Pray for Hillary

[Gaspar]

Today, please take a moment to pray for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has been admitted to the hospital with a blood clot.  She has indeed had a rough few months.

Though she was scheduled to testify next week on Bengazi, and many of us had wagers on such things as kidney stone, vertigo, lockjaw, and toothache, understand that you simply cannot fake a blood clot.  Due to her schedule and recent ailments, the risk of blood clots is very likely, and to insinuate that this is a delay tactic would be unwise and insensitive.

She has been traveling constantly over the last 6 months and blood clots are very common for people that spend a great deal of time sitting in airplanes and experience changes in altitude.  She has also been spending a great deal of time in bed, and that too can cause the formation of clots. They typically start in the leg and are either innocuous, or serious depending on the direction they travel, with the lung, heart and brain being the most dangerous path.  Cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, and stroke are the more serious consequences.  Transient ischemic attack, and memory loss are some of the less serious consequences. 

The great thing is that the location of the clot(s) is known, which means she has had a venogram, and is likely being given TPA treatment to break up the clot.  This typically takes less than 24 hours.

[RecycleMichael]

Add some prayers for ex-President George H.W. Bush. He has been in grave health lately.

[Hoss]

Today, please take a moment to pray for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has been admitted to the hospital with a blood clot.  She has indeed had a rough few months.

Though she was scheduled to testify next week on Bengazi, and many of us had wagers on such things as kidney stone, vertigo, lockjaw, and toothache, understand that you simply cannot fake a blood clot.  Due to her schedule and recent ailments, the risk of blood clots is very likely, and to insinuate that this is a delay tactic would be unwise and insensitive.

She has been traveling constantly over the last 6 months and blood clots are very common for people that spend a great deal of time sitting in airplanes and experience changes in altitude.  She has also been spending a great deal of time in bed, and that too can cause the formation of clots. They typically start in the leg and are either innocuous, or serious depending on the direction they travel, with the lung, heart and brain being the most dangerous path.  Cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, and stroke are the more serious consequences.  Transient ischemic attack, and memory loss are some of the less serious consequences. 

The great thing is that the location of the clot(s) is known, which means she has had a venogram, and is likely being given TPA treatment to break up the clot.  This typically takes less than 24 hours.

She also has a history of blood clots dating back to 1998.

[Hoss]

Add some prayers for ex-President George H.W. Bush. He has been in grave health lately.

From what I hear, the indications are that he is improving.  Good news indeed.

[AquaMan]

From what I hear, the indications are that he is improving.  Good news indeed.

Speaking of...I saw "Dark Legacy" this past weekend. Very disturbing.

[Ed W]

I think Richard Nixon had recurring bouts of phlebitis that lead to blood clots in his legs.  There was concern that they could break free and cause serious damage.  I have to wonder if all the jet travel was at least partly responsible. 

[Gaspar]

Thrombosis is one of those things that anyone can get after extended periods of inactivity.  Physical activity, especially exercise involving the legs reduces your chances. Treatment can be as simple as aspirin or other clot buster drugs.  Streptokinase and TPA (tissue plasminogen activator) are two common drugs used, however many physicians believe they are very similar in their action as just using plain old aspirin.

Unfortunately, if she recently suffered a concussion, she may not be a candidate for any of these because of the risk of inter-cranial bleeding.  Kind of a bizarre Catch 22.  Hopefully her concussion was minor and won't interfere with the standard treatment for DVT.  

[Hoss]

This really hits home for me this morning as I took my mother in today for a seemingly innocuous CT scan for an old hernia that really wasnt bothering her actually by the best of luck revealed a pulmonary embolism. Took her to the ER this evening even though she felt just fine, and during her initial exam she was indicating a blood O2 content pretty consistently at 97, which really had the doctors confused. Got her admitted, some blood thinners in her and she will probably spend about two days in the hospital waiting for a more targeted CT, which she has to wait a day or so because the contrast dye from the initial CT scan has to clear her system.

Very lucky catch and I'm glad it was noticed early.  Prognosis is good, but we'll see.

[Gaspar]

Turns out Hillary just has a A subdural hematoma. Compleatly different than a thrombosis related clot.  She's going to be just fine.

[Conan71]

This really hits home for me this morning as I took my mother in today for a seemingly innocuous CT scan for an old hernia that really wasnt bothering her actually by the best of luck revealed a pulmonary embolism. Took her to the ER this evening even though she felt just fine, and during her initial exam she was indicating a blood O2 content pretty consistently at 97, which really had the doctors confused. Got her admitted, some blood thinners in her and she will probably spend about two days in the hospital waiting for a more targeted CT, which she has to wait a day or so because the contrast dye from the initial CT scan has to clear her system.

Very lucky catch and I'm glad it was noticed early.  Prognosis is good, but we'll see.

Well that's just scary.  So glad you got her into the hospital.  Best wishes for a full recovery!

[Breadburner]

Turns out Hillary just has a A subdural hematoma. Compleatly different than a thrombosis related clot.  She's going to be just fine.

Imagine that....!!

[Hoss]

Imagine that....!!

Subdural hematoma.  I hope you know what that is.  I do; it's what has put my mother in a pretty reduced capacity for almost thirty years.  It's not something to thumb your nose at.

[Hoss]

Well that's just scary.  So glad you got her into the hospital.  Best wishes for a full recovery!

Thanks.

They released her Tuesday afternoon without spending time or money on an extra CT that the doctor admitted would really be unnecessary at this point since they have her on two anticoagulant medications and will monitor her progress. St John's hospital midtown thoroughly impressed me, from the ER experience to the doctors and nurses.

[Gaspar]

Subdural hematoma.  I hope you know what that is.  I do; it's what has put my mother in a pretty reduced capacity for almost thirty years.  It's not something to thumb your nose at.

Yup! Undiagnosed and unresolved can cause brain damage.  Once they spot it (as in Hillary's case) they begin to monitor ICP and if there is no increase, then it will simply resolve itself just like any other bruise.  If ICP increases, they drill a tiny hole and drain it with a needle.  Most subdurals are not life threatening.

[Hoss]

Yup! Undiagnosed and unresolved can cause brain damage.  Once they spot it (as in Hillary's case) they begin to monitor ICP and if there is no increase, then it will simply resolve itself just like any other bruise.  If ICP increases, they drill a tiny hole and drain it with a needle.  Most subdurals are not life threatening.

My mother's was the result of an accident.  The hole they have in her skull is about 1.5in x 1 in to relieve pressure when it happened.  They never filled it, so it's like a soft spot on a baby's head.  Doesn't seem to bother her.