Two years since my health scare

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Roughly two years ago my world was rocked and it took me time to get over a close call. I had a blood clot that went and hit my lung taking a chunk with it. I was extremely lucky and had no idea at the time either. I had a pain by my ribs which I thought was just a side effect of braking a rib many years ago.

I just didn't feel right and the only reason I went to hospital was my ankle swelled up and I was coughing up some blood. Don't ever google symptoms lol as you will make yourself even feel worse than you are. I have never been someone who drank lots of fluid and believe it wouldn't of happened if I lived somewhere else. The climate on the Highveld in Johannesburg is a dry heat and you need to drink loads more. We had moved from a humid area by the coast and the dry air in Johannesburg needs to be treated differently.

I had some tests and I had 7 blood clots in my system and they were all backed up in a vein that looked like a dead end. I am obviously lucky, but also unlucky as this vein was causing the issues. Who has a vein that goes nowhere. I asked them to please take it out and they said that they couldn't as I had this scare now.

I realised what I had was a killer to many other people and I got lucky. I wish it had been painful because then I would have known something was wrong. When I broke my rib I had discomfort, but not the pain others have. I only found out years later when I thought I had a third breast as I had a lump appear. Lumps appearing are not good in anyone's language so I had some x rays which revealed the extra cartilage over the broken rib.

I think the worst of it was the self injections into the stomach which felt like you were stabbing yourself. The bruising that showed up a day later was horrendous so you always tried to find a fresh spot to inflict less damage.

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I was put on blood thinners called Warfarin which is basically rat poison. A bright pink tablet that has serious consequences if you get it wrong. I had weekly blood tests and they inform you how much to take, but can only increase or decrease by 10 percent at a time.Unfortunately my body resisted these tablets at first and only knew they were working when I brushed my teeth.

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My diet had to change and believe it or not I was limited on my greens. Green tea was a no no and other healthy greens like kale, spinach, parsley, romaine, coriander and green leaf lettuce. This was the opposite of what I had thought. I wasn't allowed them as they thicken the blood,fortunately I was a meat and potato guy anyway so it wasn't a big loss. I eat greens now though, but not loads as I know too much is not great for you. I thought kale was meant to be good for you.

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These tablets scared the life out of me as you were taking poison every day and you had no choice. The same time everyday was what got me. I am useless with medication and had to change my ways. I was going to have them for 6 months, but fortunately went and saw a blood specialist who changed me to a more civilized tablet. I lost faith with the Sister who was prescribing my tablets as my chart looked like a yo-yo and honestly thought she would kill me if I stayed with her for 6 months. One tablet that involved no blood tests and would remove any blood clots if any had formed.

It took my body a while to get rid of the poison as I could feel my body heat up on many occasions and I had no idea what was going on. Thankfully those times are behind me today and I have increased my fluid intake and drink even if I don't feel like it.

I have learnt to listen to my body these days and drink about 4 liters a day now.