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You oh

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Life is fragile.

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On a day-to-day basis, so much of what we do and how we experience life is controlled by
our actions.

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However, as most of us know, so much of the happenstance of our individual lives is out of
our control.

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All we can do is take precaution and prepare for when the unexpected arrives.

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And then not even five or six hours after that, I had to get on a plane, which is also
eight to 10 hours home.

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So my foot was just stuck.

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in that boot for almost like two days and I had no idea the risks of immobilization.

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I didn't take any preventative measures.

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I did not stand up on the plane.

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What do we do when even the precautionary measures fall short and we're faced with the
realities of the unexpected?

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And the first step I take off of it, I knew my calf had some severe pain in it.

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Even in that moment, I didn't think it was over until it was 12 hours later because

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Around midnight, I found myself in the emergency room.

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Every six minutes, somebody in America dies of a blood clot.

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We're here to change that statistic.

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Welcome to Taking a Breath, a Stop the Clot podcast.

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An award-winning podcast dedicated to bringing awareness of the dangers of blood clots
from the clotting disorders community to the world.

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With the help of many notable blood clot survivors, we are here to give you the knowledge
and the skills that you need to prevent this silent killer.

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My name is Leslie Lake.

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I am the president of the National Blood Clot Alliance and I am a blood clot survivor.

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And my name is Todd Robertson.

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I am the patient engagement liaison for the National Blood Clot Alliance and I am a seven
time blood clot survivor.

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And we're here to stop the clot.

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When we try to achieve something great, the phrase, go for the gold, gets tossed around as
a way to express doing the best job you can.

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Our guest today is somebody who is taking that phrase quite literally.

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In the world of Olympic athleticism, the smallest setback or injury can be the difference
between public celebration and a dream cut short.

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As an Olympic hopeful for Team USA bobsled and as a blood clot survivor, our guest today
is somebody who doesn't give up.

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Please join me in welcoming the effortlessly wonderful Lauren Brasovsky.

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So my name is Lauren Brasovsky.

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I am from New Jersey and I am currently an Olympic hopeful for Team USA bobsled where I
pilot bobsleds for a living.

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So I'm trying to make my first Olympic team currently.

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I swear these are the stories you see in movies because for five years now I've been
driving bobsleds for a living.

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for my country and it's honestly a dream.

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And it took me four years before I made my first national team.

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So my first ever season to compete on TV on World Cup, I couldn't afford it.

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Because again, this is one of the most dangerous and expensive sports in the world.

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So I went on a less expensive tour for the first half.

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And then the second half, I was going to make my debut on the World Cup stage.

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I was so excited.

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It was going to be

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in the birthplace of bobsled St.

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Ritz, Switzerland.

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They literally carved that track out of the mountain every single year.

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So it's a little different every year you slide it, but basically the same idea.

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And I was just beyond excited.

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I had been working, you know, four years for this opportunity and I did really well.

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And, you know, I'm trying to continue the tour second half and I find myself again, going
to a less competitive tour cause I can't stay on the full World Cup tour.

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I found myself in Innsbruck, Austria, and I was supposed to race the Europa Cup there.

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we must have been sliding on and off, not even just on every single day for like three
months straight.

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We didn't have a break.

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And this one one night, me and the my teammates were like, let's go get some burgers in
town and then we'll get ready for sliding the next couple of days.

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So we're just celebrating like a really good season, a wonderful

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World Cup debut and on our way out there is a Macklemore song playing, Can't Hold Us and I
love Macklemore and I started dancing and I ended up rolling my ankle over someone's foot

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when I was like dancing and in that moment I was like I've rolled my foot before like this
is no big deal.

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Even the next day I went all the way to Switzerland to pick up a new bobsled because it's
a lot cheaper to rent bobsleds when you're in Europe because it's about

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I'd say 15 to 20,000 to ship a bob sled and I have two sleds.

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So it's a lot smarter to just rent a sled for a couple thousand, then do that.

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So I just didn't think anything of it.

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I didn't think the injury was that bad.

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The next morning I told my athletic trainer about it, the physio, and she said, let's go
take a trip to the hospital just to make sure, because a lot of the symptoms you're

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presenting are that of a broken bone.

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And I did not believe her until I saw the x-ray and it was...

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a very noticeable break in the calcaneus and the talus.

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There was actually an avulsion fracture, which basically means that the, for me, the talon
avicular tendon pulled the bones apart when it rolled.

