Carter has blood clots in lungs and leg
Gary Carter received news that his tumors have improved by 80 percent. (April 3, 2006) Credit: Paul J. Bereswill
Tests have revealed that former Mets great Gary Carter has blood clots in his lungs and right leg, according to an online journal written by his daughter Kimmy Bloemers.
The Hall of Famer was rushed to the emergency room Tuesday after experiencing a sharp pain in his chest and shortness of breath.
Carter, 57, who spent five hours in the ER, had an EKG, blood work, and an X-ray and CT scan of his chest. He was released Wednesday after a CT scan of his brain showed no bleeding. According to Bloemers, the former catcher must inject blood thinners intravenously into his stomach until further notice.
"These blood clots are very controllable and this new medication should help dissolve the problems," Bloemers wrote. "Dad is very lucky it was caught so early."
This was the second time Carter was rushed to the ER since being diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer in May.
"Monday was a difficult day for Dad," his daughter wrote. "After having a nice restful sleep, again Dad awoke with a draining feeling in his body. This was only three days after taking the strong chemo pills so we expected the medication to wipe his body out for sure. On Tuesday morning, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and had trouble breathing. Though the pain subsided, Mom called Dr. Jimmy Harris only to hear that Dad needed to be taken to the ER."
A member of the Mets' 1986 championship team and an 11-time All-Star, Carter finished his career with 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs.
