March Athlete of the Month

MARCH IS BLOOD CLOT AWARENESS MONTH

This is the month in which raising awareness, celebrating blood clot survivors, and remembering those along the way really comes into focus so that we can make an EVEN BIGGER difference.

BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANTHING! #STOPTHECLOT

Blood clot survivors inspire us all every day.

This month we get the wonderful privilege to read about an incredible individual who is willing to share his story with us. 

Take some time to read this story because it is one that you are going to enjoy.

I can't wait to see JOHN in the CLOT BUSTER @TeamStopTheClot polka-dots racing along as we celebrate that he is overcoming the challenges of his blood clotting incident. No blood clot is going to stop him!

Please read on and enjoy...

What is your sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it? 

For over 40 years my activity of choice is running.  I also love open water swimming and biking the country roadsides.  I began running on Jan 3, 1980. I started with .5 miles and over the coming months and years I’ve completed 45+ marathons, numerous ½ marathons, hundreds of 5 and 10Ks, and a few dozen Sprint and Olympic triathlons.

 

Running brings me joy and peace in my body, mind, and spirit.  I believe in the body, mind, spirit model as working together for optimal health. Once in the ‘zone’ I can breathe, relax, and often process life’s challenges.

 

How did you get started in that sport? 

I got started at the age of 30 after looking in the mirror and understanding what I saw was not healthy for me.  I was married and my wife and I had six children.  Deciding to start running was a plan to regain my health for a future with my wife and children and now 10 grandchildren.

 

What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?

This past summer I completed a Sprint and Olympic Triathlon and a ½ marathon. I placed first in my age group in the Olympic distance and 2^nd.  in my age  group in the Sprint.  I place 7^th. out of 27 in the ½ marathon in my age group. (*1^st. place in the triathlon should be noted that I also came in LAST.  I was the only participant in my age group of 70 -74!) 

 

One milestone in my running career was qualifying for and running in the Boston Marathon in 2005.

 

Tells about your clotting episode.  Are you on blood thinners now? How long were you out of commission? 

The Thursday before Thanksgiving 2020 I went out for a 4 mile run.  A few hundred yards down the road I experienced labored breathing and needed to stop to catch my breath.  I took a few breaths and started off again.  A few more yards and I needed to stop and walk again.  Then I bent over and observed that my right ankle and calf were extremely swollen and tight as a drum.  I thought, ‘Well, this is a no brainer.  This needs a doctor’s attention, NOW!’

I was not able to jog back to my house so I walked as quickly as I could and phoned my doctor.  I found out from the office that my doctor is not in on Thursdays.  (wouldn’t you know it!).  The office advised me to head straight to the Emergency room. 

 

As my wife had an appointment within the hour, I decided to drive myself to the Emergency room housed in the Ohio Health medical facility a few miles from my house.  (*note: People should NOT drive themselves to the Emergency Room!)

 

Upon arrival to the Emergency waiting room filled with patients waiting to be seen with possible Covid, I checked in and sat a far distance down the hallway to avoid the coughing.  In about 15 minutes I was seen by a triage nurse who immediately put me at the front of the line for being seen by a doctor/s.

 

Within an hour I had an ultra-sound finding a DVT in my right leg and a CT scan finding multiple ( whatever that means)clots in all quadrants of my lungs.  Soon I was on an IV drip of Heparin.

 

The Emergency Room doctor and PA shared with me the serious nature of my condition and that I was very fortunate to be in the ER and being treated.  I asked what might happen if I wasn’t being treated.  The ER doc said, “You’d be dead.” What a wake-up call that was!

 

Informing my wife, Roseann, of my condition was pretty emotional.  We’ve lived well in our 48 years of marriage and desire to have many more.  This incident had the potentiality of changing that.  This emotional realization led me to know this event was more than just a physical challenge.  Having a serious health event like PEs bring to the forefront the fact that we are all beings of body, mind and spirit.  In the coming weeks I came to realize dealing with the emotional impact of a PE and recovery and healing.