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And usually calcaneus injuries, like the calcaneus bone, it's right by your heel.

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You don't even know it's broken.

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You can walk on your heel for a really long time, which is why I stayed in Europe three
weeks longer in hopes I could try to compete because this again happened for

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A few weeks before the biggest race of my career, World Championships, which is so crazy
now because this week that I'm doing this podcast, it's a whole year later and World

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Championships is here in Lake Placid, New York.

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And I'm not competing, but it's cool to think that I get to for run the race, which means
I'm testing the timing gates before the competitive sleds go.

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And it's just very full circle because I should have been competing at this event last
year.

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And I pulled myself out because of the injury.

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But even when I did.

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break my foot, they put me in a hard cast and they had to give me shots in my stomach.

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I think the pain was very similar to a hairpin shot, which is they're basically pumping
you with like salt essentially, because when a limb is immobilized, you're at risk for

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clotting, right?

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I didn't know this until I was in a hard cast.

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And because we thought I could still push through the injury, that cast should have been
on maybe six to eight weeks, but we took it off after five.

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or six days.

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And I thought I could do it.

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You know, I just I worked so hard.

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It just didn't make sense in my head because I thought I was okay until I would try to
really press off of the foot.

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And I just thought, you know, let's just wait it out until the very last minute.

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And I'm actually so grateful that my team let me do that.

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I think it would have been really traumatic going through all that pain to not try to see
it through until the very last minute.

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But at the end of the day, I didn't want to put someone in the sled that I couldn't get
down the track safely with.

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And so I knew that my teammates were going to do a good job.

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So they ended up racing in my spot and they did phenomenal.

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Meanwhile, I was like, this is great for me because I could go back stateside.

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I could try to recover in time for the world cup in Lake Placid.

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And I had the whole plan.

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My coaches were very supportive.

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And again, because this is one of the most expensive and dangerous sports in the world and
we don't have that many resources to pull it off.

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Everyone has to be at the track when you're not sliding.

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So for me to leave the tour meant I was going to be on my own trying to facilitate
returning my bobsleds to the people I rented it to and then getting on a flight home and

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taking control of my recovery as well with the help of our physio staff online.

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So I had to return a bobsled from Germany to Austria.

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That was like a seven to 10 hour ride.

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And then not even five or six hours after that, I had to get on a plane, which also eight
to 10 hours home.

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So it was just, my foot was just stuck in that boot for almost like two days.

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And I had no idea the risks of immobilization.

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I didn't take any preventative measures.

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I did not stand up on the plane.

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Actually the flight attendant took my crutches away from me because they were considered a
hazard in the aisle, but there was no one sitting next to me on the plane.

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So I was like, why is this an issue?

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And I was so devastated because I left Europe, I think five days before that race
happened.

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And I knew in that moment too, that this would hurt my chances of trying to ever make an
Olympic team in 2026, as well as I wouldn't see the world's championship stage for

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probably another three or four years.

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In that moment, I knew all of that.

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And it's actually holding true as of right now, because I didn't get to race enough this
year with like my injury and whatnot.

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It was definitely a bit of a setback.

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And that's why I think this story is so interesting because

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For me to go through all of that, all of that emotion and turmoil, and I was kind of just
facing it on my own, to then get on a flight, and the first step I take off of it, I knew

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my calf had some severe pain in it.

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Even in that moment, I didn't think it was over until it was 12 hours later, because
around midnight, I found myself in the emergency room because my cousin, who's an

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orthopedic surgeon who I was also talking to simultaneously with the injury, his name is
Brendan Smith.

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He's the only reason I went to the hospital because he was educated enough to know the
risks and tell me ahead of time that this could be something serious.

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And if we didn't catch it in time, I was at risk for a pulmonary embolism because I did
have a DVT.

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I actually had two clots.

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One was not deep enough to reach my heart or lungs, but the other one was.

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ah So because we caught it early, I was a low risk situation and I ended up going on
Eloquist.

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I believe that night, and I didn't realize once I took that pill, my season was over
because you cannot do contact sports on blood thinners because God forbid you hit your

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head and create a brain bleed, you would die instantly.

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And in a sport like bobsled where one of the biggest injuries outside of iceberg is
concussions, that was not a risk we could ever take.

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And so I had one World Cup race under my belt for my first time ever on the national team.

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And I've been trying to get back on the stage of the greatest athletes in the world ever
since.

