Day 5

I woke up around 6 am to meet a friend at IHop for breakfast.  My legs were down with minor swelling.  I spent the day sitting down creating curriculum maps for the next school year. After professional development, I decided to play some recreational volleyball at The Jones Center. I played volleyball from 6 - 7:30 and boy was it hot. I immediately came home to do a compression session.  I only did the right leg. I have to work in the morning so I will monitor and adjust how things go. 4 more days until the next measurement and weigh in!!!

Day 4

Yeah, I know I didn't post the last 3 days.  My bad!  They were really busy.
SATURDAY
After doing the 4.2 miles on Friday, Saturday my legs wanted to be pumped more than usual.  I had to stay off of my feet a little bit more than I had plan.  I guess I should have gradually started my workouts instead of going hard from the jump. Needless to say, I didn't get to do much working out.  I did do a little something.  My friend was babysitting having a hard time getting the baby to sleep.  I know how stubborn the baby can get because I battled with her recently and finally got her to take the bottle (she is breast fed). Anyway, I walked around the corner (exercise lol) to their house to help calm her down.  After playing with her (more exercise) for 30 min and rocking her to sleep (more exercise plus I was standing and walking while I rocked her)  for 30 min, she finally passed out.  Victory was mine!  Kinleigh = 0 and Me = 2. After laying her down and making sure she stayed sleep, I walked (more exercise) back to my house and began to pump.  In the middle of my pumping session, the mother called me and asked if I could go back because she was up again and crying like crazy.  I stopped my session and walked (more exercise) back to their house, but didn't ring the door bell because I didn't hear any crying.  After texting my friend to see if she needed me (she didn't), I walked (more exercise lol) back home to finish my session. I guess you can say I did more exercise than I think.
SUNDAY
After resting, elevating, and pumping on Saturday, I was able to get up and moving around. I went to church at 11am, came home to change clothes, went to see a friend that was moving to Texas, went to Life Source to feed the homeless, and made it home in time to clean up and get things prepared for Monday.  I think feeding the homeless was more exercise than I imagined.  The time frame was from 3 -7.  That's 4 hours of me constantly moving.  Constantly moving equals setting up tables, moving chairs, preparing meals, preparing beverages, welcoming people, and walking around serving hundreds of people that showed up to be fed with the word of God and food.  I was worn out after all of that. Again, not my typical exercise, but I WAS active.
MONDAY
Today and tomorrow I have a meeting with other physical education teachers in the school district.  It is from 8:30 -3:30.  I woke up around 3:30am due to a heavy thunderstorm that was rolling through. I think that I'm developing some kind of anxiety with these storms.  This was the 3rd time in 4 days that I was awaken by lightening, heavy rain, and thunder.  It takes me awhile to get back to sleep which makes me slow to rise when it's time to get going.  Today's exercise consisted of me doing Hip Hop Abs = Fat Burning Cardio and Zumba = 20 min Express. I got my roommate to participate so that's a plus. Tomorrow, I will try to do the same thing and add a kettle bell workout.  I will definitely need to do a compression session because I wasn't able to fit one in the schedule today.  I pray that I get some much needed rest.  Please, Lord, no storms in the morning.