 

It was decided to have me transported to a larger hospital across town and to be admitted.  After calling for transport I was informed that all the area hospitals were swamped and getting a room in the desired hospital would take some time.  I spent the night in a room in the ER and transport was finally arranged the following morning. 

 

Once I arrived at the ER in the hospital I was to wait another 5 hours before a room was ready.  The ER doctors at this hospital also wanted to do an echocardiogram of my heart to make sure there was no collateral damage to my heart.

 

So, long story short… my heart imaging came out with no damage and I was released the following day with a prescription for Eliquis and orders to have a follow up with my PCP/Sports doctor.

 

In a few days I had a follow-up appointment and was prescribed walking only the first week with short swims at my YMCA the second week.  My doctor and I consulted closely and we worked out a 2 month plan resulting in: 25 minute swims 2x a week, running every other day starting with 2 miles and getting up to 4 miles, periodic free weight training, and all the walking I could comfortably tolerate.

 

When were you able to get back into your activity?  How did it feel that first time?  

After my hospital discharge I had my first follow up with my PCP/Sports doctor within a few days.  We discussed the seriousness of my condition and he recommended I walk one mile at a time for the first week. The plan from there was another follow up 3 weeks later. On my 2^nd. follow up visit the plan was to keep the walking and resume swimming but for only 15 minutes.  A stationary bike could be added for 20 minutes the following week.  I could resume running/jogging 3 weeks after that. 

 

So, basically, over a 7 week period I progressed from walking to swimming to biking to running.  On week 8 I began running a 5K every other day.

 

At first my runs had me constantly monitoring my breathing and pace.  I realized getting back into running was not just a physical activity but a mental one as well.  The constant monitoring of my breathing and legs took away from the joys of being back on the road.  Still, even with the nervous cautions, I was grateful to be back to on the road allowing my body to move as it had for over 40 years.

 

I must include an element of concern in my initial recovery process and back into activity.  I had not prepared myself for the mental health component in my recovery.  Having had a skirting with the possibility of sudden death, I was having some concerns for my mental health and how I would ‘recover’ to a state of confidence in my physical/sport activities.

 

Up until my DVT and PE diagnosis I pretty much felt I could do just about anything I wanted to do: walk anywhere, run anywhere and for hours if I wanted, swim in a pool, a lake, an ocean, and bike country roads to the horizon.

 

Now, there was a lingering caution I had not experienced before.  Well, maybe when I’d swim during a ‘red flag’ in the Gulf of Mexico.  There was caution in my mind during that swim!  This lingering caution, I felt was emotional and I classified it as a mental health issue.  Was I going to have a clot move and give me a stroke or stop my breathing? 

 

I discussed this ‘mental health’ issue with my doctor and he affirmed, as I suspected, that it was part of my healing process.  Our bodies are integrally linked to our minds and of course to our spirits.  My doctor said he could recommend a sports psychologist if I thought I needed one.  I appreciated that suggestion as it assured me my doctor didn’t think ‘it was all in my mind’.

 

Mental health issues during PE recovery and healing is real and I encourage survivors to begin talking about it with their doctors if they experience this.

 

What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? 

I’ve been running in Mizuno shoes for nearly 30 years and will continue with them.  Don’t fix what isn’t broken.  I ride the Cannondale CAAD12 and it suits me just fine at this point.  Recently, a friend and I had trisuits designed and produced with logos representing our home town.  We wear these when we do triathlons.  I also recently ordered my STOP the CLOT t-shirt and hat.  I will wear these this coming spring and summer.

 

How much are you getting out doing your sport?  

I’m out almost every day.  Stationary bike once a week, swimming twice a week, running 3 times a week, walking daily.  I also do some free weight exercises a couple times a week.

 

What is your favorite food?  

My favorite food after a very hot summer long distance run or bike is cold watermelon.  There’s nothing like cold watermelon upon returning from a very hot workout.

 

If you could go some place to visit and explore, where would like to go? 

My two ‘bucket list’ locations are Machu Picchu, Peru and the native land of my ancestors – Slovenia.

 

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  How can people return to

do what they enjoy? Tells about your concerns and what you look out after.

