A Camosun College who survived a massive blood clot in her lungs thanks to the work of a medical team at Victoria General Hospital has had a minor setback. Paige Young, a 22-year-old creative writing student, is still being fed intravenously and suffered from a slight fever on Monday.
Young was originally admitted to Victoria General Hospital, unresponsive and gasping, at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 7.
A medical team determined, after close to two hours of trying to keep her heart going, that she had a massive blood clot in her lungs — an unusual condition for her age — and administered the clot-busting medication tPA (tissue plasminogen activator).
Young stabilized and miraculously avoided brain damage and major organ damage. However, doctors are still trying to assess why she can’t eat and has fluid on her abdomen.
Parents Gary, 62, and Sandy, 58, flew from Thunder Bay, Ont., to be with their daughter and remain at her bedside at Royal Jubilee Hospital. Despite his daughter’s stunning recovery, Gary Young said he is lucky if he sleeps more than an hour a night for worry.
Many Times Colonist readers have pointed to a recent article in Vanity Fair magazine that talks about the birth control device NuvaRing, alleged to have caused blood clots in many users. Pharmaceutical giant Merck, maker of the NuvaRing, is facing lawsuits due to the alleged side effects.
However, the Youngs said Monday their daughter was not using that contraceptive.
Gary Young, who suffered from blood clots in 2008, will be tested for a hereditary condition when he returns to Thunder Bay. However, he said his daughter’s clot is likely the result of a January car accident. Since then, his daughter has had problems in her head and limbs.
“I believe somewhere along the line, she developed blood clots from the accident,” Gary Young said.
While caring for their daughter, the couple has been staying in a bed-and- breakfast. They’re looking for accommodations large enough for all three of them once Paige has stabilized and can be released from hospital.
The room Paige Young rents and shares with roommates is too small and not private enough to accommodate the three family members. The Youngs are not sure at this point whether Paige will be able to return to school this semester.
The couple will miss their eldest daughter’s wedding in January.
