November Athlete of the Month

BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!

Let me repeat...

BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone on @TeamSTOPTHECLOT who participated and crushed the NYC Marathon this weekend.

What an inspiring day!

It looked to be an amazing day for everyone involved.

#STOPTHECLOT had their very own cheering section along the course which I am sure was rocking and helped the runners out there get after the finish.

Almost 10 years since the time I ran the NYC Marathon and I can still remember all of it. It is truly an experience that you will never forget. But the experience is even better because @TeamSTOPTHECLOT was in their polka-dots representing a cause that is making a difference.

THANK YOU to everyone in the team for your efforts in fundraising but also in your efforts to complete the marathon.

Over the past several months we have been celebrating members of the 2022 @TeamSTOPTHECLOT with a post on this blog. Since we had our biggest crew to date I have some amazing stories to share so please come along to meet another member of the team.

Please allow me to introduce to you ALEX. She has certainly an incredible story that you will want to read. I am truly amazed... and inspired by what Blood Clot Survivors CAN DO!

If you are willing and able you can still donate to Alex's Fundraising Effort by using the following link >>> https://donate.stoptheclot.org/fundraiser/3858591

My Story...

I dedicated nearly a decade trying to become the best version of myself in the sport of rowing, and in my final year of training toward my goal of making the Olympic team I developed a blood clot in my left shoulder. Ten pushups during a pre-practice warmup left my arm swollen, achy and purple. I consulted with the team doctor, who suspected I was dealing with a clot, and got myself to the ER immediately. 

A few tests later and the staff was able to confirm that I had developed a sizeable clot in my sub-clavean vein due to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Years and years of impingement between my clavicle, first rib and over-used muscle had formed scare tissue that had ultimately closed off my vein.

I spent the next three days alone in the hospital, during the height of the pandemic, including a full 24 hours in the ICU with a 14-inch catheter in my arm that dripped clot-busting medicine into my vein. I returned just four days later to have my first rib surgically removed to free up space in that thoracic outlet region and to prevent the same type of clot from forming again. 

I was lucky enough to have a great team of loved ones, coaches and PT's who helped expedite my recovery process. I was on the spin bike three days after surgery and back in a boat just 12 weeks after surgery. Needless to say my goal of making the Olympic team had been significantly impacted by this untimely challenge, but it was important to me to see my journey through to it's end in whatever way I could - so I set a new goal: get healthy enough to compete at Olympic trials. I am extremely proud and grateful to say that I was able to reach that goal and race a pretty courageous regatta with my double's partner.

I consider my experience a lucky one for a number of reasons, but most notably, I could not have had a better support system. I had a team of doctors and friends within my rowing and personal communities who knew exactly what was happening from the very beginning and as a result my treatment timeline was as stream-lined as possible. Additionally, I was lucky enough to know two other athletes in my sport who had gone through the exact same thing. They were both incredibly helpful through the entire process and made it all a little less scary.

This leads me to why I am so excited about supporting the National Blood Clot Alliance! They have a mission dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis and successful treatment of life-threatening blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and clot-provoked stroke. I had great care after the major symptoms developed, but I have since learned that there were many indicators that I missed that could have helped to identify the clot in an earlier stage. With that said, not all clots are the same and not every person has access to the resources they need to deal with them. I am really humbled by the opportunity to help build community and awareness around this issue so that more clot stories can end safely and positively.

Thank you for your support!

How about that?!?!?

A Blood Clot Survivor at the Olympic Trials for rowing... THAT IS AMAZING.

I would love to learn how to row someday... It looks so elegant and fluid... 

But again, the tenacity and dedication to overcome a set back like blood clots to return to the Olympic trials and try again is simply unreal.

NEVER STOP trying ALEX. 

Thank you for the inspiration to never ever give up!

Get inspired! You can do this!

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster