A Not Good Week
This past Tuesday, quite late, I began to feel chilled to the bone. I raised the heat, and put on long underwear.
This seemed to have no effect. I still felt chilled to the bone.
The night proved terrible for trying to sleep. It was obvious I had a fever. Or, eek, Covid!
Also, my left calf hurt! It got worse and worse. WTF? Why would a fever impact my calf???????
At 6AM the calf pain was so bad I got up, limped to the kitchen, and took some Tylenol. I limped back to bed, and kinda passed out.
Waking a few hours later, the calf pain was gone by 90%. It now just ached.
Fever gone.
Save the calf ache, I felt fine.
However…the ensuing days I still felt fine but the calf continued to ache. It was distinctly larger than my right calf. Something was clearly not right.
In looking online for an explanation, I now suspect that the fever and calf pain were not unrelated events. Rather, it seems that something going on with the calf caused the fever.
I was baffled.
Thursday morning, I got my second Covid shot (Moderna).
I knew the reaction to the second shot varies, so wasn’t sure what to expect.
I felt fine all day save still being sleep deprived from the Tuesday night, and my swollen calf.
Around 2AM, I went to bed. And all hell broke loose.
I felt like my insides had been replaced by a block of ice. Suddenly, I was freezing. I cranked the heat way up, put on long underwear from neck to ankles, and went to bed fully clothed while also wearing a leather coat and a wool cap pulled down over my head. I then dragged the thick down comforter over any head. The next several minutes were uncontrolled shivering. This, at last, subsided, and for the next six hours I tossed and turned with occasional bits of blessed sleep.
Something though shifted, and I began to feel hot. Too hot. First off came the leather coat. A while later the hat. A while later I struggled to get one sock off by using the big toe of the other foot, as I did not have the energy to bend down and use my hands. With one set of toes now free, getting the other sock off proved easy. Victory! A while later, I pulled off the long underwear covering my legs.
Sleep though continued to prove largely elusive.
Surreally, every time I did wake from a pitiful sleep, I was in the middle of the same dream. Every time. I tried to dream about something else (like having lunch with Pete and Chasten) but, no, the same dream kept playing. Over and over and over.
Another oddity is that I kept getting up to pee. I could tell that my bladder wasn’t full, so I could only pee a little amount, and then crawl back into bed. Why did I keep doing this? It was agony getting out from under the quilt.
I had to get up at 8:30, and then struggled to get a light fixture boxed and ready for pick-up. Then I had to go to the bank and post office, the whole time feeling light-headed from a lack of sleep.
Justin then stopped by. He’s an EMT and looked at my calf. His conclusion? “Get yourself to the emergency room, STAT.” Yikes!
Arriving around 11AM, I was soon ushered into an expansive exam room, stripped, a gown was put on, and I spent the next 3-1/2-hours in a dream-like state (due to now being profoundly sleep-deprived) as various people came in and out and prodded and X-rayed and ultrasounded and poked me with needles.
The conclusion?
I have a blood clot in my calf. It will likely get absorbed into the body. Or, it could migrate and kill me. Yikes!
They prescribed a two-month blood thinner supply, Xarelto. After being discharged, I drove to the pharmacy. $1600!!!!!!!!!! I gasped! Gasped! $1600!!!!!!!!!! You see, I’m uninsured.
The pharmacist was quite understanding and showed me how to save some money but this would only cut the price by like $100.
So, I left with no medicine, and am exploring options.
Obviously though, it’s time to sign up for Obamacare!
And I’m terrified what the hospital bill will be.
I wasn’t able to get back to bed until 4PM, and then slept well for several hours. And I’m highly pleased to report that the terrible repeating dream did not repeat. Then I had another nap. And another nap.
And now, for the first time in four days, I feel sorta kinda normal. With a limp though. It is now 1:27 AM as I write these words and, with three back-to-back late night naps, I might be up till 6AM!
You know, with all I have been through in life, never once did I worry that my calf would cause me a problem.
Life is…weird.
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Ross, you have to take care of yourself. Call the drug company and see if they will help you. And yes, get insurance!
Hang in there! Keep us posted please.
Morning, Dan!
Justin knows a former pharmacist and she gave me coupon which should bring the price down for the first 30 days. So, I plan to buy the medication today!
Dan and Ross – I agree. Always seeing tv ads saying if u have probs affording drug, call the manufacturer. Tsk Tsk about no insurance….. (for what it’s worth, I had my gallbladder out, hernia at belly button (?) fixed, and more gallstones in duct (20) removed. The bill would’ve been over $50,000 (in hosp for less than 2 days) Humana was awesome. I paid less than $1500. You r in my prayers. Take care of yourself – you are the only you! 🙂
Laurie, you went through a lot! BIG hug!
And $50K! Yikes! I’m so glad it worked out for you.
Hope that you’ll get the bloodthinners, Ross. Maybe Canadian products (including duties/ shipping/ handling) will be cheaper? It is generic over in Canada, so perhaps you can select a more affordable option?
Thank you, Leigh!
https://www.janssencarepath.com/hcp/savings-programs
I was on that. They have a discount thing although you’ll need to sign up for it.
F. This may not apply to you since you don’t have insurance. But call them up, maybe they can help anyway. Or let us get up a fund for you, I’ll donate.
Thanks, Kelly.
The coupon I got is from Janssen.
Dearest Ross, you need to have health insurance. Please sign up for Obamacare. Please let me know if I can help. I have a good salary at Mayo and I receive Social Security. Due to injury I am now on l g-term disability and 60% of my salary. I would gladly assist you. I want you to continue us all your endeavors. I will send $$$ to Go Fund Me for Cross House. That way it helps you by knowing Cross House is funded and lighting business can help with medical expenses. Aside for current Cross House Go Fund Me, please set up personal Go Fund Me. Let’s get you your medication! I will send a check and send an email with your address. If enough contribute, you will have enough for your medication. I sent $300 to Cross House Go Fund Me and will help with medical expenses. I am a nurse and you need blood thinners. Coumadin or Lovinox are cheaper but need monitoring…..
Sandra, BIG HUG!
Thank you for your generous donation! What a delightful act of kindness to wake up to!
Each of my posts has a GoFundMe link just under it. Or, if anybody prefers to send a check:
Ross
PO Box 454
Strong City, KS 66869
Canadian medication dispensing! Excellent idea! Go for it! Let me help you! Will pray for comfort, healing and obtaining medication for correct treatment— to treat the phlebitis in your calf. It is very uncomfortable…rest with your leg elevated….REST and more REST…..
Sandra is right. You NEED the medicine (and insurance) and if you set up a GFM, we could all help out.
It’s SICK that you have to do this and I’m hopping mad about it. But let’s be mad later. Right now, let’s just get you your meds.
Morning, Tiffaney!
As I mentioned above, I am hoping to get the medication today, thanks to a coupon.
I already have a GFM. The link is just above the comments.
So glad about the coupon! Ahhh that’s a relief. This bloody country.
Ross, I am sorry you have had to go through this. Not having universal health care is the biggest crime American’s force upon themselves in the name of ‘freedumb’
Life… Is weird indeed. I would never have guessed I would get cancer, and am endlessly grateful to have insurance which covered the $300k in bills.
Sending hugs and bunnies for a speedy recovery.
Devyn, I read about your harrowing experience on your blog.
And, yes, that we don’t have universal health care in America is, indeed, a crime.
So glad you’re ok!
Me, too, Lisa!
I just hope I stay as such! Blood clots are very very dangerous.
Ross, this is (slightly prescient) Jewish Mother in New York. You need medicine.
ROSS—Can we donate to the GO FUND ME for this? Or do you need to create a separate one? I don’t know if there are rules…Pls let us know.
FRIENDS OF ROSS—Lets see what Ross says. I will donate right away. Let’s help Ross. He helps us every day.
So strange…I never read you in the morning. But today I did.
Please let us know. Feel better, be careful.
Good morning, my slightly prescient Jewish Mother in New York!
I mentioned above the GFM link at the top of the comments.
BIG hug!
