Pulmonary Embolism Support Group
By far the most common form of pulmonary embolism is a thromboembolism, which occurs when a blood clot, generally a venous thrombus, becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and death.
I read this today, and identified especially with the feeling of mortality he writes about. I sent the link to my family as an articulate summary that closely describes much of what I feel, and so I think many here will relate as well.
http://www.taltoursinc.com/news/six-months-later-surviving-my-pulmonary-embolism/
Anyone else have this new framework for mortality?
http://www.taltoursinc.com/news/six-months-later-surviving-my-pulmonary-embolism/
Anyone else have this new framework for mortality?
A lot of what he writes I don't find relatable: I DON'T feel a strong sense of my mortality, and I wish I did. You'd think after two episodes of PE - five years apart - I would have a new lease on life and be working to be come a better version of myself. I don't know why I don't feel like I cheated death every day, but I don't.
On the other hand, I do very much relate to this: "As a result of my diagnosis, I am mindful of every slight pain that I get, vacillating between a desire to run to the doctor and to not over-react." Now that I've had two episodes, I am on blood thinners for life. While this is hard to cope with in many ways, I have to say I don't look at every pang of pain as "the next blood clot coming to get me." I am looking forward to having that normalcy back in my life.
I have found it particularly hard to explain to my family what all of this feels like, physically and emotionally. I am the healthiest looking sick person they have ever seen.