Exercise on Those Breaks!!

[D_Green]

Thursday, week ago, I took a small load of parts to a rig 90 miles east of Shreveport. While there, I was notified that another rig was down in Demopolis, Al, parts were in Shreveport, so I back-tracked, picked up the parts, thinking all the way, "mo money" :)

After delivering in Al , I could find no motel rooms available. So, since I was in the smaller SW 1t (less than 10k#) I elected to keep driving towards home.

My last fuel stop was in Greenwood, La (Ex4) where I turned south for home. I noticed my right knee was aching/swelling, but as I have rheumatoid arthritis, I figured old arthur was paying me another visit.

When I got home 3 hrs later (31 hrs total trip time) my lower leg was really beginning to swell & hurt. I didn't wake the wife, but laid back in the recliner & dozed.

The wife woke me around 8am Sat morning, asking what was wrong with the leg, all red & swollen from knee to ankle? So..trip to the emergency room. Many tests, x-rays, ultrasound later, they determined I had a blood clot in the right calf, medical term Deep Vein Thrombosis. Mostly brought on by too little movement & sitting on long trips.

Well, after blood thinners & monitoring, the clot was dissolved, & I was released yesterday, to again pursue my livelyhood. But I learned a lesson...get my fat butt oughta the truck & walk around every couple of hours. I like vacations, but not when I'm stowed up. :D

[windcatcher]

Good post and excellant info.
Glad you're recovering.

Surprisingly its a wonder more don't have this... (Fairly common in travelers, esp. passengers who sit for hours; even long flights.)
Can be very serious if the clot starts moving before its completely resolved. (This is another excellent reason that the regulations should allow splitting hours of rest with the work day, so drivers could benefit from breaks... if needed, without penalties against the hours they may be required to drive.)
Depending on the circulation, support hose, are sometimes recommended.. but they, too, can add to restriction of circulation so doctors' advice is best to follow.... and these are expensive.

[cornerstone]

Glad to hear you are recovering! I was on a flight a few years ago from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia which is almost 15 hours non-stop and a passenger on the plane had the same thing happen. As soon as the plane landed they had an ambulance waiting. I have been on a few airlines that actually have cards in the seat pockets talking about this problem and they give recommended exercises to do while flying. One of the main things they recommended was getting up and walking around every few hours. That could be a little tough while driving though!! :yikes: I really hope the DOT looks at the HOS rules and considers going back to the old rules. It was so much easier as a team to do the 5 on/5 off routine. :)

Cornerstone

[hellcat_99]

You were lucky my dear. Those clots can be fatel.
You are also right in getting some excersise when you stop the trk. Even if you only walk 20 mis a day.
Hope you continue to heal.

Holly :bye:

[SPARKY]

:wtf: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

Dennis-It sounds like Lenora needs to get you out in that garden, planting, picking, and weeding!!! :rofl: :rofl: With everything that's been going on with you and your family of late I can only hope that the hospital and the ER don't get to see you and yours anytime soon.

Get well my friend :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: