My Stay At NYU: The Stroke Wing Day 3

I woke up to vampire nurses and breakfast.  The curtain in my room was finally open and I got to look at roomie.  She gave me the hood head knod which I returned and didn't push her any further for introductions.  One of the vampire nurses brought in a portable dialysis machine and drew the curtain closed again.  Roomie was going to have her blood cleaned, which would take a couple of hours.  I just heard a sigh and a "Ok, I'm ready".  I immediately decided that I shouldn't be afraid of a iddy biddy needle if she can have all the blood in her body swished and cleaned and just say three words.

One of the vampire nurses brought in the Lovenox and said that if I could do this, I could go home.  All I had to do was stick myself press the plunger and do it in one shot...and I did! This would be the only time I would be able to do this.  The next 5 days on this drug sucked and I had many red dots on my stomach from not putting the needle all the way in and having to stick and re-stick myself.

The Neurologist came in with the two interns McNerd and McShy and told me what I needed to do when I got home. I wasn't allowed to do ANYTHING.

NO:
Yoga
Gym
Running
Speed Walking
Bending my neck
Stretching
Flying
Drinking
Dancing
Exerting myself

Also, on this drug, Warfarin, I couldn't have much vitamin K because of the clot factor.  Warfarin regulates your blood clotting abilities.  It is supposed to keep my blood thin enough to prevent new clots from forming and going back to my brain.  Vitamin K is in so many of my favorite things too.  I am usually a healthy eater and I love my salads, veggies and green tea....and now I had to give that up. Even sushi! Seaweed has intense amounts of vitamin K....epic fail. So I had to be on a pretty restrictive diet, but not a diet....that's also restricted. Ugh!

I left the hospital at around 3 WITH my shoes, went home and started my recovery. 2 visits a week to the Anticoagulation Clinic (to check my INR level aka make sure my blood isn't too thick) and sleep.  As I packed my few things and was ready to leave, I looked over at the closed curtain at roomie, to be so young and have MS, just goes to show that these things do happen to people as young as us.  I smiled and said goodbye and be well through the curtain and left.