February 20, 2022
I've been putting this off for a while, but I gotta hunker down and write an article about what the hell happened.
Apparently in November I had covid. I barely noticed it, I had what I thought was a mild flu. But one thing it left me was a blood clot in my lower left leg.
In mid-January I had what probably really was a mild flu, I beat it in about 4-5 days but my cough prevailed, I didn't know that it was caused by blood clots in my heart and lungs.
January 27, I had trouble breathing in the morning, so I went to the ER, where they tested me and immediately put me on blood thinners. The next day they performed a procedure where they inserted a tube in my femoral artery, up through my heart and into my lungs, then they started sucking out a LOT of blood clots.
I was discharged the next day, which is good. My bed was broken, the food was terrible and my daytime nurse was pretty incompetent and didn't know what procedures I needed.
I was supposed to have a follow up with my surgeon, but the phone number online for his organization is just a corporate menu with NO OPTION to speak to a live person. I even drove for half an hour to his office to make an appointment but I was told he no longer works at that location and to just make an appointment with my Primary Care Physician.
OK, fine.
The blood thinners I have to take for the next six months are listed at $500 for 30 days worth. I haven't gotten the bills from my hospital stay, I'm unemployed, and can't really work until I recover. I don't mind saying I'm a tad bit concerned.