Athlete
My Body Was Out of Control: Cedric’s Story
As U.S. Army Master Fitness Trainer, I was use to physically challenging my body. So it was not unusual, when in August of 2002 I shrugged off a sharp pain in the calf of my leg – a pain that had jolted me from a restful morning sleep. “What is it,” I thought, and quickly…
Crossing the Finish Line: Lisa’s Story
My name is Lisa Nelson and I am 35 years old. I happened to run across the listing for the annual Austin Stop The Clot race on the calendar page from RunTex and was disappointed it was coming up so soon. I couldn’t possibly still sign up, but more importantly: Am I up for a…
A Super Hero Taken Too Soon: Manu’s’ Story, as told by Christina Martin
Manu Ajamu Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 14, 1977. Affectionately known as “Shaq,” he was always the life of the party and had a wide assortment of friends. Shaq stood tall at 6 feet 3 inches, and weighing in at 300 pounds he was all muscle. He had beautiful honey-brown eyes that…
I am a Survivor, and I am Proud: Kaitlyn’s Story
I recently had my first encounter with blood clots. I was a rugby player who suffered many blows from both tackling and being tackled. After one particular blow to the stomach, I started having really bad pain in the small of my back, but assumed I had only pulled a muscle. A month later, I…
One in A Million: Kyle’s Story, as Told by his Mom, Stacy
I am sharing my son Kyle’s story for two reasons: To bring awareness to how children are affected by blood clots and in hope of finding others who may suffer from similar conditions. In August of 2010, my son was eight years old, healthy, and extremely active, playing baseball, football and hockey. That summer he had…
The Perfect Storm: Jessica’s Story
My name is Jessica and I’m so excited to share my experience with Team Stop the Clot. Less than a year ago I was sitting in a hospital bed thinking my life as an athlete was over. My pity party came to an end when I found this blog. Reading all of the Clot Buster…
There is Life After Blood Clots: Rebekah Bradford’s Story
Rebekah Bradford is a 2010 Olympian, a two-time US Sprint Champion, and a Master Sprint World Champion in Speed Skating. She tells her story: The spine specialist called me first thing Monday morning and informed me that I needed to see a pulmonologist (lung doctor) right away. There was something on my lung. The appointment…
The Best Cure is Knowledge: Cedric’s Story
As U.S. Army Master Fitness Trainer, I was use to physically challenging my body. So it was not unusual, when in August of 2002 I shrugged off a sharp pain in the calf of my leg – a pain that had jolted me from a restful morning sleep. “What is it,” I thought, and quickly…
Do Not Wait to Seek Care: Melissa’s Story
I was a healthy 25-year-old who ran numerous half marathons, sprint triathlons, and I am also an active Crossfitter. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d battle life-threatening blood clots in my calf (deep vein thrombosis/DVT) and lungs (pulmonary embolism/PE). I noticed lingering calf pain in my left leg in September 2011. There…
The Worst Pain I Ever Endured: Mr. E. Anonymous’ Story
Mr. E. Anonymous was healthy and active when he had an unexplained DVT while he was pursuing a Master’s degree in Physical Education. His DVT detoured him from his goal, and he was also laid off from his job soon after, so he is coping with many unforeseen events. I was a completely healthy 29…