Ross: do you have a P.O. box where we can mail personal donations? I am so alarmed by this turn of events.
Dear Pam,
I posted my PO box in an above comment.
Please don’t be alarmed! But do send good thoughts my way!
Praying for answers to the financial concerns and for complete healing. I suggest you check with public health in your local area and ask if there are any local govt assistance programs or local charities to help you. Or raffle/auction off a weekend at the Cross House as a fundraiser!
Thank you, Liz!
Ross, find a way to get the meds STAT. I know it’s expensive but if the clot moves it can be deadly. If nothing else, get yourself on some aspirin while you figure it out. I’m a stroke nurse so this sort of situation is my nightmare!!!
Thank you, Karyn.
As I mentioned above, I plan to get the meds today. Crossing my fingers that the coupon will work!
Gee, if only you had universal healthcare, like the civilized world.
The US is NOT the civilized world…. as evidenced by the fact that you can get shot while shopping for your veggies, attending a concert, dancing in a nightclub, pumping gas, sitting in a college classroom or listening to your 1st grade teacher read a Dick and Jane book.
Beth, yes, sigh.
Sigh.
I know, Glenn!
Gee!
Ross. Please remember this is the US – the wild, wild west – shit will unavoidably happen.
Unfortunately, we can’t wait for this country to come to it’s senses – get on Affordable Healthcare. Don’t go with the rock bottom tier rather, go with upper-middle or above – the lower tiers have a high deductible. Also, find the same drugs you need in Canada or elsewhere.
A teeny bit off topic but, it may also be handy (for lots of mailed things) to have a Canadian address. If any company says they can’t send something to a place in the US, find out if they can send to a Canadian address.
Boom.
💜 You got this, Ross – the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. You’ve got your 2nd dose of protection for a safer world. I’m excited to get my 2nd dose next week. 😉 It’s going to be a lovely & productive spring & summer. Excitement awaits! 🌻
Thank you, Kim!
Good God…. GET THE MEDICINE! If something on Cross House has to (temporarily) wait, it doesn’t matter – as long as YOU stay around.
I’m going to give you a little bit of personal info here… something I have not really admitted to anyone else yet (hell, even myself… having real trouble seeing myself here).
My husband lost his job in December, with the last paycheck and severance (smaller than hoped for) coming in mid-January. I called our state’s insurance marketplace line to see if we could get coverage for our kid at least that would be cheaper than trying to buy into COBRA for the whole family – my husband priced everything out with the COBRA plans, and medical insurance for all of us would cost *just for premiums* around $2000 month.
We can’t possibly swing it with almost no income. We were certain there would be an ACA plan that we could probably handle. When I called, the rep I spoke to took our information, and then surprised me by saying we qualify for Medicaid. I would never – in a million years – have seen us on Medicaid. In fact, we called back again to speak with a different person, just to make sure we were not doing anything under-handed or illegal. It was real and we qualified with our income numbers.
They were not looking at the fact that we have a house and two cars – I know that used to be part of the “resources” test as to whether you qualified for ANY part of this. The current rules have changed about eligibility, due to Covid.
Utilizing Medicaid is a temporary stop-gap for us, as no matter what, even if another good job doesn’t come along… next year my husband is on Medicare, and in 4 more years, so am I. Right now, being on Medicaid is a God-send.
We’ve paid into the system our entire working lives (42 years since college for my husband), and at this point, it’s a safety net that is catching us mid-fall.
So please, PLEASE, look into what may be available in your state. It may surprise you. Medication is not just a ‘nicety’ that you pick up if you can afford it. It’s necessity.
Thank you, Beth, for sharing your story. It will help people.
I hope so, Ross – this has definitely been an education for us. Having had employer subsidized insurance for 40+ years, we never really thought about just HOW EXPENSIVE all of it really is… it’s easy to ‘forget’ about the premiums you’re paying when they’re coming straight out of the paycheck and you never see it. When we had to start footing the entire bill ourselves, it would have choked us completely. We would have been in the ‘mortgage vs. food vs. insurance’ group of citizens (in other words, almost the majority nowadays), and our daughter may have had to pass on college after all her hard work throughout high school.
