Hello

Emily Mitchell · Post by **Emily Mitchell** » 18 years ago

Sorry I haven't been around lately guys, but I've been a little busy... in the hospital. Last Thursday I was rushed to a hospital after I noticed my leg was blue all over and of course I was in pain, too. Then I was transported to another hospital closer to home, and then to another one where they could actually do the procedure I needed to have. I had a massive blood clot, or basically my entire vein system in my left leg was clotted. The clots started at my belly button and went all the way to my ankle. So my entire leg turned blue and was swollen four times its normal size. They did a whole bunch of stuff to fix me up and they told me that the main procedure might also kill me, too... but obviously I survived. But yeah, that was not fun. :blink: So now after a week and a half in the hospital (part of the time in CCU), I am finally home. I still can't exactly walk, but at least I am home. And they say that in a couple months I'll be okay. B)

Hope everyone else has been alright

Ara Davies · Post by **Ara Davies** » 18 years ago

That's not good at all! I'm glad you're better, though. Do they know why it happened?

Ronda Figal · Post by **Ronda Figal** » 18 years ago

I'm glad your on teh mend.. make sure to take it easy in the next couple months...

Emily Mitchell · Post by **Emily Mitchell** » 18 years ago

Thanks guys... and no, they don't really know why it happened. They took 17 tubes of my blood to send off to have all sorts of tests done for rare blood diseases and stuff... because blood clots are not supposed to happen in 18 year olds that don't smoke or anything... they went in and put a stint in my vein where the main artery and the main vein cross- they think the artery could have put too much pressure on the vein or something like that. Really though, they are all clueless. I'm going to see the hematologist guy again next week to get the results of all the tests back. Maybe they'll find something. :ph34r:

Post by **The Steward** » 18 years ago

Girl! I've been going online for DAYS to tell you that Lion Heart is going to be added to the SIM and Henny Hughes' dam and siblings are in there too and I have been so bummed out that I couldn't find you. Please please get better I loovveeee you!!!!!! Please please please get better, or else Six Perfections and I are going to come drag you out of it!

Emily Mitchell · Post by **Emily Mitchell** » 18 years ago

YAY for Lion Heart and Henny Hughes! YAY!

I AM trying to get better, I swear! But yesterday my nose started to bleed but instead of running out it ran into my sinuses... so today my face is a little puffy and I can hardly breathe through my nose. Silly blood thinners made this happen... or maybe I shouldn't try to stand up so much today...

Oh! random fact from my hospital trip- I had 38 needles in me over my stay... heck yes, I kept count- but those are only the ones I was actually concious for... I think four were in my stomach, and the rest in my arms and hands... my stomach ones were injections and I had five IV attempts (ouch!) but only three IVs - and the rest were all blood draws (I don't know how I have any blood left). :ph34r:

Steph Wilder · Post by **Steph Wilder** » 18 years ago

OMG! That's NOT good. I'm glad you're doing better, and I hope they can figure out what is wrong with you soon.

Krystle Yanagihara · Post by **Krystle Yanagihara** » 18 years ago

OMG! Holy crap! Please get better soon! You must be freaked out like mad through all this. O_O!

Mandy Saunders · Post by **Mandy Saunders** » 18 years ago

You're too young to have that kind of problems!!

Hope you're feeling better

Ronda Figal · Post by **Ronda Figal** » 18 years ago

Nooo kidding.. way to yong for such major problems..me and mine have sent a prayer out for u.. get better soon....

Emily Mitchell · Post by **Emily Mitchell** » 18 years ago

Thanks everyone!

I WILL, I MUST be better by Derby time! B)

Dave Shields · Post by **Dave Shields** » 18 years ago

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

Glad you are doing better now.
It is shocking to read what happened to you, and you are so young. Hopefully some answers will be revealed as to why this happened.

I hope you have a full and quick recovery. We all have you in our thoughts.

Emily Mitchell · Post by **Emily Mitchell** » 18 years ago

So, I went to the doctor today. The hematologist came in and started things off with a: "Well..."

That's never good.

He said that since I had the anatomical abnormality where my vein was narrowed in one place, he didn't expect for the blood tests to come back and say that I had anything else wrong with me. In fact, he had told me that a whole lot of times before- and so had my other doctors.

But, he said he was astonished to discover that I had not one but THREE blood problems. The first is called a Factor 5 Lieden mutation - it is genetically passed along and only about 5% of the white population have it. It just increases the chances for a blood clot. This is the most normal problem they found in my bloodwork.

The second is called the lupus anticoagulation disorder. It is mostly found in people who have lupus, so they tested my blood for that too and thank GOODNESS I do not have lupus. This disorder causes my blood to actually clot faster, but in most tests a chemical reaction occurs and it ends up showing that my blood is clotting slower than it really is. Weird, eh? Because of this disorder my blood thinner levels have to be higher than average.

The third problem is a Protein S deficiency. This is also a genetically linked factor. My level is only 30% of what the normal level is. This deficiency effects my body's clotting system causing it to be unregulated.

We mentioned to the doctor about my total colorblindness. He agrees that the colorblindness is most certainly a mutation... and he thinks that the genetic clotting mutations could just be in me, but my whole immediate family has to be tested anyway. I'm betting not a single soul in my family will have any problems. I'm just a super mutant.

The second reason I listed above is something that just randomly pops up in people- mostly people with lupus. So my family doesn't have to worry about that one. It just proves I'm super weird.

Because of these things, though, I now have to stay on blood thinners for the rest of my life.

I talked with my doctor today a lot about what I can and cannot do- basically no football for me... haha (I don't actually play)... but he also said that I could ride horses, just not fall off. lol

So my mom is going to buy me a helmet and a protective vest because she is terrified something will happen to me.

However, if I fall and hit my head I have to immediately go in for a catscan... so that's not too fun.

On the bright side, my leg no longer hurts and the swelling isn't TOO bad anymore. So I can actually walk around the house in a decently upright position. Maybe tomorrow I will venture outdoors... just not for very long.

And that is my ridiculously long update... I'm sure it was way more than any of you ever wanted to know :ph34r:

Hope everyone is doing well.

Post by **The Steward** » 18 years ago

I think about you all the time, stay tough my friend.

Daryl Dennis · Post by **Daryl Dennis** » 18 years ago

With the helmet, vest and random mutations, are you sure you aren't a member of the X-Men? Come up with a snazzy nickname...that seems to work in the movies.

I have had a few major (and utterly random) health issues myself (pericarditis after inhaling ancient dust stirred up by an earthquake counts for one). That "Well..." is never good. It always makes me think they are just making stuff up from that point on.

Stay strong, and use those powers for good instead of evil.

Daryl