As I noted above, the surprise I did not expect in my recovery was the ‘mental health’ component.  I think most people with their doctor will be able to discuss, design and implement a physical recovery program.

 

But, I’m guessing most people will not be informed or guided about the emotional component that will spring up unexpectedly. For me this is a part of the body, mind, spirit recovery/healing process and needs attention just like the physical body needs attention.

 

As founder of USAHealthNation, I have ,for over a decade, advocated for physically active people to consider the reality that we are more than our bodies when we are out on the road or in an organized event.  We our body, mind and spirit and each component deserves equal attention. 

Are you inspired yet? 

The mental health side of overcoming a clotting incident is certainly something we need to talk more about as it is common amongst all blood clot survivors. Everyone of the posts on this blog has a mention of the fear of the clots happening again and how survivors have been able to overcome the added mental challenge. 

I have nothing but admiration for those who can continue to move forward and overcome. 

BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

February Athlete of the Month

As the snow and ice are coming down with no mercy here in Ohio today I am thinking warm thoughts...

I think even more warm thoughts when it is time to go outside and face the snow either shoveling or hitting the slopes sledding. Soon enough it will be warm again but for now I embrace the fun with the white stuff and layer up as much as I can.

But warm thoughts only get me so far when attempting to train... I still the need the BLOOD CLOT SURVIVOR INSPIRATION POWER... #STOPTHECLOT @TeamSTOPTHECLOT

This month's featured athlete sure is bringing some warmth and much needed inspiration to keep us going. 

Thank you to ALICIA for her willingness to share her story. 

Every story is unique which is what I love the most from this effort. Everyone has a different blood clotting incident, different diagnosis, and a different story of returning to action. Every story has a message that someone will find useful to help them with their journey. 

Please read on and find that part of this story that resonates with you and may help you along the way!

What is you sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it? 

Stand-up Paddleboarding and long distance running (really jogging but running sounds better)

How did you get started in that sport?

I took a contract job that put me in Hawaii for a year, and in my free time I joined a paddle club and a running club. 

 

What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?

Milestones - After my massive clot in April 2021, my milestones have been much smaller than before

1. October 2021 I jogged for the first time since March
2. November 2021 I jogged a mile for the first time in over a year
3. I have signed up for the Lincoln Nebraska National Guard Half Marathon in May 2022, and my ambitions goal is to complete the half marathon with as little walking as possible

 

Tells about your clotting episode.  Are you on blood thinners now? How long were you out of commission?

Clotting history

1. I had a many moderate sized Bilateral PE’s in December 2012, seemingly unprovoked. My mother had a similar PE episode 8 years prior. In 2013 both my mother and I, and my Maternal Grandmother were diagnosed with Illiac Compression (May Thurner) Syndrome.  A few years later my half sister was also diagnosed, although she managed to avoid any PE’s. All four of us had stents placed in both Illac Veins. 
2. While pregnant with my 2nd son, I had a small DVT in my left lower leg that was resolved with Lovanox 
3. When my 2nd son was 6 weeks old in March 2021, I pulled a muscle in my back that inflamed all of the muscles in my back and my abdomen. I also had serious waves of spasms that rolled through all of my back muscles. Even walking was excruciating. By April 2021 I was barley walking 50 steps a day. On April 8th, I noticed my left leg was painful and turning purplish - went to the DR and discovered I had a 3 1/2 ft long clot that stretched from my ankle to my Illiac Stents.  Important to note, is i was taking subcutaneous Heparin as a clot prophylactic, and still I clotted. I had two surgeries to remove the clot above my knee, and TPA administered to begin dissolving the clot below my knee. The clot was easier to remedy than the back pain (which I am still fighting, a year later)

When were you able to get back into your activity?  How did it feel that first time?

My most recent clot occurred we suspect as a direct result of my back pain, not allowing me to walk without extreme pain. After the hospitalization and surgery for the clots, I started a new approach to healing the back pain. The clot was in April. At the time of the clot, my back hurt so bad I couldn’t even pick up my 9 lb son. By June I was able to pick up the baby, and to some extent, I was able to pick up my other son who just turned 2. I was still having waves of spasms though. By September, the last of the spasms had come and gone, and walking was easier. In October I was able to jogg for the first time since April. In November, I jogged 1 mile for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. I am hoping to begin a whole body workout program in February, to slowly increase strength and stamina. There is a sense of freedom in overcoming a hurdle that I once thought was impossible. 

