Kathy Quinn
Mar 9, 20231 min
As the new year got underway, Karen was actually thrilled about the pain in her
calf! She took it as a sign that recent hikes along the steep bluffs of Lake Michigan were
good workouts – no pain, no gain!
Over the next few days, Karen had a vague sense that the pain was creeping
upward, but she chalked it up to her imagination. Then... she woke one morning
struggling to breathe. Couldn’t walk. Couldn’t talk. Oddly, 2 words came to mind –
charley horse.
Unconscious for a few seconds, Karen revived with a good, deep breath. Time to
get on with her day! But, “Charley Horse” rankled. She grabbed a laptop, scanned The
Care Partner Project and, sure enough, found that blood clots may include a charley
horse pain that lasts for days.
In the emergency room, her D-dimer test result was 5700 – normal is around
500! A CT scan showed five blood clots scattered across both lungs. Thankfully, good
information and prompt treatment saved Karen's life!
March is Blood Clot Awareness month --
for good reason! The signs can be misinterpreted, and they are caused by various
health conditions. In Karen's case, the culprit was an inherited blood
disorder – Factor 5 Leiden mutation – which can be detected with a blood test that
doctors seldom order.
Blood clots can be deadly – but you can prevent them from extinguishing a
candle on your birthday cake!
Learn how at Stop The Clot at The Care Partner Project. How to be a patient advocate for loved ones - The Care Partner Project
You may save a life with a little checklist, too!