Hi, my name is Echo. On July 11th, I was at work when my left arm started swelling up and changing color. I left work and went to the emergency room. After waiting about 6 hours, they finally sent me for a CT scan and found I had a blood clot. The Newport hospital made arrangements to send me to Corvallis through the life flight ground transport. Once in Corvallis, they kept me on heparin blood thinners while reviewing my scans. They removed the blood clot on the 12th, and I was released on the 13th. I was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. TOS happens when the blood vessels are squeezed in the area between the collarbone and lower neck.

I am scheduled for surgery on October 13th. I am having a left first rib resection with venogram. This is the removal of a small rib bone near the thoracic outlet. I will be out on medical leave for 2-4 weeks, then light duty when I can return to work.

While insurance is covering a lot of the expenses, there are things they have denied and have to be paid out of pocket. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.