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But if not for what I went through this past year with surviving a clot and a whole year
it took me to heal from those breaks in my foot, I wouldn't be the person I am today,

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which is someone who's very resilient and passionate about educating others so that they
don't suffer a similar fate or a worse one.

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I've learned since sharing my story online that no one really knows the symptoms of blood
clots and

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everyone can present differently.

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I know for me, I didn't have any redness.

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I thought the swelling in my leg was because of my foot injury.

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And it just felt like I strained a muscle.

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It almost like I was on the verge of having a charley horse.

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And I was like, you know, I was sitting in one position for so long, like, I don't think
it's possible to strain a muscle for sitting.

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And that's what I just texted my cousin.

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And the scariest thing is because I'm so

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open about my life and my journey trying to make my first Olympic team.

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I've been doing it for five years now.

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I share everything.

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I share as much as I can because I just want to educate people and inspire people.

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Inspire myself, like posting holds me accountable to to like not give up.

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part of that is, hey, I just got home.

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I'm so happy to be with my family.

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The moment I got home, I went to go see my coaches.

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I was in tears.

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I was in a boot.

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I have video footage of me doing that.

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My coach, I was like, hey, I think like I

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strained my calf, like, what can we do about this?

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He was like, just roll it out.

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So we're not thinking anything of this.

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I'm rolling my foot out.

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I'm doing like floor bench press.

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And then, you know, I do a whole day with my family, just catching up with them, crying,
trying to, you know, just process the situation before I have to hopefully head up to Lake

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Placid and recover there.

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And then, yeah, that night, it just, the pain kept getting worse.

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I remember I crawled up the stairs once I got home from the flight because I just
couldn't.

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put weight on my foot, which naturally been the first sign that something was wrong.

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And I just waited 12 hours because I didn't, I felt like weak asking for help.

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thought this is too dramatic for me to go to the hospital.

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I just got home.

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I'm sure I'm fine.

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And I have like, you know, my cousin on standby if I really get concerned and because the
pain didn't go away, I texted him at like 11 PM and he was just told me you have

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every possible reason to have a clot right now.

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Don't freak out.

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I don't think you're at risk for a pulmonary embolism, but to be safe, you should go to
the hospital.

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So he is why we ended up going.

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even when we were there, my dad didn't even believe it because you can't see it.

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It's not like a paper cut.

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It's not like I know where the pain is.

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It's when it's invisible to someone and no one really knows what to look for.

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You just don't think it's real.

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And that was the night like everything just yeah, it was over.

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I just think health should be the number one priority all the time.

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And not everyone has the luxury of being able to check themselves into an ER, but I really
wish people would because the last thing you want is to not catch something like this soon

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enough.

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My life could be way different.

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I would have to argue that my fans also kind of saved my life because injury is the worst
part about being an athlete.

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It's such an attack on your identity and just not being able to move when you're

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so used to that is also really hard.

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And I did not anticipate just sharing what I was going through would resonate with so many
people.

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But let me tell you, there are a lot of like high school football coaches in my little
comment sections.

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Some of the most inspiring people leave messages on my page.

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And it's just very inspiring.

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feel like America's sweetheart because like in a way, because I have so many people
rooting for me and just sending such inspiring things I would have never thought.

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And that's the one thing too, like, sometimes I'm like, there's not enough words that you
can say to make a situation better.

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And it's so hard to stay positive when you're in pain.

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But thank God for the people out there that do it.

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They just say something nice or say something positive.

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It can leave such an impact.

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It was to the point where I just started copying and pasting all these comments in like a
Word document just to stay motivated because I think that's a whole nother side of this.

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You know, in that moment.

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I was just like, I don't think I can make an Olympic team.

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I'm, this is such a setback.

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I'm missing out on performances.

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I could see where I rank among the best in the world.

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Cause that's what the world cup tour is.

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You're competing against Olympic gold and silver medalist and bronze medalist.

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And this is another part of my story that is not as relevant to the clotting, but before I
came to bobsled, I was actually running track in England and I was studying a master's

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there in marketing at Lefkara University.

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And that's when cup had hit.

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So.

205
00:15:45,057 --> 00:15:52,533
I used to be in a room of some of the greatest track athletes in the world because Lefkara
University is like an international Olympic hub.

206
00:15:52,533 --> 00:16:02,381
So they basically just have like a bunch of pro athletes and Olympians like train out of
there and leaving that room to come to the ice and getting back in a room with the best

207
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athletes in the world.

208
00:16:03,602 --> 00:16:09,426
That's why this story is even more heartbreaking at times because I was so close.

209
00:16:09,547 --> 00:16:14,050
People don't realize like how much of a mental strain it is to know that

210
00:16:14,050 --> 00:16:15,061
I was still at a risk.

211
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Like if we didn't catch that sooner, I could have actually died.

212
00:16:18,993 --> 00:16:24,026
Again, very low risk situation because we caught it early, but it's scary to think that
that could have happened.

213
00:16:24,026 --> 00:16:26,477
And then the repercussions ever since.

214
00:16:26,477 --> 00:16:30,459
Like it was a whole year to recover and then three months for the blood clotting.

215
00:16:30,459 --> 00:16:32,340
Like had to be so careful.

216
00:16:32,340 --> 00:16:36,322
Even like just the anxiety of getting in the car thinking I'm on blood thinners right now.

217
00:16:36,322 --> 00:16:38,784
What if I have an accident or at the gym?

218
00:16:38,784 --> 00:16:40,245
Like, what if I hit my head?

219
00:16:40,245 --> 00:16:42,798
Just taking those like precautions to.

220
00:16:42,798 --> 00:16:43,878
be as safe as possible.

221
00:16:43,878 --> 00:16:50,805
It is a very scary thing to go through, especially when you have no information and you're
kind of just learning along the way too.

222
00:16:50,805 --> 00:16:54,067
I just, again, I'm just so lucky I had so many people.

223
00:16:54,468 --> 00:16:55,909
Symptoms are helpful.

224
00:16:55,909 --> 00:17:02,655
They can direct us to any issue we'd otherwise not recognize and in many cases prevent
looming catastrophe.

225
00:17:02,655 --> 00:17:11,432
Even when asymptomatic, air travel can present unexpected risk for many people, both
within the clotting disorders community and outside of it.

226
00:17:11,556 --> 00:17:18,598
Here to discuss precautionary measures when traveling by airplane and what to do to help
lower risk of a clotting event, this is Dr.

227
00:17:18,598 --> 00:17:22,809
Carolyn Cromwell from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

228
00:17:23,849 --> 00:17:30,751
It has been found that doing things to help us prevent clots just prevents the occurrence
of clots, period.

229
00:17:30,751 --> 00:17:41,496
So that is a good thing, but I will say for, let's say, low-risk individuals, and by that
we mean things to think about healthy, no family history of clots.

230
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not taking things like hormonal therapy or even testosterone, no recent surgery, all the
things that we think about in terms of someone who's low risk.

231
00:17:50,448 --> 00:18:02,112
It's kind of sort of common sense recommendations we like to call them, which is stay
hydrated, don't have an alcoholic drink and sleep on the plane for 10 hours straight, move

232
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your body a bit and use the bathroom.

233
00:18:04,902 --> 00:18:07,113
You hydrate, it makes you get up and go to the bathroom.

234
00:18:07,113 --> 00:18:08,873
So that's a lot of times what I tell patients to do.

235
00:18:08,873 --> 00:18:11,094
That's an automatic way to get you up and out of.

236
00:18:11,094 --> 00:18:12,034
seat.

237
00:18:12,535 --> 00:18:20,909
And then as we move up sort of our risk categories and there's consideration for other
things to consider like compression stockings.

238
00:18:20,909 --> 00:18:26,482
Of course people who are on blood thinners already, they should remain on the blood
thinners for travel.

239
00:18:26,663 --> 00:18:36,708
And for some people who have been let's say treated for a blood clot in the past, it's a
discussion with their doctor or hematologist but they are often prescribed blood thinning

240
00:18:36,708 --> 00:18:40,350
medication for travel, particularly if it's long.

241
00:18:42,522 --> 00:18:51,357
I was at a hospital yesterday in Florida on the West Coast and we're trying to get
hospitals to basically follow certain protocols, right?

242
00:18:51,357 --> 00:18:58,121
Because believe it or not, most of this actually happens in a hospital or post hospital
setting for up to 90 days after you leave.

243
00:18:58,121 --> 00:19:02,143
So orthopedics is actually a very big area for where this happens.

244
00:19:02,143 --> 00:19:03,044
People are in boots.

245
00:19:03,044 --> 00:19:05,345
They're not told that don't be immobilized.

246
00:19:05,345 --> 00:19:07,706
You think, put my leg up, put my arm up, whatever.

247
00:19:07,706 --> 00:19:09,648
And then they end up getting a blood clot.

248
00:19:09,648 --> 00:19:10,562
But anyway, so

249
00:19:10,562 --> 00:19:21,151
I'm six years out and you know, I talk so much about this and I started to talk to these
clinicians yesterday about my personal situation.

250
00:19:21,151 --> 00:19:29,962
All of a I started crying and I was just like, my God, like even though I'm, could
practically like teach a class on this now, it's still really emotional.

251
00:19:29,962 --> 00:19:33,262
And I don't know why it's so different, like why it is so emotional.

252
00:19:33,262 --> 00:19:37,906
And I don't know if, like you said, you can't see it, but you know, it's like out there.

253
00:19:38,130 --> 00:19:46,434
And so few people know about it and it's confusing, but I think you said something
earlier, which is really, really true.

254
00:19:46,655 --> 00:19:51,518
You're an athlete, you know your body really well, but I think you can translate that into
lay people.

255
00:19:51,518 --> 00:19:54,559
If it doesn't feel normal, it isn't normal.

256
00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:57,121
And don't be afraid to go get it checked out.

257
00:19:57,121 --> 00:19:58,381
Yeah.

258
00:19:58,381 --> 00:20:01,883
That was like one of my biggest fears when I did find out what happened.

259
00:20:01,883 --> 00:20:06,970
was just like, if I wasn't an athlete, I would have, I would have never even.

260
00:20:06,970 --> 00:20:08,350
gotten checked.

261
00:20:08,470 --> 00:20:14,770
And Brendan is like, I think he's one of the only people in my family that he's like the
only doctor like in our family.

262
00:20:15,170 --> 00:20:16,750
And I didn't want to believe him.

263
00:20:16,750 --> 00:20:19,910
I mean, the whole time I was in Europe and I was like, I think I could run through this.

264
00:20:19,910 --> 00:20:21,330
Like, you're wrong.

265
00:20:21,330 --> 00:20:23,090
Like you didn't see the full x ray.

266
00:20:23,090 --> 00:20:27,410
I sent him like photos from my phone, but I just didn't want to believe it.

267
00:20:27,410 --> 00:20:36,056
And sometimes it's just like, thank God he had people that are clear minded and they are
removed from a situation that they can help guide you through that.

268
00:20:36,056 --> 00:20:39,658
And that was one thing I did want to touch on from what you just said.

269
00:20:39,658 --> 00:20:49,745
Like, I don't know if this was your experience, but when I first saw my leg turn red,
after like realizing, my gosh, I have a clot, I was just standing and I saw my whole leg

270
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turn red.

271
00:20:50,676 --> 00:20:55,279
Again, I had just left the emergency room and I'm thinking I'm going to die.

272
00:20:55,279 --> 00:20:57,971
And I just, again, text my cousin and I told him what happened.

273
00:20:57,971 --> 00:20:59,982
He's like, that is very normal.

274
00:21:00,023 --> 00:21:02,864
Where you have the clots, it's going to stop the blood flow.

275
00:21:02,864 --> 00:21:05,464
So it'll, your leg will swell up and turn red.

276
00:21:05,464 --> 00:21:11,928
Like you're on Eloquist now and that should stabilize the clot and hope that over time it
will stop or to start breaking off.

277
00:21:11,928 --> 00:21:12,818
Right.

278
00:21:12,938 --> 00:21:14,919
And it's just like even stuff like that.

279
00:21:14,919 --> 00:21:22,034
You're like just petrified that things could end, you know, because you're just not
educated and it's scary and it's painful.

280
00:21:22,034 --> 00:21:24,885
I could barely walk the first like four days.

281
00:21:24,945 --> 00:21:32,579
And I do think that kind of trauma stays with you for a while, but the more you can talk
about it, I think it gets easier.

282
00:21:32,579 --> 00:21:34,094
And that makes me feel.

283
00:21:34,094 --> 00:21:39,315
good knowing that even six years out, you are still a passion to talk about this.

284
00:21:39,315 --> 00:21:42,596
it also like, obviously is emotional means like you're passionate about it.

285
00:21:42,596 --> 00:21:45,017
So it's actually quite inspiring.

286
00:21:45,057 --> 00:21:54,539
It's I'm in the blood clot Olympics and uh made the team in my case, like I didn't even
know what a blood clot was.

287
00:21:54,540 --> 00:21:58,130
I don't even know if I mean, I had a DVT, I guess in my leg or my arm.