Day 1

Woke up this morning not mentally prepared to workout.  I went to a meeting at school, came home, and had a quick breakfast.  After relaxing for a bit, I decided that I would go ahead and get my little workout over with. I thought that it would be cool for me to ride my bike down to Creek Park, try out the "Couch to 5k" app, and ride back. As I was getting prepared for my workout, I got a little frustrated because I couldn't remember the code to my word lock chain for my bike.  After killing myself trying to think of it and destroying my bedroom trying to find the little piece paper with the word on it, I gave up and decided to go for it while I prayed that no one would take my bike while I was on the track.
Anyway, I start down the street and things are going smoothly.  I'm nervous because I haven't really been on a bike since I was probably 15yrs old. It was a piece of cake until I got half way to my destination.  The bike pedals suddenly became to easy and I felt like I wasn't moving forward anymore with each revolution. So what do I do? I hop off my bike and inspect the chains (Like I knew what I was doing LOL). Of course, I have no clue what to look for when fixing an unknown problem. I noticed a couple across the street that looked like they were having a garage sale. I quickly pushed my bike across the street and asked the lady if she had any sons, boys, or men around that new anything about bikes.  She told me that she didn't and then I noticed that she had the same bike except hers was pink (mine is green = The Green Machine). She looked over my bike and realized that the chain was still in place.  She suggested that I move up a gear. So I moved up 2 gears thinking that it would help something although I'm not sure what.  What can I say? I'm special! As we were talking, several cars began to pull up.  She politely turned them away and said "I'm sorry, but there is no garage sale.  We are simply cleaning out the garage in order to prepare for a garage sale." I'm not sure how far they got today, but boy did they have a lot of stuff to go through.  They should make a lot of money when they do have one.
After getting directions that would keep me from going all around the world and across busy streets, I rolled off in a blissful mindset. One thing that I have learned on my way to the park is the fact that I need to get out in my neighborhood more often. There are lots of cute little houses and apartments nearby and the neighborhoods are all so peaceful and quiet. As I see the entrance to the park, I start to coast down a slight hill. Of course, this begins to freak me out because 1) I suck at slowing down and turning and 2) I have no helmet in case I wipe out.  I know what you are saying. "Why don't you have a helmet?" I will get one. I promise. And although I'm getting my BMXing on, I know that a simple bump in the road can cause a small wipe out with some serious injuries.
I finally make it to the park and I'm at the bike rack; surveying the scene for potential thieves.  There was no one there except some parents and a few joggers.  I went ahead and pushed my luck and left my bike there. I began my "Couch to 5k" app.  Basically, you do a 5 min warm up, followed by 6 reps of 1 min jogging and 1.5 min of walking, and then a 5 min cool down. During the first week, each workout is 25 min.  I didn't complete 25 min, but did manage to do half of the workout.  What can I say? I'm taking babysteps.  I actually think I did pretty well for not being a runner and not wearing the appropriate shoes (was too eager to get the workout over).
So after my half workout, I decide to jump back on my bike and ride the 1.6 miles back to my house.  If you noticed, I was smart enough to take a break and let my legs rest.  In my mind, I'm still young and do things like I did in my teens. Lol. I will pay for it later, I guess. So on my way back, I suddenly (and I do mean suddenly) realized that I have to bike up a small incline with some very tired, sore, and throbbing calf muscles. I started to quit right then and there, but remembered that the bike was my only means home (besides walking).  I didn't want to look silly pushing my bike all the way home.  I just had to suck it up and set mini goals in my head. My Ipod was on shuffle and at that point in time one of the NBA theme songs began to play. I couldn't laugh to hard because I needed to use the restroom and I had at least a mile to go. Somehow the song motivated me and I was at the crosswalk crossing the only busy street that I had to cross. "Thank you, God!" is what I was thinking. For the rest of my journey home, Hakuna Matata played. The closer I got to be home, the faster I pedaled.  I thought I was going to die as I rolled up to the garage! Needless to say, I crashed on the couch for about 30 min.
The next task on my plate was to get a compression session going.  I think  my new place of comfort for this is the couch.  When I do a session in bed, my back seems to hurt when its over. So far, I have pumped my right leg.  I'm currently working on getting my Xbox live internet connection going so that I can watch a movie as I pump the left leg. After that session, I plan on doing a 25 min Hip Hop Abs workout, shower, and off to bed.
So for my first day of working out, I completed 4.2 miles.  Not bad! Not bad at all!  I wonder what I will do tomorrow.  Stay tuned........ 

Fresh Start

Now that school is out and I have time to get myself on a schedule, I will begin to attempt to lose weight and inches in my lower limbs. Basically, today was my last lazy day.  It is time for me to get it together and see what is possible in this lifestyle.
I have included my Leg Volume Tracking and Documentation Chart that came with my compression pump.I will update this chart each week.

Each line is 10 cm apart and starts at my ankle.

As you can see in the photos, the machine is quite simple (even with all the hoses).

Flexitouch Machine

Basically there are 5 sequences that take place during the session. The first sequence is in the trunk area (waist and groin). The machine pushes extra fluid towards your waist in order to prepare it for the fluid being pumped from your lower limbs. The second sequence is in your thigh. The machine pumps the extra fluid towards your trunk. The third sequence is in your calf. The machine pumps the extra fluid towards your thigh. The fourth sequence is in your foot.  The machine pushes the extra fluid towards your ankle. Sequences 1 - 4 take about 30 min. The last sequence (#5) pumps the extra fluid from your toes all the way to your trunk. It is a continuous cycle that last for 30 min. Once you complete one side of your body or the affected limb, you place the garments on the other side and start over.