   

What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity?

I have a new pair of shoes that count steps, cadence, distance, and even posture, that I am excited to use and learn from! I am very excited to getting back to running!

How much are you getting out doing your sport?

I expect to be able to run or jogged 2/3 times per week, and in the summer once a week paddle boarding

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate Milk - I have compared the nutrition on many post workout supplements, and nothing is as easy, or simple, or tasty as a nice cold glass of chocolate milk!, paired with a delicious banana!

If you could go some place to visit and explore, where would like to go? 

My very first night in Hawaii for my contract job placed me on a hotel on the beach in Kailua-Kona Big Island, HI. My hotel was around mile 20 of the Iron Man Championship - (2+ mile open ocean swim, immediately followed by 112 mile bike ride in the Hawaii desert with little shade, followed immediately by a full 26+ mile Marathon). I have a dream someday of participating and completing this race! Even if i’m the very last competitor that crosses the finish line!

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  How can people return todo what they enjoy? Tells about your concerns and what you look out after as you returned to action.

Don’t give up, and always be your own advocate! Clots are hard to detect, and hard to treat. I was on a therapeutic dose of subcutaneous Heparin when I had my big clot. All of the physicians I have met with have said the past physical activity I have been involved in served me well during my clots and are testament to why I need to remain active. Set your goals high, and if you have to, measure your accomplishments in baby steps… big steps and baby steps all lead to the same place - finish line!

THANK YOU again Alicia for sharing your story!

Someday, like you, I would love to compete on the Ironman in Kona. That would be an incredible adventure... Perhaps someday we will get to race that event together in our respective CLOT BUSTER #TeamSTOPTHECLOT polka-dots...! 

May your return story continue to blossom and you get to complete your upcoming half-marathon without any walking. Never stop going forward until you accomplish your goals. Every step counts! 

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster

January Athlete of the Month

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Here we go 2022 - Who is ready? 

There is not question that it is time to start fresh and see what we can do in this new year. Although it may not seem that way right now WE ARE going to make it and return to some sense of normalcy. We just need to be ALL together in this for the good of the cause.

Do you have any new year's resolutions? 

I have a very simple one... To wear my CLOT BUSTER #StopTheClot polka-dots as much as possible. There are many things that I want to this year so planning is on going now to give the polka-dots a ride that will get them places so that we can spread the word and create awareness about blood clots and blood clot survivors but also celebrate all blood clot survivors. 

2022 will also see the arrival of some new CLOT BUSTER #StopTheCLot polka-dot gear... You will want to get your hands on some of this stuff for sure... Here is a sneak peak of what we have coming... Stay tuned for me...

Speaking of going places... Did you know that the CLOT BUSTER #StopTheClot polka-dots were at the London Marathon in 2021? How about that? Yes! January's Athlete of the Month took the polka-dots to London as she participated in the event and did well enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon...! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!!

BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!

I am incredible lucky to have cross paths with KIM who is a blood Clot Survivor as you will see and a big time runner... So very thankful that she is willing to share her story so that others can overcome the challenges of blood clots just like she did. This is definitely a GREAT start to the 2022 series of blog posts that NO DOUBT WILL INSPIRE US ALL!!!

Read on and get going!

What is you sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it? 

I prefer to run as my activity of choice. I have been running since middle school all the way through college. I stopped for about 6 years and took up road cycling and have now gotten back into running again. During my cycling is when I ended up having my DVTs and PEs.

How did you get started in that sport? 

Middle school cross country.

What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?

Qualifying for the Boston marathon in my age group during the London Marathon

Tells about your clotting episode.  Are you on blood thinners now? How long were you out of commission? 