288
00:21:58,130 --> 00:22:02,102
when I went to the emergency room, they never checked me for it because I had shortness of
breath.

289
00:22:02,102 --> 00:22:04,392
So it had already gone into my lungs.

290
00:22:04,703 --> 00:22:06,854
and my lungs were like full of blood clots.

291
00:22:06,854 --> 00:22:13,598
And so I got really lucky because I was there in the emergency room for 12 hours before
they decided to check my lungs.

292
00:22:13,598 --> 00:22:15,149
I mean, I could have died.

293
00:22:15,742 --> 00:22:18,152
so the, you know, it was terrifying.

294
00:22:18,152 --> 00:22:26,717
And then you leave and you don't really, I mean, thank God for your cousin, but you leave
and you're not really given any information about what has happened and you know, what

295
00:22:26,717 --> 00:22:29,439
feels normal and what doesn't feel normal.

296
00:22:29,439 --> 00:22:33,952
so, so this month is actually blood clot awareness month, March is blood clot awareness
month.

297
00:22:34,314 --> 00:22:38,115
And so we're like promoting, you know, awareness this month.

298
00:22:38,116 --> 00:22:48,220
have something called a hundred thousand challenge, which is in memory of the hundred
thousand people who lose, lose their life every single year to this, to blood clots.

299
00:22:48,220 --> 00:22:55,863
And we promote exercise, get out, move, doesn't matter what you do, but just get up and
move, get the blood flowing, et cetera.

300
00:22:55,863 --> 00:23:03,006
And so one of the reasons we did this is because we have so many people, know, amateur
athletes, young.

301
00:23:03,182 --> 00:23:10,205
old, it doesn't matter, people that are doing stuff, where their sport was so important to
them, to their identity.

302
00:23:10,205 --> 00:23:13,827
And I'm just talking about like amateur people, not professional athletes necessarily.

303
00:23:13,827 --> 00:23:16,325
But you said your identity is taken away.

304
00:23:16,325 --> 00:23:25,192
I remember Katie Hoff talking about this and we were at an event together and she was
talking to a bunch of doctors and she said, imagine tomorrow you couldn't practice

305
00:23:25,192 --> 00:23:26,552
medicine anymore.

306
00:23:26,552 --> 00:23:28,043
What would that be like for you?

307
00:23:28,043 --> 00:23:30,924
And she said, that's what happened to me as a professional swimmer.

308
00:23:31,266 --> 00:23:41,351
And so I would love for you to give some guidance or motivation or just thoughts for all
these people that will be listening to this that have had blood clots that want to

309
00:23:41,351 --> 00:23:44,652
exercise and come back to it, but are afraid.

310
00:23:44,652 --> 00:23:45,603
They're afraid to do it.

311
00:23:45,603 --> 00:23:46,923
They're on medication.

312
00:23:46,923 --> 00:23:51,045
They're afraid they're going to bump into something, hit their head, whatever it may be.

313
00:23:51,045 --> 00:23:55,431
The only thing they said to me when I left the hospital was, you're going to be on an
anticoagulant.

314
00:23:55,431 --> 00:23:58,038
I didn't even know what that was, first of all.

315
00:23:58,274 --> 00:24:01,475
And they're like, don't ride your bike in New York City, because that's where I live.

316
00:24:01,475 --> 00:24:05,076
Because if you fall off and hit your head, you could get a brain bleed and die.

317
00:24:05,076 --> 00:24:07,257
And I was like, what the hell?

318
00:24:07,257 --> 00:24:10,337
You know, like, what has just happened on me?

319
00:24:10,337 --> 00:24:13,158
Like I've ended up in a different world.

320
00:24:13,158 --> 00:24:14,268
And it was really, really scary.

321
00:24:14,268 --> 00:24:15,629
And it's like, I knew I needed to move.

322
00:24:15,629 --> 00:24:18,280
I needed to get the blood flowing, but I didn't know how.

323
00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:21,700
So what would you say to people to kind of encourage them?

324
00:24:21,761 --> 00:24:27,258
Well, speaking from my experience of having, you know, a couple of clots in my left calf.

325
00:24:27,258 --> 00:24:29,878
right above the broken foot injury site.

326
00:24:29,878 --> 00:24:38,758
I was very afraid to work out, not just because of the broken bone area, but because I
didn't want to dislodge the clot.

327
00:24:38,778 --> 00:24:44,358
And it definitely took me a while before I did go back to training.