Left Leg Compression Garments

Fully Assembled

Compression Time!!!
(Takes 60 Min Per Leg)

In essence, the machine is made to manually drain the extra fluid towards your kidneys, therefore, you will experience an increase in urine output. My goal for the month of June is to pump everyday (twice a day if possible) as well as workout in the form of walking, aerobics, kettle bells, video gaming (Wii and Xbox), and a little running.  I will try to hold myself accountable by posting each day on what I did and how I felt.  If you are game, please feel free to join me.  If you are not physically able to, then shoot me a message and ask me anything you want or give me some input. Hopefully, I can form a routine that won't change as much once school starts back.

Compression Again

I went to my PCP last week to ask about my results and if I needed to be on blood thinners.  He was great about explaining the result about my test.  He told me that I had a past DVT and it look like my vein reopened.  He sent me to a vein specialist in Bentonville, Arkansas. Once there, they performed another ultrasound.  I had to stand up for images as well as lay down for images.  They taught me how to read the ultrasound.  That part was pretty neat for me and makes me think about a secondary career. :-)  Anyway, I had a lot of large, black spaces on my images.  The blackness indicates edema/swelling.  It was hard for them to see anything.  So the plan is for me to wear these super strength compression hoses for 3 weeks to see if the swelling would go down.  He feels like if they can get the swelling down, then we could get a better image.  I really need it to decrease so that we can pin point the real issues that I have been having for the past 14 years.  Technology is steadily advancing so I'm remaining optimistic.  

Here is an example of some recent measurements:

Measurements at the doctors office were the following:

Right Ankle:  30 cm         Right Calf:  47 cm       Right Thigh:  69 cm

Left Ankle:    30.5 cm      Left Calf:    45 cm       Left Thigh:   67.5 cm

Today is Day #5 and my measurements are the following:

Right Ankle:  28 cm         Right Calf:   44 cm       Right Thigh:  58 cm

Left Ankle:    30 cm         Left Calf:     41 cm       Left Thigh:   59.5 cm

The compression garments that I am wearing are called Juzo Basic.  They are a two-way stretch, graduated compression.  Model: 4412, Type: AG, Size: IV, Color: Beige.  Just a basic thigh high compression with silicone.  I will keep you guys posted on future measurements.  I have noticed that where my skin was hardened around my ankles, it is nice softer.  The hoses are starting to be easier to put on too.  I pray that they continue to decrease.  I do want to say that the first few days were really hard to function.  I walked very slowly and seem to be worn out.  Today was my first day working out (aerobic weight lifting class) and I won't know the damage (i.e. soreness) until a day or two.  Just keep me in your prayers and I will keep fighting the good fight.  Until then, be blessed! :)

Update On My Condition

Well, I finally got a chance to do the venography.  I was very stressed out about it because I remember the pain that I experienced in Taiwan like it was yesterday.  I just kept praying about it and made myself breathe to relax.  I was told not to eat after midnight prior to surgery.  I checked in at 5:30 am.  I did routine paperwork, got my blood taken, and then was taken to my room.  While there, I was given a gown to change into and a nurse came in to start an IV.  After the IV was started, another nurse came in to prep my groin area for the procedure.  I think we (my mom and I) waited for about 20-30 min before they came to get me for the procedure.
My bed and I were wheeled down into the room and I was very nervous and excited at this point.  I had a million things running through my mind.  The room was freezing!  The doctor came in the room and explained the procedure to me.  I told him that I understood because I had the procedure done before, but did not get the stents due to the lack of money.  I asked (actually pleaded) him to give me something for the pain because I was experiencing some anxiety about it.  He informed me that I wouldn't feel a thing.  I was able to relax after that.
I scooted over to the table and they began to sterilize my groin area.  Basically, I was exposed for a brief moment and then they covered my private area with a cloth. I remember hearing someone say that they were going to give me some numbing medicine, but I didn't realize that it was going to go through my IV.  I was expecting a big needle to the groin. Lol! Because of the medicine, it felt like the procedure took 5 min.  Ok, back to the procedure.  The initial plan was to go into the right side, across my belly, and to my left side.They tried to insert the catheter into my right side first, but they failed.  So, they moved to my left side and failed there as well.  I remember them asking if I could flip over onto my stomach and I did, but was kind of out of it.  The reason they flipped me over was because they wanted to try and go in through the back of my knee.  They couldn't get in through there so they flipped me back over and told me that they were going to go in through my neck.  I remember nodded my head okay, but was think "WTHeck!"  I didn't feel a thing!  I wanted to watch the procedure on the screen this time, but was to sedated to do so.  The procedure was probably about 2 hrs long.  Afterwards the IR said that he didn't put in the stents because he didn't think that they would work.  I was coming out of the sedation and was having a hard time understanding why I still didn't get my stents.  I was quite upset!
I had a couple doctors come into my hospital room to explain what they saw. What they saw was evidence of past blood clots that resulted in them having to weave through the veins during the procedure.  I was told to continue doing what I have been doing and to get regular check ups.  I think that my family was more upset after this second visit. I was told to buy Haynes Alive stocking because they were less expensive and they worked just as well.  I wasn't put on any blood thinners, but I don't understand why if I had previous blood clots.  So, yeah!  That's it!  I got a "Sorry, but there is nothing that we can do for you" diagnosis that left me back at square one.  I will not be giving up anytime soon.  Someone somewhere has to help me get the proper care that I have been seeking for the past 14 years.  Until then, I plan on putting things in motion for 2012  so that I can help others in my situation.

Finally an Appt

Well, I have gotten adjusted to being back in the States.  It wasn't easy, but because I stayed busy from day one I was able to get into a routine a lot quicker than expected.  I set up an appointment to see my doctor, show him the scans and videos, and to ask for a referral for some doctors in Jonesboro, Arkansas.  I didn't get to see him because they were behind schedule so I left my scans and a message for him to call me.  The weekend past and on Monday morning I received a phone call from the doctors office telling me about my appointment in Jonesboro, what I needed to take with me, and that I needed to fast the night before.  Of course, I was in shock after the conversation.  I felt excited, nervous, and scared all at once.  The girls (volleyball team) were so excited for me!  I recently explained to them my condition because this is a new set of girls that don't know me like the 9th graders know me.  So my appointment/day of treatment will be September 2, 2011 at 8:30am. Until then, I plan on being as physically active as possible.  I don't want things to change.  In case they do, I don't want to waste time doing nothing.  I want to take advantage of it all.

Flea Bites

Since I am leaving and going back to the States in 8 days, I have been traveling around the city and visiting people. Sunday, I went to a friend's new apartment and hung out at the park for a bit.  While at their house, I was bitten by fleas.  I didn't realize it until I got up the next day and I had at least 10 bites on my legs and arms. My very caring coworkers gave me some medicine to rub on and that has helped tremendously. If I stop scratching, then I will be fine.  Photos coming soon!

More Discoloration

I thought the skin discoloration had disappeared, but I was wrong.  Yesterday, while carefully shaving (yes, I know I shouldn't but I had no choice at the moment), I noticed that both of my legs have a good amount of discoloration / darkness on my shins. It's in an oval shape and seems like it started growing recently.  Not sure why, but I will keep an eye on it. 

I'm still experiencing swelling in my right ankle.  It goes down after elevation or sleep, but comes back throughout the day.  I will continue to move around and exercise to force good circulation through my veins.  17 days until I go home! Please, continue to keep me in your prayers.  

Nothing New Under The Sun

I have seen no new changes.  That can be a good thing and it could be a bad thing.  We will see how this thing plays out.  My right ankle is still swollen, but the calf area has not grown (which is good).  I'm not experiencing any pain, but have been getting tired a lot quicker.  The exhaustion may be due to the heat or the constant standing and moving that I have been doing.  I plan on getting to the pool some time this week to let the water pressure do some work on the circulatory system. 23 days until I return to the States.  Keep me in your prayers!

It's Official!

My right side is definitely going through the changes that took place in my left side 13 years ago.  I have less than 30 days until I return to the States.  I will need to document the changes that occur to give my doctor a better understanding of what's going with my body.  Hopefully, it can help him  determine an accurate medical procedure and form of treatment.  Until then, you will have to deal with my constant blogging about my legs and feet.

It's The Little Things That Count!!!

Here are the before and after photos of my feet.  I didn't elevate as long or as high as I normally do, but will start back soon.  You can see a slight difference in sizes. I like the fact that the right side goes down with elevation.  That probably means that the left side is almost completely closed and the extra fluid doesn't have anywhere to go or that my right side is suffering from what the left side is doing/not doing.  I know a stent will help make this alright and I thank God that I haven't had any clots. I am definitely trying to monitor my pulse and blood pressure.  I think my blood pressure is being affected because at work I often get this funny feeling in my chest and stomach. It kind of feels like butterflies, but not so obvious. When I get this feeling, I take a few deep breaths and try to walk around to promote circulation.  I think with my right side swelling now, my heart isn't getting enough blood flow, which would explain my 55-60 bpm pulse that I am starting to get every now and then.  I still think that my active schedule and God have gotten me this far. I'm going to continue with both until I know otherwise.  God won't change, but my circumstance will!  If you know of anyone that has any symptoms of MTS (May-Thurner Syndrome), then please tell them to get checked out no matter how ridiculous they feel.  It may seem like it's not a big deal, but prolonging treatment can be traumatizing.

 Before

 Before

 After

After

Elevation

Things have been going well lately even with the hot weather.  My right foot is still showing signs of distress. I've been elevating every night now since it began to swell.  I guess my body is getting used to it because it is not bothering me as much to sleep on my back as it used to. I need some new shoes, but might as well wait until I return to the States.  Finding a good pair that are actually my size will be a challenge here. I will do a before and after shot of my foot tonight and in the morning.  I will show the difference and what I'm working with. 

Clear!!!

No, I didn't pass out and have to get shocked.  I am referring to the skin on my left foot. I had a big purple rough patch on the side of my foot. I was told that it was the result of blood/iron seeping out of the veins and pooling underneath the skin. Well, the other night I was inspecting my foot and adding creams to keep them from being too dry.  I accidentally scratched the rough part and a piece of it disappeared like a scab.  It didn't hurt, but was kind of weird and uncomfortable. After I scratched and scrapped as much as I could stand, I applied Neosporin to the area in case of any unknown scarring. So far the purple color hasn't returned.  I am flip flop ready!  Of course, I won't wear them for long periods of time due to the lack of support. I'm counting down the days until I return to the States to find a doctor to perform the stenting.

I'm Doing Something Right

Aside from the swelling that has started in my right foot and ankle, I have noticed a positive change in my skin color and texture. I'm not sure why it is changing, but whatever I'm doing must be right.  I bought a skin cream last month.  I started out using it religiously, but then that changed when I found out that it was bad to use it for an extended period of time. Now, I use it ever other week. Last night before volleyball, I put some on along with some baby oil, but the skin was dull, dry, and scaly feeling. It felt like I need to buff it down or something. Lol! Of course, it was hot and humid in the gym. And I left looking like I jumped in a swimming pool with all of my clothes on. When I got home, I began to rub and scratch on my legs. Now, this will sound nasty so be warned. I'm not sure what I was scratching off, but it looked like a layer of skin.  It didn't hurt so I continued to do so until nothing else would come off. I took a shower and did not apply anything to it afterwards.  This morning I looked at my legs and they were smoother, softer, had some color to them, and my skin had returned to normal. Very weird!!! Hopefully, I won't have to do that again, but I will definitely pay close attention from now on.

Quite A Scare

Yesterday, I was getting my hair braided by a friend of a friend.  She had been braiding my hair for 2hrs when I began to feel like I couldn't catch a deep breath. I allowed her to braid 2 more braids just to see if I was imagining things before I asked for a break.  But nothing changed. So we took a break and I stood up to stretch my legs and to try to catch a good breath. I took several deep breaths that felt like I wasn't doing anything. It felt like I needed to yawn or inhale some oxygen. I felt that standing up wasn't helping and I remember taking a step towards the living room area to sit back down because I was feeling dizzy and then I remember waking up against the wall. Yep, you guessed it!  I passed out! Apparently, I didn't sit down fast enough.  From what I was told, my friend ran downstairs to get the security guard.  He came and saw me on the floor and called an ambulance. I think while they were calling the ambulance, I woke up and again tried to catch my breath.  It was getting better, but it still wasn't 100%.  I managed to get up and crawl up the stairs.  Yes, I realize now that my actions were very dangerous and I probably should have just stayed there on the floor.  But, if you have been reading and understand the person that I am, then you will understand how stubborn I am when it comes to my health.  So there I was laying on the bed trying to regulate my breathing while explaining to everyone that I don't speak Chinese.  I asked my friend to bring up the computer so that I could use Google Translate (my best friend!).  By the time she came up the stairs, they had asked a lady that lives in the building to translate for us.  She translated and they all talked me into going to the hospital even though I didn't want to go. 
I always wondered how the EMTs got the stretchers upstairs in some of these apartments.  I'm glad that I have an elevator.  Well, the stretchers bend like a big wheelchair. Once they get the patient and chair out of the building then they lay it down to get it in the ambulance. And that's how they roll! Oh yeah, their sirens sound like they are playing it in reverse when compared to ours. Lol!
So, they get me to the hospital and they began to ask me questions in broken English.  I really do need to go to some of the hospitals and give medical training on how to interact with Americans.  In America, you have a lot more privacy!  After getting some vital signs, they rolled me into another room that had at least 11 other people waiting.  It was like a waiting room for patients. Just one big room with some curtain dividers that they only used when doing tests.  They did an EKG on me and pulled the curtain closed. It was myself and another lady inside of the curtain. Weird being exposed in a room with 2 perfect strangers.  Oh well. What doesn't kill me will make me stronger. Of course, me being black and a foreigner attracted a lot of attention in my area. When the lady was taking my blood and inserting the IV, a man (let me take that back), 2 men decided to come over and lean ever so slightly across my right side to watch what she was doing on the left.  She finally said something to them in Chinese and they shook their heads and walked off.  I was like "Wow! Really!?!" I was still tired from my little episode and still trying to put it all together.  I managed to take a power nap while there even though there were a lot of weird noises going on around me.
The results are in!!!
The blood work came back good.  They tested me for a blood clotting gene and didn't find one.  He couldn't understand why I wasn't on any blood thinning medication.  I had a hard time explaining to him that I have no clots and that I don't have a stent in place.  He did say that my "D-Dimer" levels were elevated and probably due to a previous DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis).  My EKG showed a first degree blockage.  He told me not to worry about it because sometimes even the healthiest people have that. The last test (don't remember what it was called) came back normal as well.  The doctor believes that it is all related to MTS and said that if I continued feeling weird to go back to Dr. Hsu at Wanfang Hospital.
I paid my bill (650NTD) and walked outside to catch a bus, go to a MRT, or get a cab.  It wasn't until I got outside that I was able to see the name of the hospital (Tri-Service General).  No one told me which bus to take, what area I was in, or how to get to the MRT.  So I walked down the street and checked out a couple of bus stops.  The next bus that I needed was 55 min away.  I was starving!  I decided to walk down the street to find some food and come back to the bus stop.  Once I got to the intersection, I realized that I wasn't far from home.  I found a little cafe about 10min from the hospital and ate a chicken croissant sandwich and had some water because I had severe cotton mouth.  After I left, I was STILL hungry and couldn't decided if I wanted to catch a cab. I saw a 7-11 and decided to go their to get some food for later and something for now.  Unfortunately, their shelves were empty and I continued walking down the street closer to my house.  Every time I stopped in the store, they had nothing that I wanted. I ended up going to McDonald's to get a cheeseburger and some fries.  I walked home and was question (in Chinese/Taiwanese) by my security guard about what happened, about what the doctor said, and about where my friend went. He still hasn't gotten it in his head that I can't speak his language. Lol! I ate and slept for 5 hrs. Talk about exhausted.  Today, I continued to rest even though the weather outside is gorgeous.  Maybe I can go to the park and sit under a tree.  It's TOO pretty to stay indoors. I have only 2 1/2 months left in Taiwan and then it's back to the States.

That was weird!!!

I woke up this morning to a left leg that was the same size as the right. It was weird!! The swelling wasn't completely gone, but my leg was pretty close to being normal. The natural color has come back because I have been using a cream that I got from Dr. Med here in Taiwan.  Saturday, we went to the Flora Expo and that meant lots of walking. I prepared myself for the day by elevating the night before AND wearing a compression hose on my left leg.  I was miserable because it was actually quite warm on Saturday and I hadn't worn a compression hose since I got off of the plane in August. Hmm... Maybe I should start back wearing them. I am suppose to get a free stent next week. I hope all works out. I know God has my back and takes care of it all.

Resources

If you MTS or think that you have MTS, then you can click on the following links to learn more.

1. http://www.may-thurnersyndrome.org/
2. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109802252379583
3. http://groups.google.com/group/mts-international-group
4. http://groups.google.com/group/may-thurner-syndrome-support-group
5. http://groups.google.com/group/annes-non-dvt-may-thurner-syndrome-group

To help with lymph edema drainage in the Fayetteville Area, you can contact Laurie Blair.

Picture Perfect

Here is a picture of the two compressed areas of my vein. These nice 3D images were given to me by the doctors here in Taipei City, Taiwan. If you are in need of a doctor and you live close to the area, then you should contact Dr. David Hsu at Wanfang Hospital.

