October Athelete(s) of the Month

Doing it a bit different this month and next as it is time to highlight the individuals (blood clot survivors and friends) who will be running in the 2014 edition of the NYC Marathon spreading the word about blood clots and blood clotting disorders!

All of the athletes participating this year are running to show that blood clot survivors can indeed overcome their blood clotting challenge...

All of the athletes participating this year are running to celebrate themselves but also loved ones (family and friends) who are suffering and suffered from blood clots...

All of the athletes participating this year are running to raise funds to support the National Blood Clot Alliance - NBCA - STOPTHECLOT.org and their mission to create awareness against blood clots and blood clotting disorders...

If you have it in you and you think you can donate please check out the following link...

https://www.crowdrise.com/stoptheclot2014nycmarathon/fundraiser/stoptheclot

It is simply AMAZING and INSPIRING what these guys are doing to get ready for the marathon.

Please read on to meet half of the Team STOPTHECLOT and a little bit of their personal story... ENJOY AND BE INSPIRED! If they can do it so can you! Anything is possible!

Amy Kearbey

 

Chances are you, or someone you know has had a blood clot.  It may have been called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE), but nonetheless, in everyday terms, it was a blood clot. And, there's a good chance it was very serious, maybe even fatal.  
I am one of those people.  At the age of 29, I was diagnosed with a PE – a blood clot in my lung.  It was actually a bunch of blood clots that combined to make for a very serious and very scary situation.  My symptom was back pain – severe, electric hot back pain in one spot that radiated.  Never in a million years did I think I had a blood clot. By the grace of God, my doctor connected the dots and insisted on testing to see if I had a PE.  By the end of the day, I was in the hospital experiencing a pulmonary infarction. Months later, further testing would reveal that I was at continued high risk for blood clots and would be on blood thinning medication for life. In the years since, I have come to learn how very lucky I was that I went to my doctor and that he insisted on testing me for a clot.  With the care and support of an amazing team of doctors, I have also been able to bring two amazing little boys into our family, with no clots and no complications!  My gratitude runs deep, and it is time to give back.

Carolyn Leslie

 

Chances are you, or someone you know has had a blood clot.  It may have been called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE), but nonetheless, in everyday terms, it was a blood clot. And, there's a good chance it was very serious, maybe even fatal.  
Blood clots do not discriminate. They can just as easily affect athletes as well as those less physically fit.  They affect men and women; rich and poor – blood clots do not discriminate.   
I am one of those people. One night in late March of this year, I started experiencing pains in my ribs as I'd breathe in. I didn't think it was anything serious, and went to my chiropractor the next day thinking he could "adjust it" away. He thought it was intercostal neuritis and sent me home with some biofreeze. That night, the pain became so bad, I felt like I was being stabbed in the ribs and could not breathe. My husband took me to urgent care in the middle of night, even though I was stubbornly reluctant. The doctor there diagnosed me as having Pleurisy, and sent me home with some Vicodin. The pain continued for the next day and a half - which I spent propped up with pillows all day and night. I knew Pleurisy was painful, so I put up with this pain as long as I could. Thankfully I went to my GP when I was not getting any relief with the Vicodin. When he saw my symptoms, he sent me straight to the ER and ordered a CT.  Within minutes they came back and informed me that I had several blood clots in both lungs. Wow. It did not even occur to me that this might be the cause of my pain! 
Thankfully, they found them in time, and as soon as I started taking the blood thinners I started to feel some relief. If I hadn't questioned that Pleurisy diagnosis, and just toughed it out, I could have been in serious, serious trouble. 
I had some other warning signs that I was oblivious to at the time. I had a major calf cramp shortly before the rib pain. I thought it was just a sore muscle from running. 
The reason I am so passionate about this cause, is that some simple information and awareness can literally save lives! There are things you can do to lower your risks and there are warning signs that can alert you to see a doctor. I just want everyone to know these things, and that is why I was so excited when I discovered Team Stop the Clot!