I ended up being diagnosed with 7 DVTs in my leg and 3 PEs in my lungs. I was misdiagnosed multiple times by my PCP. I ended up having to push for self advocacy for someone to listen to me. I drove myself (mistake-don't do this) to the ER and forced someone to listen. I was diagnosed that night and was told if I did not come in I most likely would not have woken up the next morning. I clotted again after a couple months on Coumadin and was placed on "life long" lovenox at that time. New oral medications came out and I was hesitant to try them based on the reclotting episode. I tried an oral medication a few years ago with rapid hair loss as a side effect and was taken off of it within a couple weeks. I am now off of blood thinners unless traveling, and on a daily aspirin for management. 10 years post clots total and 2 years on aspirin instead of injecting myself daily. 

When were you able to get back into your activity?  How did it feel that first time?   

I was able to start back to walking and light bike riding within a few months. My leg swelled a lot and turned blue/purple forcing me to stop. I'd say it took months of going slow and doing what my body allowed before getting back into the swing of things. Probably 2 years before getting back to more normalcy in regards to exercise.

What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity?

On running shoes have turned into my favorite gear for running. Love these things!

How much are you getting out doing your sport?

5-6 days a week now

What is your favorite food?  

I have a gluten sensitivity but am willing to take on a pizza after a long hard workout or after a race. Luckily, it is not an allergy for me. 

If you could go some place to visit and explore, where would like to go? 

We love traveling. My favorite place to go is Mallorca, Spain. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Lots of running and hiking there. 

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  How can people return to do what they enjoy? Tells about your concerns and what you look out after as you returned to action.

Advocacy is 100% the most important thing to remember. It is always ok to ask questions. Make sure you find a doctor that is willing to listen and explain your diagnosis and options. I am in the health field and know how hard this can be. But if I didn't fight for myself, I wouldn't be here right now. I still had symptoms for up to 2 years after my diagnosis and probably went in for 6 ultrasounds that showed nothing new the first year out. Better safe than sorry. If you don't feel you are listened to, then find a new doctor to go to. Life is too short as is. 

 

I learned a lot about clots and how bad they can be for patients in graduate school. I remember the night I read about them. I had about 300 pages to read that night alone. Impossible task. So you read what you can and skip the rest. I am beyond grateful that I decided to read that chapter. I did not have the typical blood clot symptoms (i.e. pain in the calf, warm to touch, etc). I had severe pain in my back that would not go away. It was unrelenting for a few days and I felt like I was going to die. I could barely walk to my car. As someone who was riding 2 hours a day on a bike this was scary. After being misdiagnosed I followed what my symptoms could be based on my education and went to the ER. I found that self advocacy is the most important thing someone else can learn from my story. It saved my life. 

Indeed we need be ready to advocate for ourselves if we don't believe that we are diagnosed properly (because your symptoms persist) and/or your treatment is  not yielding results. I have nothing but admiration for Health Care professionals and their challenging task to care for us but ultimately not always get it right and at times being your own advocate can end up saving your life.

There is no doubt that Kim will rock it in Boston just like she did in London. "The power of the polka-dots" is with her every step of the way. So proud and inspired to see Blood Clot Survivors being able to overcome. 

NEVER STOP GOING FORWARD!

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster

December Athlete of the Month

And we made it to December... 2021 almost in the books.

GOOD WORK EVERYONE in navigating the challenges and obstacles of this year.

Just like Blood Clot Survivors we all have done some sort of overcoming this year to make it through.

This year TEAM STOP THE CLOT did incredibly well at the NYC Marathon which is so inspiring... I can't get enough of seeing people finishing the grand challenge of completing 26.2 Miles.

December's Athlete of the Month will also inspire you.  MIKE is not strange of challenges and battling through to overcome and come back. Thank you Mike for your willingness to share your story. Your story is going to make a difference to get blood clot survivors going when their journey gets difficult. For my my part I am inspired to get out and do something today and everyday...!

I am eternally THANKFUL for the opportunity to meet so many incredible people through this medium, share these amazing stories, and be able to keep it up for another year... 13 years and counting!

Please read on for Mike's story and get inspired to NEVER STOP MOVING FORWARD because BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!

What is you sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it?    