Look At Me Now

I applied for a Teach in Taiwan program through the Arkansas State Department of Education. I was accepted and have been teaching in Taiwan since August 2010.  It is quite the experience so far. There are many things to see and do here. For the most part, the people are really nice. Some are really curious! They like to stare, touch, or talk to you in Chinese even if you don't speak their language. Taiwan is a beautiful island. If you would like to know more about what I have been doing here, then take a look at my "Timeout in Taiwan" blog. I'm sure you will enjoy the pictures.
Before I came to Taiwan, my legs were my main concern. I wasn't sure how they would hold up after a +18 hour flight. My compression hoses really didn't help, but created indentions throughout my leg. When I arrived here in August, it was very hot and very humid. If you have been reading, then you know that I was as big as a house. To get around this lovely city, you have to walk, ride a bike, take the metro, or take a bus. Being that I am a foreigner, I have to walk to a lot of places. I just told myself that it was no big deal and that walking was good exercise. Well, before I came, I researched lymph edema clinics or trials. I found one and immediately contacted the guy. He responded through email and said that there was only one doctor in the area that had knowledge of lymph edema in the lower extremities. He gave me his name and email address and wished me luck.
I contacted Dr. David Hsu through email and explained my condition.The following day he asked me to give him a call. I called and he asked me several questions about my past medical history. He went on to say that he had an idea of what I had and needed me to come in to confirm his thoughts.  I agreed to come out and thanked him for his time.
After the phone call, I just sat there in amazement. I was ready to cry because I had so many mixed emotions flowing through my body. At one point, I felt a smile come across my face because their was a possible treatment for my condition if it was what he thought. Then I felt anger because after 13 years it took me coming to another country to find something new to research.  Later on that night, I just cried. The tears were a mixture of emotions from things in my past that were not health related to health and relationships.  I just remember crying for a long period of time. My pillow was drenched in tears. I had to ask myself when was the last time that I had cried. Had I been trying to be tough for so long that I forgot how to cry? I believe that was the case because with this new found possibility EVERYTHING made me emotional. I could watch a movie and shed some tears. I could watch a popular TV series and a lump would form in my throat. Before I knew it, a few tears had dropped. The moments could be sad or happy. Whatever it was, I had a tear coming. I'm still having a hard time dealing with these new emotions. Anyway, let's get back to the doctor visit.
Like any other time, I expected to be asked the same questions and received the same tests. I was partly right. The questions were the same, but he only ran one test. He took a blood pressure reading in my legs. Let me rephrase that. He TRIED to get a blood pressure reading in my legs. They took giant blood pressure cuffs built for the legs and tried to get a reading. They performed the test twice and he came back to tell me that the blood wasn't circulating and that he believed that I had MTS. I was like "What is MTS?" After all these years, it was a new diagnosis that I had never heard of. MTS stands for May Thurner Syndrome. Basically, the iliac vein is either compressed, partially compressed, or in some cases blocked due to blood clots.  He wouldn't know the specifics until he could do a venography. Of course, I freaked out because I thought he meant venogram like the one I did in the past. When I questioned him about it and calmly assured me that it was similar but not outdated like the one I before. That gave me some relief because I wasn't sure if I could go through that again. He explained to me that normally they would admit the patient on a Wednesday, do a vein study on Thursday (venogram), perform a stent placement on a Friday if it was MTS, get the patient up and walking around on Saturday, and discharge on a Sunday. That scared me because here I am in a foreign land and I have never had to stay in a hospital for over a day. Not to mention the language barrier. I agreed to and waited for the dates to be confirmed. As time grew closer, I learned that I would have to pay all of the money during the visit (at least $100,000 NTD). They have good health care here, but they do not have payment plans.If you are wondering how much $100,000 NTD is in American money, then I will tell you that it is around $3, 388. I hope you caught the "at least" part. That amount is for the stents only and not for the hospital stay, chemicals needed, or medicines. Each stent is worth $50,000 NTD. Because I could not afford it, I asked if he could do the test to confirm the diagnosis and he agreed.
VENOGRAPHY
Here is what I went through to get my diagnosis.
I was admitted on a Wednesday afternoon. I was taken to get blood drawn and I got an EKG done. Wow is all I can say when I want to compare the technological differences between the States and here. The EKG had suction cups in the shape of those suction devices for babies noses. They left hickies on my chest as well.
