Pulmonary Embolism (was Back yard mechanic)

[Lou Olsen]

Be alert for this, seems like it is common, I lost my
wife this way. Learned about it after the fact.

Clots form in the calf area, which can travel into the
lungs, then you have a problem. Long distance travel
seems to activate the problem, especially when you do
not move around much. It is sometimes called economy
class syndrome, try economy class on a flight to
Sydney sometime - you do not move much for a very long
time.

Mild damage to the calf, a bump or bruise, can start
the formation of clots. Not sure of the physiology,
but clots in the calf area have a direct shot to your
lungs. 

Any pains in the calf area, shortness of breath,
pneumonia like symptoms are indicators (any one, not
all!). If this occurs during or just after a long trip
when you do not move much, the warning bells should go
off in a big way!

In my personal situation, a mis-diagnosis of shortness
of breath as pneumonia, followed by a fairly short
trip, resulted in a loss. The proper name for all of
this is Deep Vein Thrombosis (calf clots) followed by
Pulmonary Embolism (clots lodge in lungs).

You are a lucky man Earl,

Lou

--- John Gausby <humptybumpty at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Earl......I'm glad you have recovered. Blood clots
> are some DANGEROUS stuff. You REALLY have my
> interest here. What is it about the traveling that
> causes this???? I turned 50 last year  and aware of
> all the extra preventative tests that Dr's recommend
> at this age and after.
> 
> We are doing some long drives this season as
> well.........John G...Richmond , Va.
> Original message attached.
> 
---------------------------------
I would like to share something with you guys that has
nothing to do with your airplane except maybe never
getting to fly it again  Last week end was our contest
in Myrtle Beach and I will leave the report on that up
to Buff Miller, this is about being so sure youknow
something it almost does you in. Eric Henderson had
come down on Thursday to go out to our field on Friday
and do somepracticing, I had taken off from work and
was planning on helping our club cut the grass etc.
for the contest on Saturday. I wokeup on Friday with a
pretty good knot in my left shoulder so much that when
I took a deep breath it let me know it was there. I
willtry and make this as short as I can, took Tylenol
over week end seemed to be ok, Sunday morning started
coughing up a littleblood, now I have had walking
pneumonia before and symptoms were the same so I
figure I will go to the contest and then go to the
hospital in the afternoon. Said goodbye to Eric and
Michelle and went home, when I told my wife Carol that
I was coughingblood she went nuts on me and we went to
the hospital, me still thinking I had the start of
pneumonia no big deal go get an xray and some
antibiotics. Now to the feeling really luck and really
stupid at the same time, chest xray come out clean,
blood gas ok, electrocardiagram(please no spell check
guys) ok, me  really confused, Doctor say Hey you may
have a blood clot in your lung. After a catscanwith
some heavey duty dye pumped in , yep whole bunch of
cartio embelisims? in BOTH LUNGS and yea a lot of
people DIEfrom these if they get stuck in the wrong
place. After the past week in the hospital on blood
thinners , which I have to stay on for3 months, then
go on aspirin 1 a day I am feeling fine again.  The
reason I typed all this is the main reason the doctors
told me for all of this trouble was the 6+ round trips
I have made toNJ and back since moving down to Myrtle
Beach. I have a bad habit of driving straight through
stopping only for fuel and nature when needed, bad
move! always stop ever couple of hours and walk
around, this time of year many of us will be taking
long tripsto contest, the Nats and if your blood is  a
little thick to start off with you may have the same
thing happen, it took me by suprizealthough I had a
weird pain travel thtough my leg about a month prior
and it went away or so I thought, Treat yourselves
like youtreat your pattern stuff and every thing
should be ok.FYIEarl Vincent

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