I am an avid triathlete.   I enjoy the camaraderie of training in groups for the swim, bike and run.  Triathlon training is a mixture of solo training and team training and it all comes together on race days when everyone is cheering you on and you get to realize all that you’ve been training for.

How did you get started in that sport? 

I got started later in life, about 10 years ago.   I had gone through some life challenges, decided to get back into good physical shape (I was a former Division I football player) and I missed the competitive nature of sport.  I started small.  I started without having swam in over 20 years.   I hadn’t run more than a 5k in probably 15 years.    As a Clydesdale sized athlete (Age 59, 6’ 1”, 225 lbs.), I am not the size, nor age of the normal little skinny triathlete.  However, I routinely finish before my younger, lighter competitors do.   I am a mid-pack age grouper.

What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?

I am fortunate to have done 2 full distance Ironman races in the last 3 years, probably 6 or 7 half Ironman distance and a bunch of Olympic and Sprint distance races over the last 7 years.   I was training for my 3^rd Ironman when I experienced my clotting episode.    My goal for 2022 is to compete in the USA Triathlon Athena/Clydesdale championships and do well enough to place in my age category.

Tells about your clotting episode.  Are you on blood thinners now? How long were you out of commission? 

I am the luckiest guy I know.   I had a bike crash in June 2021 that caused me to have a torn thumb tendon and casted for 5 weeks.   Kept working out but on bike trainer and running w/ a cast on.   Within a week after the cast came off, I started having difficulty breathing on my workouts.   My partner Jennifer told me to go to the Urgent Care on Sat AM to get it looked at rather than wait to see my family doctor on Monday.  She saved my life.  The CT scans showed I had 10 blood clots in my lungs.   Had I waited, I probably would have either had a heart attack or died in my sleep that weekend.  On blood thinners now through March as they try and figure out what caused the clots and a path forward as every test has come back as normal or negative.   The pulmonologists and hematologists have no idea what caused the clots and what happens if/when I go off blood thinners.

When were you able to get back into your activity?  How did it feel that first time?  

 I got released two weeks after my episode to begin working out and gradually increase my level and duration of exertion.   It felt weird and I was a little scared at first but things seem to be coming back but its going to take a while to get there as my lungs recover and my fitness rebounds.   As my pulmonologist said “while on blood thinners, your veins and arteries are virtually coated in WD-40 so nothing is going to happen to you” so I’m going to work on getting back to my Ironman level of fitness.

What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity? 

I am a product junkie to help me be faster, stronger, more healthy, safer.   I have a Scott Plasma 6 Tri-bike, I love my DeSoto tri-suits and New Balance 860 running shoes.  I also have a Road ID that the EMS and medical staff used when I crashed earlier this summer.   I plan on getting a Polka-Dot tri-suit from DeSoto to go along with my Red Polka-Dot technical t-shirt to bring awareness to everyone about blood clots.   I also swear by Maurten mix and gels along with Skratch for hydration and nutrition during workouts and races.

How much are you getting out doing your sport?  

I train almost everyday and sometimes as I’m ramping up in IM training, its twice a day workouts.  Probably 10-16 hours a week. Its always a balancing act as I have a day job as an human resources executive for a big company and a personal life.   However, working out is a stress reliever for me and I get a lot of satisfaction trying to remain “a year younger each year”.  It’s a game to me and I love looking at my workout data during and after a workout.  My favorite workouts are 8-10 mile runs along the river in my community and 40-60 mile bike rides outside in the far western Chicago suburbs and beyond.  Swimming is necessary but not a discipline I’m very good at nor have the body shape for it.

What is your favorite food?  Either generally or after a workout.   

My favorite food is a good steak paired with a Pinot Noir.    After a workout, I often crave carbs and salt – so it sometimes is cheese and crackers and a beer or two as I rehydrate.  😊

If you could go some place to visit and explore, where would like to go?  

I’d love to explore the coasts of the Eastern Mediterranean countries of Greece, Turkey, Croatia, and Montenegro.    Someday I will get there.

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  How can people return to do what they enjoy? Tells about your concerns and what you look out after.