They didn't hurt, but they weren't comfortable. Next, I had to get a chest x-ray. After the chest x-ray, I was shown to my room. The semi-private rooms were all full so I had to stay the night in a community room. NOT FUN!!  Four people to a room. 2 of my roomies were alright, but the last one drove me insane. I felt sorry for her. She kept yelling throughout the entire night. I don't know what she was yelling because it was in Chinese. The only time that she would stop was when a nurse or aide came in during their rounds. As soon as they walked out of the door, she was back on it. I did not get a lot of rest that night and the IV in my arm did not help.
Thursday morning, I was greeted by several nurses and doctors that were going to be looking at my tests and that were learning about my condition. Many spoke to me in Chinese. I would say to them (in Chinese) that I didn't understand. I guess to them that meant that I didn't understand what they were saying and that they needed to rephrase it in Chinese. I would laugh and then say "I don't know" (in Chinese). They would give me a strange look and then realize that I couldn't understand them. They would do some kind of motion to let me know what they were about to do, take care of the task, and then we would both laugh as they walked out of the door. That happened off and on until they took me downstairs at noon. Talk about an experience!
Downstairs they put me on a table that had some kind of machine above it and a monitor that swung out so that the IR (Interventional Radiologist) and I could watch the procedure. Yes, I did have a flashback and began to get nervous. Ok, next they applied iodine over the area where they were going to insert the catheter. The IR explained the procedure again and asked me if I had any questions. My main question was "Is it going to hurt?" Don't laugh! I had a valid reason for sounding like a kid at that point. I think I was traumatized by previous events.  Anyway, he went on to say that he was about to give me a numbing anesthetic for the site. He brought out his needle and I flinched but made it through. I was able to breathe through the pain and relax a little. Now, the next part is kind of hazy and you will understand why in a second. The IR said and I quote "Alright, I'm about to puncture you." I wish I had a camera for the look on my face when he said that and the look on my face when he "punctured" me. OH MY GOODNESS!!! I didn't think I was supposed to feel it! He didn't understand why I was in so much pain. The tears came a-rolling. I remember the pain, gripping the table, trying to breath, and mentally praying for it all to be over. After about 3-5 minutes that felt like eternity, I was FINALLY able to calm down and look at the screen a little. I didn't see anything so I closed my eyes again. The aide kept coming over and wiping my tears away and saying nice things to make me calm down. She was really sweet. After I calmed down, they began to talk me through the procedure and asked if I wanted to hear music. Of course I wanted to hear music, but the thoughts in my head weren't allowing the sound to filter through. The went in through my right iliac vein because they felt the left would be too closed or blocked to proceed. I could feel the catheter creeping across my stomach. It was a weird and funny feeling. I remember them telling me that they were injecting the dye (did not hurt like before Thank God) and that I needed to hold my breath. The injecting the dye part was a weird feeling. It felt warm going through my veins and it felt like I was using the bathroom on myself even though I was reassured that I wasn't. I think we did that 2-3 times and then that part was over. I was instructed NOT to move! And I do mean not a muscle. There were about 6 people that came out of nowhere to get me off of the table, on to the bed, and on to a CT machine. Once in the machine, I was instructed NOT to move! I was following orders so well that I was afraid to blink. When that test was over, they helped me to the bed and told me that I had to rest for 2-3 hours before they would discharge me.
I'm not sure if the woman from the previous night was still in the room. I know I passed out from exhaustion. 3 hours later, my IV was almost finished and the doctor came up to talk with me about his findings. 
DRUM ROLL PLEASE...........................................
"Just like I thought. You have a condition very common here in Taiwan. You have MTS anatomy." The lady that was with him wanted to correct him and say that I had MTS, but he said something to her and she shook her head in agreement. He went on to say that my left iliac vein is compressed in two areas. One up high and one down low. I was amazed! God has been taking care of me for some time now. No wonder why my left leg is 2-3 times bigger than my right leg. I was happy! I am still happy! I now have a diagnosis for a condition that has bothered me for 13 years. The only thing keeping me from treatment was money.
2 weeks later, I received an email from Dr. Hsu stating that a company wanted to offer me a free stent. He wanted to know if I wanted it and when I wanted  to do the procedure. Of course, I want it! I'm not sure what I will have to do to get it, but I will do an interview, write a story, or talk to others if I have to. We are currently working on the dates. As of now, I am praying for sometime during the week of April 11th - April 17th. I will get the free stent here and then get another stent put in when I return to the States in July. You can see a picture of the 3D images that I received during the test. As soon as I can get the video to work on my computer, then I will upload it as well.