I had a bad crash on my road bike in late February of 2023. My initial injuries were a broken clavicle, shattered elbow, fractured pelvis, three broken ribs, and subsequent collapsed lung.
I had elbow surgery that night and waited a month for clavicle surgery. What wasn’t caught, however, was a brain bleed. I was having severe headaches and lightheadedness, which was mistaken for a bad concussion.
On Easter Sunday, I had emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on my brain. I was in the hospital for a week, which is when I believe the clots developed. I was released and back in the ER two days later with what was diagnosed as bilateral pulmonary emboli (PE) and a groin-to-ankle deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
The doctors told me I was in a very tough spot. I needed to go on blood thinners, but it was super risky as my brain hadn’t healed and was still oozing blood. I was in the hospital for another week on heparin. When released, I had lost almost 15 lbs. and was given instructions to start warfarin, as it could be easily reversed if I had additional brain bleeding. I also had to keep my heart rate down.
I’ve always healed through exercise, positive affirmations, and visualization. I started doing all three as I was able. The exercise consisted of gentle qigong (a Chinese system of physical exercises and breathing control related to tai chi) and five-minute walks. I increased my exercise gradually while listening to my body. Over the past two months, I increased that to three to four-mile walks, using my spin bike and rowing machine, and doing about an hour of qigong.
My recent brain scan was better than the doctors and I had hoped for. I had another ultrasound, which showed I’m now clot free after just two months.
I will stay on thinners for the next few months. I believe a big part of my successful recovery was consistent exercise, hydration, positive self-talk, and positive visualization. Just a little at a time leads to positive increases. The body has an amazing ability for healing.
Resources
Athletes and Blood Clots
Blood Clots in Orthopedic Surgery
Signs and Symptoms of Blood Clots
