Wednesday, August 25, 2010

drug down


Last week I promised you I would have good news on Friday.  And then I told you nothing.


No, I have not reverted to my political mold.  No truth-bending here.  My announcement simply needed a little more conformation.


I saw my general practitioner doctor last week.  She told me my Coumadin sentence was drawing to a close.  She wanted me to keep my monitoring appointment on Friday, but after that I would be done.


On Friday, I tripped over to the hospital thinking I would be set free.  As so often happens when hopes are too high, mine were dashed.  Apparently, the note entered in my medical chart was too ambiguous for the clinic.  The nurses needed to talk with my doctor before they could terminate treatment -- and she was not in the office on that Friday.


So, I patiently (after all, that is my role in this drama) waited for news.  And took my pills religiously through the weekend. 


No news on Monday.  No news on Tuesday.  Until late in the afternoon.  Just as I was reaching to call the clinic, my telephone rang.


The nurse told me I was as liberated as Elsa on the savannah.  No more pills.


My doctor and the clinic at the hospital have been great through all of this.  Whether or not I was ever really in danger of suffering any damage from the blood clot, we will never know.  What we do know is the clot collapsed like the Soviet Union, and I survived.  For that, I can thank the medical professionals.


I am now down to one medication for my blood pressure.  And if I can strip off the pounds I have gained (and return to my regular food and exercise regimen in Mexico), I may be able to drop the last pill.


But, I am happy, for the moment, to be rid of the Coumadin.

12 comments:

Calypso said...

congrats amigo - time to book back to Mexico

Anonymous said...

hi steve,

happy to hear the clot was dissolved and that you are off the coumadin.

have a great day!

teresa

Tancho said...

Goof news, no wishing for a speedy return to sensible living down south.

Anonymous said...

Hi Steve, so glad you are off coumadin now. Glad your clot dissolved. Since you are a book worm here is one you may like to read. "The Dash Diet for Hypertesion", by thomas Moore, M.D. It is full of great information regarding high blood pressure and it includes a 14 day diet which will lower your blood pressure naturally. Read the book..try the diet for 14 days and see what happens. This book comes highly recommended from a nutrional bio chemist who has been studying aging for the last 40 years. I think this would be great for you to try as your diet and exercise seems to be the factor that affects your blood pressure. If you choose to read the book and give the diet a try would you be willing to share your results with us?

Unknown said...

Run, Steve Cotton! Run like the wind! (Glad you're OK!)

Mike Nickell and Cynthia Johnson said...

Good job! It must be all that good livin' in Salem. Here's to more improved health!

- Mexican Trailrunner said...

Way to go, Elsa! Congrats.

Anonymous said...

Sure, you're off the coumadin, but are you off the cream pie, the cheese melted over the tortilla chips, and the 2 pounds of fresh cherries?

That bloated feeling was not from coumadin.

ANM

Irene said...

Best wishes for continued good health. Is your left foot feeling better?

Steve Cotton said...

Calypso -- Amen, brother.

Teresa -- And I really feel free.

Tancho -- Sensible, indeed.

Anonymous -- I will take a look at it.

Al -- Run? I am lucky to limp. But I can fly.

Mike and Cynthia -- Great health is on the horizon.

Mexican Trailrunner -- Elsa prowls.

ANM -- The bloat rolls on.

Irene -- I walked to work today and yesterday. Everything seems to be fine.

Anonymous said...

That is good news. I am so glad the blood clot is gone. They are dangerous.

Mom

Steve Cotton said...

Mom -- The best thing, though, is getting off the medication.