Samantha Shelton

Chances are you, or someone you know has had a blood clot.  It may have been called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE), but nonetheless, in everyday terms, it was a blood clot. And, there's a good chance it was very serious, maybe even fatal.  
I happen to be one of those people. As an 18-year-old avid soccer player, I had reconstructive knee surgery after tearing my ACL, MCL and meniscus. Unfortunately, that surgery led to the development of seven blood clots in my left leg—putting me at high risk for a heart attack or a stroke. Fortunately, we caught the problem in time (the immense amount of pain gave it away) and walked away with a year's worth of blood thinners and a varicose vein.
Then, 3 weeks before I began training for my first marathon—the New York City Marathon to fundraise for the National Blood Clot Alliance—I discovered I would need leg surgery once more: this time to fix some (not all is reparable) of the serious vein damage left behind by the clots, remove my varicose veins and improve blood flow in my leg to reduce the risk of future clots. 
While some would say this is all rather unfortunate, I'm glad it happened—it led to my diagnosis of a rare genetic disorder, Factor V Leiden. Five to eight percent of Americans have this disorder, but very few even know about it until it becomes a major health risk, like what happened to me. I can no longer take any hormonal medications, and at the time of diagnosis, I was told I likely wouldn't be able to run more than six miles at a time due to my vein damage. 
Six years and 10 half-marathons later, I'm proud to say I've disproved that notion about running. When I met with my surgeon just a few months ago, the one thing he said likely saved me from having more clots: running. Funny how things work out.  And now, I'm ready to run my first full marathon. While doing so, I want to help those who have also been affected by blood clots.

Stef Rubino

In the Fall of 2013, we nearly lost my sister, Meg, to multiple pulmonary embolisms - only 10 days after she gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
After battling increasing pain over the course of an evening, Meg woke up in excruciating pain at 2am, gagging and unable to breathe. Her husband (a SWAT officer) was able to stabilize her until she was transferred to the ER. An emergency CAT scan found multiple clots in her lungs and a lower right lung infarction - clots that could easily have killed her, leaving her newborn baby and 2 year old son without a mother.
The NIH estimates that 300,000 to 600,000 people are affected by blood clots each year - and approximately 30% of those cases are fatal.
On November 2nd, almost a year to the day since multiple blood clots almost killed Meg, I'm running my first marathon (the NYC Marathon!) to raise funds for, and awareness of, the National Blood Clot Alliance - a group dedicated to significantly reducing the number of people suffering and dying from blood clots in the US.

Rachel Jemison

Chances are you, or someone you know has had a blood clot.  It may have been called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE), but nonetheless, in everyday terms, it was a blood clot. And, there's a good chance it was very serious, maybe even fatal.  
I am one of those people.  At the age of 23, I was diagnosed with a DVT – a blood clot in my leg.  After being laid up with a respiratory infection, I had been having pain in my calf that began to radiate through my back for over a week.  I initially thought I pulled a muscle and later thought I had a bladder infection.  Thankfully, I had an already scheduled follow-up doctor appointment from being sick and mentioned this pain.  I was lucky that my doctors felt the lowered pulse in my ankle and suspected a DVT.  They put me in an ambulance and at the ER I was diagnosed with a clot that ran from my ankle to my groin.  I was in the hospital for a week and was put on blood thinners for a year. 
Further testing revealed that I have a genetic mutation called Factor V Leiden.  Men and women with Factor V are at an increased risk of blood clots.  About 3-8% of people with European ancestry carry this mutation.  Women with Factor V are at an increased risk of blood clots when levels of estrogen are high – birth control, pregnancy and estrogen therapy all increase this risk.  Having Factor V and taking birth control pills could have been a deadly combination for me.  I am blessed to have 3 healthy daughters – through each pregnancy I was required be on blood thinners.  I credit my healthy pregnancies to having the knowledge about Factor V – many women don’t know they have it and suffer recurrent miscarriages or clots during pregnancy and post-partum. 
I will be running 26.2 miles on November 2nd with Team Stop the Clot to raise awareness of DVT and PE – to let people know that blood clots do not discriminate – that they can happen to anyone – good or bad health, men or women, young or old.  I am raising awareness so people know of risk factors and symptoms. 

Here is wishing all these athletes THE BEST OF LUCK ON RACE DAY!
ENJOY IT ALL! It is a remarkable event.

ENJOY THE SWEET PAIN OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHEMENT once you cross that finish line!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster