They Aren’t Hot Flashes…

Today I was browsing through Facebook, when I saw a post put up by my pediatrician’s office.  Intrigued, I watched it and felt it was such an important message that I reposted it on my own Facebook page.

Later this evening, I felt compelled to share it on my blog.  This important video shows the need as we age to really pay attention to our bodies, and listen when they tell us something is wrong.  I can personally  speak to this because in March of 2010, I ignored signs of a life threatening illness until it was almost too late.

Of the 10 symptoms listed by the Mayo Clinic for Pulmonary embolism, I had 9 of them.  I remember trying to complete a run on a Thursday, and having to stop every half mile or so to catch my breath.  By Sunday night, I could not lay flat because I could draw no air into my lungs.  Monday morning, I went to the doctor because I thought I had pleurisy, a painful, but not alarming illness.  By 1:00PM I was in the ER with a diagnosis of blood clots in my right lower lung, and headed for a three day hospital stay and six months of anticoagulant therapy.

When I look back, I realized I had been feeling off for some time.  Someone asked why I didn’t go to the doctor sooner, and I said, “And say what?  I don’t know what’s wrong, but something is?”  I could rationalize all my symptoms.  Excessive sweating, hot flashes.  Difficulty breathing and wheezing, allergies.  Swollen legs, standing on them too long.

Someone asked why I didn’t go to the ER Sunday night, and my response was, “I didn’t think it was an emergency.”  In my mind, an emergency was defined as bleeding to death, or a heart attack.  Turns out, heart attacks are equally as difficult to figure out at times, which is what led me to post the following video.

I truly hope everyone who sees this watches it.  It’s not long, and it is done in comedic light, although the subject is very serious.  It might save your life!