Our system, frankly, sucks.
Beth – I pray everynite for people in your situation (especially as right now I’m getting on ok). Hang in there. 🙂
Thank you, Laurie – we are OK, but prayers are never turned down! The roof is still over our heads and there is food on the table, and we may need to tighten the belts a bit… but we’re not at huge risk as so many are, now that healthcare is covered. In the last year plus, just like everyone else, our expenses have really been cut to the bone as we rarely left the house. Our 25 year old is still employed and able to pay her own way in her own place – and continuation of THAT is what I pray about! For us, this is an unexpected curveball, but a job loss at her stage of life could be more devastating.
I have nieces and nephews that I also worry about. So far all still have jobs/work from home at times. Glad 1 sis is retiring in few months! Bless… 🙂
I went through a similar experience but my blood clots required several hours of surgery. Xeralto is the new hot item so very expensive. Get the dr to prescribe generic warfarin it an old drug but works very well thinning the blood and it’s dirt cheap!
Don’t risk that clot moving by doing a very understandable (1600!?!?!?!) nothing when there are other options.
I’m with you Jake – Warfarin is a good choice. I wouldn’t want to be on it for an extended time but, it’s very cheap & available. Since his doc has set his prescription up for 2 months, Warfarin seems to be a logical option.
💜 Keep the stress down & the exercise up!
Thank you, Kim!
Jake, BIG hug for what you went through.
And I’m aware of how dangerous a blood clot can be.
Soooo glad you got the coupon and bless the ppl who sent donations! Prayers, blessings and good juju being sent your way!! Keep us posted, we all care about you very much.
I got my dry-eye drops down from 1400 to 180 by signing up with the drug company. I decided my “data” was worth that much. My eyes thank me.
You have wise eyes, Louise!
Where can I find the go fund me for Ross? Happy to help
There’s a GFM link (green) above the comments.
Dear Ross, I’ve been on Xeralto for going on six years now. Also have signed up with Janssen and I literally get the drug FREE!!! Please sign up immediately. Also, make sure you pay attention to what time of day you take it: ask your pharmacist for the most effective time.
For those who are advocating warfarin, my cardiologist specified Xeralto because it works on an entirely different set of clotting factors than does warfarin. The really good thing about Xeralto is that you don’t have to get the warfarin liver tests and you are not limited in the kinds of foods you can eat. My only food limitations nowadays are due to Type II diabetes…
Just looked it up, and wow! I’ve been on Xeralto (with zero side effects) since 2012, so nine years. Can’t even conceive of how much money I’ve saved by getting it free through Janssen’s program. Sign up for it, then take the info to your pharmacy. They’ll poke it into the system, and smooth sailing from then on.
Thank you, Arkay!
Thank you, Arkay!
Plz see my comment under Dan’s Post. yeah for gofundme. Your reader’s have some great ideas. 🙂
Get your meds Ross!!! Makes me even more happy to be Canadian. Would never have thought twice to go to the ER, nor fear what my hospital bill might be. Meds we still have to pay for, unless you have private insurance or if you’re >65 when prescription costs are largely covered as well.
Look after yourself
Thank you, Justin, for urging Ross to get the care he needed.
I’m glad you have leads on ways to get the medication you need, Ross. Please take care of yourself. You have a lot of friends here who love you, me included.
I hope you have hobbled to the drugstore by now??
Blood clots are nothing to ignore.
My 38 year old son developed one after a hernia surgery and was on Xarelto for some time.
My dad did not take his Coumadin correctly back in the day, threw a clot to his small bowel and died after several feet of his small bowel died from lack of blood due to the clot.
Hate to tell you that horrific saga but we all want you around, Ross, for many more years.
Also, most hospital business offices will work with you as a “self pay” to whittle that hospital bill down and set up a reasonable payment plan.
Keeping you in my prayers.
That’s so awful. I live in the uk and though it’s not perfect our health care is free. I so hope you can get the treatment you need. If I’d got plenty of money I would send you some. Fingers crossed everything will work out ok for you 🤞xx
My God, Ross!
That is terrible. Those clots are no joke! Very serious.