328
00:24:44,358 --> 00:24:48,198
I want to say it took two or three weeks before I felt comfortable.

329
00:24:48,198 --> 00:24:54,598
I think I sent like a million emails to my vein specialist and the guy I went to for my
blood work.

330
00:24:54,598 --> 00:24:56,218
I think his name is Kevin Wood.

331
00:24:56,290 --> 00:24:58,752
which I had the best staff by the way.

332
00:24:58,792 --> 00:25:06,359
John Shubach is amazing and his team really made me feel like safe, which is kind of ideal
in a situation like this.

333
00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:11,483
And I sent them so many emails asking, it safe for me to train?

334
00:25:11,483 --> 00:25:17,268
Obviously I wasn't going to be capable of much because I had a foot injury, but they said
it was safe.

335
00:25:17,268 --> 00:25:24,820
They said I was on Eloquist and they told me the risks of being on a blood thinner, but
also that I was safe to train.

336
00:25:24,820 --> 00:25:30,123
And I trusted them and I trained my heart out to whatever capacity I could.

337
00:25:30,123 --> 00:25:38,266
And it was a lot of, you know, upper arm movements, actually some lunges if I could handle
it just on one leg pull ups.

338
00:25:38,266 --> 00:25:48,481
you know, and I wore my compression sleeve all the time and I was very adamant about
taking my blood thinning medication on the dot, like 8 a.m., 8 p.m.

339
00:25:48,481 --> 00:25:50,486
Never missed a beat with that.

340
00:25:50,486 --> 00:25:55,868
And I think just being diligent with your medication, you're more than fine to get back in
the gym.

341
00:25:55,868 --> 00:25:59,489
Just be smart about not hitting your head essentially.

342
00:25:59,489 --> 00:26:01,809
But even that is so low risk.

343
00:26:01,809 --> 00:26:09,621
And also just talk to your doctors, your blood or vein specialist, and they can also
provide guidance and tell you to look out for other symptoms.

344
00:26:09,621 --> 00:26:14,453
Should you be experiencing anything painful or difficult during a workout?

345
00:26:14,453 --> 00:26:15,963
And I have really good guidance.

346
00:26:15,963 --> 00:26:20,154
And the crazy story is I trained like the whole summer before

347
00:26:20,154 --> 00:26:30,354
The bobsled season started and every bobsled season we have something called push
championships, which is basically a pushing competition because in our sport, the push at

348
00:26:30,354 --> 00:26:35,094
the top of the hill is a very big determining factor for if you're going to win at the
bottom.

349
00:26:35,474 --> 00:26:41,274
And I have to push a certain standard to get allocated some funding for my season.

350
00:26:41,274 --> 00:26:42,814
And it's called the A standard.

351
00:26:42,814 --> 00:26:48,234
Like you want to hit this time or better and you can get like up to like 15 or $20,000.

352
00:26:48,234 --> 00:26:49,978
That obviously helps a lot when a

353
00:26:49,978 --> 00:26:53,478
Bob said season can cost like 60 to 100,000.

354
00:26:53,478 --> 00:26:54,538
So it's crazy.

355
00:26:54,538 --> 00:26:54,778
Yeah.

356
00:26:54,778 --> 00:27:03,338
It's more, it's closer to a hundred thousand or like, I'd say for now let's say 60,000 for
a season, but it gets more if you're shipping sleds.

357
00:27:03,878 --> 00:27:12,918
That's a 40 grand, but you know, I'm sitting there and I'm like, I need this money and I
have five seconds to win it.

358
00:27:12,918 --> 00:27:16,658
And I tied the a standard on my first push.

359
00:27:16,658 --> 00:27:17,218
Oh my God.

360
00:27:17,218 --> 00:27:18,238
That's amazing.

361
00:27:18,238 --> 00:27:18,746
Yeah.

362
00:27:18,746 --> 00:27:19,906
It was insane.

363
00:27:19,906 --> 00:27:26,126
just, in that moment, like you jump in the sled and you pick your head up and you see the
clock and you're like, how did that just happen?

364
00:27:26,126 --> 00:27:33,646
How did I just went like 20 grand in five seconds after surviving a blood clot and two
breaks in my foot?

365
00:27:33,646 --> 00:27:38,606
And I just, I think that's when the passion really helps just knowing like it's all or
nothing.

366
00:27:38,786 --> 00:27:45,716
And I don't know this helps anyone, but I am a firm believer that great things are on the
other side of what can scare you.