My advice is listen to your body.   Know what feels right and what doesn’t and act upon those perceptions.   Talk to your medical advisors and ask lots of questions.   Questions don’t mean you’re challenging their knowledge or direction, rather looking to clarify and confirm.   Don’t be afraid to stop and assess.   Don’t just work through the discomfort or pain.   Be smart so you can live for tomorrow.    And once you get treated for clots, teach your body and mind how to get back at it – smartly.   Don’t be afraid but don’t be reckless either.   Discretion is often the better part of valor.

Can't wait to see Mike in his CLOT BUSTER #StopTheClot polka-dots racing triathlons out there.  Who knows maybe someday we will be racing together out there and since you will beat me then I will be buying the "recovery beers"... Never stop going forward.

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster

November Athlete(s) of the Month

 RUN!

RUN FAST!

RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!

RUN and ENJOY ALL THE VIEWS!

RUN and ENJOY THE SWEET PAIN OF WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO ACCOMPLISH!

THANK YOU for RUNNING TO STOP THE CLOT!

BLOOD CLOT SURVIVORS along with FRIENDS and FAMILY CAN DO ANYTHING!

BEST OF LUCK to all of the @TeamStopTheClot Runners this weekend while they run the NYC Marathon!

The first weekend in November is always a very exciting time because we have runners representing TEAM STOP THE CLOT for 26.2 Miles at the NYC Marathon.

For 2021 we have one of our largest teams since we got this thing going in 2013... and I am so thrilled for all them.  This is going to be an incredible experience and I can't for them to toe the line on Sunday.

Please take a moment to read through the profiles our athletes have prepared for their respective fundraising pages.  Please consider donating to their campaigns even if they reached their goals.  Your donation can and will make a difference

Here they are... The 2021 Team STOP THE CLOT NYC Marathon Runners = 

BRITTANY >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/brittany-bogdan

TERESA >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/teresa-bordeaux

JULIE >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/julie-butterfield

ROBYN >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/robyn-chessman

THOMAS >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/thomas-geraghty

SANDY >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/sandy-nelson

ERICA >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/erica-saccoccio

GRETCHEN >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/gretchen-piller

NATALIA >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/natalia-siman

COURTNEY >>> https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/fundraisers/385e4c18d13168277fc4

BILAL >>>  https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/fundraisers/cee3f85801fd53e4eb52

This is truly an incredible group of individuals taking on one of the most amazing events in the marathon calendar.  There is no race like the NYC Marathon and I am very excited for them to get to experience it.

Cheer for them near and far because they are an inspiration to all of us.

RUN UNTIL YOU FINISH - NEVER STOP GOING FORWARD!

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster

October Athlete of the Month

Inspiration can come at you from many different directions. You never will know what will hit you that will get you inspired.

If you read any of the previous post from this blog you will find some inspiration from these blood clot survivors there is no question about it.

The month of October has in it a very VERY especial day for the community of blood clot survivors... OCTOBER 13th is WORLD THROMBOSIS DAY!!! For me this is a day in which we celebrate awareness, survivors, and remember all those we lost along the way.  This year STOPTHECLOT.org is celebrating World Thrombosis day with a virtual run.  Checkout all the details here >>> https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Philadelphia/RunWalktoStoptheClot 

You know that I will be running in my CLOT BUSTER @TeamStopTheClot polka-dots and I hope that you will consider joining us as well!

And speaking of running... October is also the month in which preparations intensify in order for blood clot survivors and friends/family of blood clot patients to get ready to participate as runners for the NYC Marathon in November.  This is without a question one of the coolest things that we get to do and to me it is always a thrill to meet these runners who are about to have an unbelievable experience running this marathon.  There is nothing like it.

So lets go ahead and meet on of our runners for this year's edition of Team STOP THE CLOT. 

Please allow me introduce to you NATALIA... but instead of me rambling here go ahead and read on to learn more about this blood clot survivor who is going to dominate the NYC Marathon!!!

What is your sport/activity of choice? Why do you enjoy it?

