Thougts on a 9 day hospital visit
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:00 pm
Many years ago I was in a bicycle accident and tore my ACL, had by knee rebuilt and some vascular repair.
A couple of months ago, I started getting calf cramps in the leg that had the surgery. My primary physician at Kaiser said it was due to a potassium deficiency and had me take a potassium supplement. Because the cramping was only in the leg that had the surgery, I had my doubts about his diagnosis, but didn't say anything. He's the doctor, right?
About 12 days ago I started getting black and blue marks on my shin and red mottling on my foot. I went back to my primary care doctor. He said it was shin splints, prescribed pain pills and told me to use cold compresses and rest. I went home, but the diagnosis didn't make Washington sense to me. A friend who knows the ins and outs of our HMO (Kaiser Permanente) said I should go to the injury clinic at Kaiser.
The injury clinic doctor took one look at my leg, ordered a CT scan and an ultrasound, then gave me a referral to a vascular surgeon. I was admitted that day in the Emergency room. I spent 2 days in the hospital before the surgery because the vascular surgeon was afraid that the blood clots could move.
Turns out I had a 5-inch aneurism in my let, along with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots. I had surgery last Monday, and was released on Saturday. I'm currently staying with a friend for a few weeks.
The moral of the story? listen to your body. Don't assume your Doctor knows best. If a diagnosis doesn't feel right, push back.
A couple of months ago, I started getting calf cramps in the leg that had the surgery. My primary physician at Kaiser said it was due to a potassium deficiency and had me take a potassium supplement. Because the cramping was only in the leg that had the surgery, I had my doubts about his diagnosis, but didn't say anything. He's the doctor, right?
About 12 days ago I started getting black and blue marks on my shin and red mottling on my foot. I went back to my primary care doctor. He said it was shin splints, prescribed pain pills and told me to use cold compresses and rest. I went home, but the diagnosis didn't make Washington sense to me. A friend who knows the ins and outs of our HMO (Kaiser Permanente) said I should go to the injury clinic at Kaiser.
The injury clinic doctor took one look at my leg, ordered a CT scan and an ultrasound, then gave me a referral to a vascular surgeon. I was admitted that day in the Emergency room. I spent 2 days in the hospital before the surgery because the vascular surgeon was afraid that the blood clots could move.
Turns out I had a 5-inch aneurism in my let, along with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots. I had surgery last Monday, and was released on Saturday. I'm currently staying with a friend for a few weeks.
The moral of the story? listen to your body. Don't assume your Doctor knows best. If a diagnosis doesn't feel right, push back.