Taking a short break from diving...

[Buoyant Babe]

In the middle of last week I developed a hurty leg. It felt like I’d strained a muscle in my calf. It was several days after I had been diving, and I just thought I’d pulled a muscle poncing around in my high heels at work. I’ve done that before. It’ll go away, thinks I. Just get on with it and don’t be a wimp.

By Saturday and Sunday it was considerably worse. I couldn’t stand on my leg when I got up in the morning and it was ‘throbbing’ and felt very tender.

Monday morning I got up and the pain was so bad I wanted to cry . I’ve only twice before had pain that made me want to weep (I’m quite good with pain) but I bit my lip really hard like a good little soldier and fought back the tears .

I got to work and phoned the Doctor’s surgery immediately they opened. Please note, if I had thought for one moment I was bent, I would have phoned the pot long before then. I’ve made the call before for reassurance and I don’t do denial.

Anyhoo, I got a doctors appointment for Monday evening. The Doc takes a look at my leg, measures both calves and says that although my left leg isn’t swollen, he wants me to go straight to the hospital to get a test for a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) as a precaution. He’ll ring me that night when he gets the results.

Just over an hour later I am sat at home (on YD, surprisingly) when I get the call. My ‘levels’ are raised. This may mean several things, but it could mean I have a clot. He’ll ring the Doc at the Hospital to see what they want me to do – go tonight or wait til the morning.

Sooo, 6.30 I arrive at South Shields General having been told to get my ass up there that night. They are expecting me, and a bed has been booked for me in Admissions – scary ! I see the nurse in A&E after an hour wait. She rings the Doc on the Admissions ward who my GP spoke to. He’s a locum who doesn’t normally work there. She tells him normal procedure is not to be admitted, but for him to prescribe an injection of enoxaparin (anti-coagulant) and to pack me off home with an appointment for a scan the next day. Hurrah! I’ll be outta here soon. He wants more blood tests before he gives me the injection. Why? I’ve just had a blood test! That’s why I’m here. The nurse tells me the bloods will take about an hour, then the Doc will come down to prescribe the jab. This is 7.45pm.

9.30pm I ask the nurses what’s happening. Oh, they know you’re here. You’ll just have to wait. 10pm, they close the day A&E down. Everyone on this list please come to the night A&E next door. My name’s not on the list. I just sit here? Good, can’t be long now then. 10.45pm I find a nurse. What’s happening? Eventually they track down the Doc in Admissions who tells them just to give me the needle down there and send me home. FFS! Couldn’t he have done that two hours ago? 11.15 I leave the hospital utterly miserable and just a tad annoyed .

Next day I get a call at work. I’m to go to the Admissions ward at 3.15pm for an ultrasound scan.

I get the scan, the Doc says I may have a small clot. An hour later the nice young lady Doc in Admissisons say the scan is inconclusive. They would rather treat a not-clot than not treat a clot, so I get another jab and after three hours in the hospital I’m on my way home. I have to come back the next day after she has conferred with the Ultrasound man. Diving is off this weekend then…

So, today I go back for another jab and a chat with another nice lady Doctor. I do have a DVT. A very small clot in my calf where it has been hurting. I need a week of daily enoxaparin, after which they will scan me again. If it’s gone, the treatment ends. I have opted to self administer the jabs at home rather than traipse to the hospital every day.

If the clot is still there after the scan, I had two options. Six weeks of warfarin (don’t they give that to pensioners?) or four weeks of self administering the enoxaparin. I opted for the latter. It will mean I never have to declare I’ve taken warfarin on a medical questionnaire, which makes me feel a bit better.

After next weeks scan, I can ring a dive doc to see if I can dive whilst I am on the enoxaparin for four weeks, if it turns out it is necessary. The good news is that in any event I can dive again no problem once the treatment is over

So, lesson learnt: Don’t dismiss what you think is a strained muscle in your leg if it gets worse. Go see the Doc.

I didn’t realise just how much diving is now not just what I do, but who I am. Sat in A&E for five hours it occurred to me that someone might tell me I can’t dive again. Ever. This has been discussed on here before, but until you are actually faced with the possibility I don’t think you realise (well for me anyways) just what a massive thing that would be. I’m a diver. My friends are divers. My spare time is diving, talking about diving, fettling kit. Despite talking copious amounts of crap on YD, I am still a diver and a lot of my good and very dear friends are on here. Thankfully, it hasn’t come to that.

Can anyone recommend a good dive doc I can phone if I feel I want to after my scan next week?

Safe diving everyone.

Helen xxx

Oh, and Moz quickly offered to take my place on the Glanmire on Saturday. What a star…

[purple vonny]

Warfarin is also rat poison. Tee heee. Hope your clot dissolves soon.

YD should carry a health warning.... prolonged sitting reading about clots can cause you to develop clots. Or something like that.

Hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Moz]

I'm moved..................

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by Moz

I'm moved..................

No your a twat. Enjoy the Glanmire

[weazelz]

glad you are okay Helen. save the warfarin for if you see a MONSTER F*CKING RAT

[hilrosepaul]

[Colin Marriott]

Hoping for a speedy recovery Helen.


ColinM

[dry suit diver]

look after yerself girl.


SWMBO had to do the Heparin injections for the whole of the last pregnancy 1 in the morning 1 in the evening. and then for 6 weeks after short stuff arriveed.


you get used to it quick and it becomes routine.


PS this is really so you can do the tour the Krankies have advertised isn't it

[puddlediver]

Hope you're soon over it.

Cheers

Lyv

[MonkeyPony]

Get well soon BB.