I primarily run - I really enjoy the stress relief it provides and having my body be constantly challenged.  I find that running really helps with my mental health and really jump starts my day.  It is a sport that rewards consistency and to me that is very important. 

How did you get started in that sport?

One of my friends from back home in El Salvador challenged me to run a half marathon before I turned 25. I said sure - ran that race maybe 10 days before my birthday and then finished knowing I could do better. I have said the same every single race since then.

What is the latest milestone you achieved or plan to achieve?

I am running the NYC Marathon fundraising for team stop the clot! This will be my 3rd marathon (first post PE) and I am very nervous and very excited.

https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/natalia-siman

Tells about your clotting episode.  Are you on blood thinners now? How long were you out of commission?

A week after my 29th birthday, I was training for CIM in California and I had a run that was very very hard. (It was a 20 miler so granted, that is never easy) I had never before felt that out-of-breath feeling, especially on an easy paced run. I chalked it up to a bad day, but then when I felt out of breath dancing at a wedding a couple of days later, I knew there was something off. I remember I couldn’t take a complete deep breath on the way back from the wedding. 

I went to the urgent care the next day and because I had traveled, they wanted to check for blood clots and sent me to the ER. They told me that it was most likely bronchitis but wanted to check. 

I thought they were crazy!! That blood clots only happened to much older individuals. I went to the ER anyways because I had a Disney half marathon that weekend and wanted to get better.

I ended up having a double pulmonary embolism, every doctor that came in to see me kept telling me that my life was a miracle, that I only felt good because of how much I run. I was never really scared until my parents showed up from El Salvador and then I realized how serious this was and could have been.

My boyfriend ran the half instead of me, and I was still doing blood thinners via injection/needles. It was completely surreal to me to be at Disney having to inject myself with blood thinners and feeling weak after being marathon training a week before!! 

I went to the hematologist, described what I was taking before. I was very dehydrated, took approximately 5 flights in two weeks (this is very normal for me because I travel for work), was on birth control, so I really don’t know exactly what caused my episode, but doctors think it’s a combination of all of the above. 

 

I was on blood thinners for approximately 8 months, I was out of commission for about a month, but then it took a while to get back my running fitness. Maybe 6 months.  The mental hurdle was so much harder to deal with, even almost two years later when it is hard to breathe I panic. I went to the urgent care once for what ended up being nothing. Also with COVID wearing a mask and going up stairs gave me that same out of breath feeling that is now extremely scary to me. 

When were you able to get back into your activity?  How did it feel that first time?

My hematologist told me I could run a couple of weeks after the episode, but to take it very easy. That first time it felt scary and it was hard to breathe. I ran for only a couple of minutes and then did some walking intervals. I remember feeling so happy once I got back to a mile.

What is your favorite piece of gear for your favorite activity?

I love my aftershokz! I also got myself a roadID bracelet for when I was taking blood thinners and for safety after knowing I could have passed out during my clotting incident. (I never used to run with any kind of ID)

How much are you getting out doing your sport?

Right now I am running 4-5x a week. I am doing way lower mileage than before, both to prevent injury and I am not as fit as before!

What is your favorite food?  Either generally or after a workout.

I LOVE a cold chocolate milk after a run.

If you could go some place to visit and explore, where would like to go? 

I really want to go to Japan and spend a whole week just exploring and eating.

What would like to say to someone who is going through a clotting episode, perhaps very similar to yours?  How can people return to do what they enjoy? Tells about your concerns and what you look out after

This is scary, and it sucks, and you are not alone. I did not know anyone who had a pulmonary embolism at a young age (to be honest, I didn’t even know the word embolism in English). It gets better. After a while you start to feel better and you start to trust your body again. It is a process and like any process you have to take it one day at a time. Forward is forward, and though sometimes it feels like you are treading water - you are alive, and you are making progress!! 

Can't wait for Natalia to experience the Marathon in NYC. 

No question that "it is a process" and you have to work at it every single day.  Blood Clot Survivors do this all the time and so can we. 

Thank you so much to Natalia for her willingness to share her story.  Here is wishing her all the best while she finalizes her training and prepares for race day.

Thank you for reading,

The Clot Buster