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Women's Health Articles


Losing Geri The Impact of Pulmonary Embolism


By: Tonya Mitchell Peele

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Yahoo! News: Health News
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Vitamin D may help curb breast cancer, study finds (AP)
AP - Breast cancer patients with low levels of vitamin D were much more likely to die of the disease or have it spread than patients getting enough of the nutrient, a study found — adding to evidence the "sunshine vitamin" has anti-cancer benefits. The results are sure to renew arguments about whether a little more sunshine is a good thing.
Tips on getting vitamin D for cancer prevention (AP)
AP - Evidence is growing that vitamin D, which the skin makes from sunshine, is linked to lower risk of breast cancer and other cancers. But that doesn't mean it's good to get a golden tan — and certainly not a sunburn.
More cancer patients having whole breast removed (AP)
AP - A growing number of women with early stage breast cancer seem to be choosing to have the whole breast removed instead of just the cancerous lump, doctors are reporting.
Study finds heart risks in young cancer survivors (AP)
AP - Children who survive cancer face a much greater risk of heart problems later in life than their brothers and sisters who did not have cancer, new research shows.

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On July 2, 2005 my Aunt Geraldine died. She was only 51 years old.

My aunt did not die from one of the ailments or events that usually come to mind when we hear of someone?s unfortunate passing, namely cancer or a heart attack or a horrible car accident. My aunt died from a pulmonary embolism, commonly called a blood clot, as a result of a minor foot surgery she had a few weeks earlier.

I had heard of blot clots before and knew that they could be very serious and often deadly. A few years ago, a friend?s husband suffered from a clot in his leg. His doctor was able to successfully dissolve the clot using a variety of medications. He was one of the lucky ones. However, since my aunt?s untimely and unexpected death, I have learned a great deal more about this alarming condition.

Let me share a bit of what I?ve learned. Pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage that occurs in an artery within the lung. The arterial blockage, also referred to in medical literature as an embolus, results in decreased oxygen flow, which in turn causes the blood pressure within the lung to rise. Blockage can be caused by a single, large blood clot or, in some cases, several smaller clots. The origin of blood clots leading to (a) pulmonary embolism can vary; however, formation in the deep veins of the legs (calf or thigh) is most common. Formation of clots in this area of the leg results in a condition called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. It is reported that complications from DVT kills roughly 200,000 people in the United States annually. With DVT, clots can break off and travel through the circulatory system and eventually end up in the lungs.

Several factors can increase a person?s risk for DVT. Some of these include long periods of inactivity (perhaps due to bed rest, long flights or car trips), recent surgery, stroke, heart attack, some cancers, and obesity. There are a variety of treatment options available for DVT including medications, surgical procedures, and practical measures such as applying heat to relieve pain and avoiding long periods of immobility.

Symptoms can manifest during pulmonary embolism or as in the case of my aunt, sudden death can occur without any warning. Shortness of breath, sharp chest pain, cough, anxiety and sweating are some of the documented symptoms of this condition. Even when symptoms occur, the onset is rather rapid; therefore immediate medical attention is essential. You should contact your physician if you feel you are at risk.

My aunt chose to have elective foot surgery and unfortunately, she died as a result of it. If she had chosen to live with her foot pain, perhaps she would be with us today. There are some conditions that are so unbearable that patients accept the possibility of death in effort to try a treatment/surgery that may help them. Cancer is one of those horrible diseases. I have experienced that in these situations, if the outcome is death, the family is better able to cope because they find comfort in knowing that their loved one is no longer suffering. On the contrary, when we feel that a loved one is taken senselessly, we are often unable to wrap our human mind around God?s greater plan.

We are uncertain if my aunt experienced any warning signs just prior to her death. She woke up that morning around her usual time, ate breakfast with her husband and retreated to their bedroom. It was the Saturday before July 4th and she was planning to meet her sister later that day at a cookout. It was part of her morning routine to sit at the edge of her bed and lotion herself after getting out of the shower. She was especially fond of nice fragrances and particularly savored this part of her morning routine. Sadly, on this bright, summer morning, her routine was abruptly interrupted. Shortly after sitting down on the bed like she had done so many mornings before, she suddenly lost consciousness and fell back across her bed. Just like that. She was gone away from us, forever.

My family and I have replayed the last days, especially the final hours of my aunt?s life over and over in our minds. We desperately searched for clues, some unrecognized symptom that could have alerted us to her impending death. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one knows that death can cause you to feel unimaginable pain, anguish, disbelief, and even fear of immortality, especially when the loss is sudden and unexpected. I know that when God calls one of his children home we are to rejoice, but I am still having a hard time coming to terms with my Aunt Geri?s death. I continue to pray for strength and understanding. I have also decided to stop taking life for granted and to live each day as if it?s my last. Because you never know, it actually may be.

References:
www.webmd.com
http://dvt.net/home.do

Tonya Mitchell Peele helps women renew their minds, transform their lives, and influence others to live well through the written and spoken word.

Email: info@tonyamitchellpeele.com
Website: http://www.tonyamitchellpeele.com

 



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