue.

I got home at 1:00 P.M. and the pain level was better. I took some more Vicodin and was fine.

Semi-annual Lab Test Results

Report from lab tests on:

December 29, 2010
A1C = 5.6
Triglycerides too high

June 10, 2010
PSA = 1.05
A1C = 5.7
Triglycerides too high

March, 2008
A1C = 5.7

June, 2008
A1C = 5.9

October 28, 2008
PSA = 0.9
A1C = 5.7
Triglycerides too high

Right Leg OK

Yesterday I went to the labs on Airport Blvd. to have an ultrasound exam of my right leg. Today I got a call from my doctor's assistant with the results.

The clot in the upper leg has disolved as has some of the clot in the lower leg. The rest of the lower clot has stabilized and will always be there. I doesn't hurt very much. It looks pretty bad, but no longer like raw hamburger. Now it's more like lightly cooked hamburger.

Off Coumadin At Last

My primary care doctor said one year should be enough of the Coumadin and I can stop completely, today. I have been taking some kind of blood thinner since November 16, 2009.

I'll need one more ultrasound exam on the right leg to check the progress on the DVT clot. I will schedule it for right after I get home from the upcoming cruise.

Flu Shots

I got my flu shot today.

Shot in Right Knee

The arthritis in my right knee has been troubling me lately so I called the orthopedist and he said come in for a cortisone shot. I went in and the PA did it -- very well. I didn't feel a thing.

Regular Medical Check Up

Saw my MD and I got a list of blood tests to take next week. Asked him about the pain in my right leg. He has very little to say about it and I suspect the medical world doesn't have a clue.