Have you been taking baby aspirin in the meantime?
81mg coated aspirin? I take it as an over-the-counter blood thinner.
I take two every night due to high cholesterol and obesity.
I couldn’t take it if I lost you, Ross. I just couldn’t bear it.
Oh dear Ross please don’t delay taking meds. I am on Xarelto too after developing a blood clot in my left calf. It broke away and began accumulating in my lungs. I ended up on life support and had to be revived twice. I ignored symptoms… Warfarin is a less expensive option but with these new anticoagulants once you take Xarelto you are immediately in the therapeutic range. Warfarin can vary hence the regular blood tests required. I don’t mean to scare you but this is a ticking time bomb.
Ross,
I am sorry to hear that you’re having some health issues. I am very surprised that you’re uninsured. I love what you’re doing with the Cross House, but you do need health insurance more than you need some custom piece in the house. The US isn’t uncivilized because we don’t have universal healthcare provided to us as citizens. It’s unfortunate that medical care costs what it does, part of that is greed, part of it it related to malpractice insurance and part of it involves patching up urban citizens that are continually committing violence against each other. Please research your insurance options.
Travis!
My not having health insurance is a long story and is connected with how I go through life. Perhaps I’ll tell the story one day.
You know that America is the only “first world” country to not have universal health care for its citizens? Yet, we are all too happy to spend kazillions on our military every year, a sum so large that this takes up 53% of discretionary spending, while Health gets a paltry 6%. In short, America is, without question, all too happy to kill people but highly reluctant to keep its citizens healthy.
And that is the very definition of uncivil. Madness, too.
100% agree!! And while I don’t know the percentages, I’m sure education gets a paltry amount as well, compared to the massively over-funded military. I would think have a population of healthy and educated citizens would do some good for this country. The rest of the developed world looks at us with pity for the way our healthcare system operates against us.
Beth, education gets 5% of our annual discretionary spending.
5%.
So, it’s obvious: keep the people sick, and stupid, BUT LETS MAKE SURE WE HAVE MORE TANKS AND MISSILES!
This is seriously fucked up.
Travis, as an “urban citizen*” I’ve got to say that your comment is so uncivilized that I don’t even know where to start. I’ll leave it at this: it isn’t that universal healthcare should be provided TO us. It’s that universal healthcare should be something that we do TOGETHER as a society for the benefit of all of us.
*Oh wait, I bet you weren’t refering to me with that dogwhistle even though I live in a city.
Ross, I’m sorry to hear about the blood clot in your calf. And glad you are getting your meds today, thank goodness for the coupon. Please sign up for health insurance, I know it’s another monthly expense, but so worth it. Your readers have some very good advice and varied suggestions as usual. Take care Ross, you are in my prayers.
Ross, sending positive thoughts your way, I hope you are feeling better soon!
Thank you, Nataly!
America… the greatest country on earth. Everybody gets a gun, but only the wealthy get healthcare.
Check out the cell phone app GoodRx. Entering your zip code and the medication can tell you which pharmacies in your area will sell it (Rxs) at a highly reduced price. Even if you have insurance, sometimes it’s much, much cheaper (of a copay) through GoodRx. Get well soon, Ross!
Reading this from France leaves me at a loss for words re. the money needed for healthcare in the USA…
I hope you can find a solution and get better soon, take care Ross!
Please Ross
Tell the people who gave you the covid shots that you got a blodclot, since the Astra-Seneca is stopped in Europe due to people died from blodclots somehow connected to the covid shots
Thank you, Monika.
I just called our local health department and reported my blood clot.
In Europe, there have been “37 reported cases of blood clots out of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and the U.K.”
So, that’s just a fractional amount but…
Nonsense. Stop spreading disinformation.
I get my Xarelto from Canada. 90 day supply is WAY cheaper than a 30 day supply in the USA. WAY CHEAPER!!!
This EXACT same thing just happened to my dad in his calf a few years ago! Weird coincidence. He’s on Xarelto for life now (He’s around 60)
Took him multiple opinions to figure out what was going on though, which was pretty annoying.
Best Wishes!