Another First--ER visit

Shayla had been 'complaining' (mentioning is a better term, she does not complain) about her right arm hurting her for the past couple of days and we had noticed that it was a bit different in color off and on (like a mottled pink and purple--like bruising). I figured she was bruising because of her low platelet count. However, since her pain continued (at her tolerance level of 5) and she requested Tylenol twice today, I made a call to the on-call clinic. Our luck, Dr. Chang is on call this weekend! She asked about symptoms and then told me to take her to the ER at St. Alphonsus Regional Med. Center because it is closer to our home than St. Luke's. She gave me instructions to have the doctors there do an ultrasound of Shayla's port to check for any blood clots. So that is what we did.

The ER doctor was not convinced that she had clots, but agreed to do the ultrasound after I told him of Dr. Chang's orders. Shayla and I both feel like the ER doctor truly didn't believe she may have had clots because her description of where the arm pain was was not consistent with bloodclots. Well, he came back into the room a bit sheepishly once the vascular ultrasound was done because she does have bloodclots! He was considering admitting her to be observed and have meds administered to dissolve the clots, but consulted with Dr. Chang and agreed to let her come home since Jase can comfortably give the shots she needs over the next 2 weeks. Shayla was relieved to say the least! The thought of having to stay in the hospital on one of her 'off' weekends was not exciting at all. She started to tell me "if the doctor says I have to stay..." but I told her to stop thinking that way and focus on what we need to do to be able to go home. I am sure she prayed mightily in the 5 minutes it took our ER doctor to return with the happy news that she could come home!

So, we are home again. She now gets Lovenox injections into her belly twice a day for the next 2 weeks. More beads for her necklace!