(no subject)
Thank you all for your support. I've taken nearly all of your suggestions and implemented them into my recovery! Now, I must confess: I am a hypochondriac. Absolutely. I'm neurotic about all things medical, and I'll admit that. However, one thing that has been terrifying me
----STOP READING IF YOU'RE BOTHERED BY GRAPHIC TMI---------
...is that yesterday, I finally coughed up what looked to be a big wad of phlegm, mixed with blood. Figured it was from trauma of having a breathing tube placed inside of me, but then it happened today, and it was very bloody, almost like a clot. (Dark, not bright red.) My doctor/surgeon is great, but has little patience for balls of annoying anxiety like me. I tried to keep my phone call to him succinct, but he was still patronizing and impatient. He basically said, "I get these calls all the time after surgery; it's normal, after being under anesthesia and having a breathing tube. I'd only worry if there is more blood than phlegm present, or if you're feeling really uncomfortable."
So, basically, I don't know. I'd be totally cool with just sitting with it and letting myself heal, but...pulmonary embolism? Again, I'm a total hypochondriac but I don't want to ignore it if it's something rather dangerous.
We've reached the weekend, so my only choice would be to go to the ER, and that would entail sitting in an uncomfortable chair for X amount of hours (sitting and standing's painful) and paying $200+ for tests I might not even need. Or, you know, hope everything is ok and I don't have something worse.
HELPZ