367
00:27:45,716 --> 00:27:47,327
And I'm not an adrenaline junkie.

368
00:27:47,327 --> 00:27:55,244
do not do this sport because I, in the, you know, an ad bid, like I will jump out of a
plane with a parachute or I hate that actually.

369
00:27:55,244 --> 00:27:59,577
So the only reason I do this sport is because I love to compete and I love to inspire.

370
00:27:59,618 --> 00:28:08,225
And every time I go down the mountain, I'll grab my helmet and I'll just say like, be
brave because sometimes in life you have to hold your own hand and be brave.

371
00:28:08,225 --> 00:28:14,906
And I think as scary as a diagnosis like these can be, as long as you consult your
healthcare professionals.

372
00:28:14,906 --> 00:28:17,686
and they give you the green light to train, you should do it.

373
00:28:17,686 --> 00:28:25,346
And I'm happy I did because that's the only reason I was also able to have a bobsled
season this year with the help of sponsors.

374
00:28:25,346 --> 00:28:27,946
So yeah, I work with World Wide IP Solutions.

375
00:28:27,946 --> 00:28:29,686
I work with professional physical therapy.

376
00:28:29,686 --> 00:28:34,686
So the people who also helped me not only heal from my clots, but from my broken bones.

377
00:28:34,686 --> 00:28:35,226
It's so funny.

378
00:28:35,226 --> 00:28:41,006
I don't know you've ever seen Cool Runnings, but they say in that movie, like in bobsled
bones don't break, they shatter.

379
00:28:41,006 --> 00:28:42,866
And it is definitely true.

380
00:28:44,568 --> 00:28:48,659
But you know, just having good people to get you back on ice is also really great.

381
00:28:48,659 --> 00:28:50,630
So yeah, I some great people in my corner.

382
00:28:50,630 --> 00:28:54,611
And I hope, you know, if they're going through something similar, hopefully they're not.

383
00:28:54,611 --> 00:28:59,542
But if they are, just be brave enough to take that first step towards recovery.

384
00:28:59,922 --> 00:29:01,093
That is amazing.

385
00:29:01,093 --> 00:29:04,504
And your story is just going to impact so many people.

386
00:29:04,504 --> 00:29:13,004
I have to tell you, listening to you, seeing you, you've dealt with adversity, but your
attitude is just amazing.

387
00:29:13,004 --> 00:29:17,698
And like there's something about you that just like radiates goodness and like light.

388
00:29:17,698 --> 00:29:23,503
And I know this sounds crazy, but like, and I'm not one of those people that says stuff
like that to other people, but there's something about you.

389
00:29:23,503 --> 00:29:27,867
Like I want you to win because you've got this like amazing personality.

390
00:29:27,867 --> 00:29:30,279
It's intoxicating, you know?

391
00:29:30,279 --> 00:29:33,772
And so like I follow your training and all of this other stuff.

392
00:29:33,772 --> 00:29:38,905
Like I'm always like, I'm like when you had the cast taken off and then you were like
training, I was like, don't hurt yourself.

393
00:29:38,905 --> 00:29:39,777
Don't hurt yourself.

394
00:29:39,777 --> 00:29:41,390
And just like seeing you like

395
00:29:41,390 --> 00:29:45,622
deal with this and push yourself, you know, and get back to where you were even better.

396
00:29:45,622 --> 00:29:48,513
It's really just, it's just incredible.

397
00:29:48,513 --> 00:29:49,073
Thank you.

398
00:29:49,073 --> 00:29:49,423
Yeah.

399
00:29:49,423 --> 00:29:53,605
I sometimes I genuinely don't know how I do it, especially when I was injured.

400
00:29:53,605 --> 00:30:01,810
definitely didn't feel as bubbly and fabulous like my mom tells me to be, but I do at
least the personality a lot to my mom and my family.

401
00:30:01,810 --> 00:30:06,811
I have a great support system and even more people rooting for me online and offline.

402
00:30:06,811 --> 00:30:10,530
And I just, feel like I I'm so lucky I get to wake up and live.

403
00:30:10,530 --> 00:30:14,062
the dream, even though it's not as glamorous as people would think.

404
00:30:14,062 --> 00:30:14,953
love it.

405
00:30:14,953 --> 00:30:19,796
And I wish like when I was younger, I knew about some of these opportunities like sooner.

406
00:30:19,796 --> 00:30:22,037
But yeah, I've always just wanted to wear a USA on my back.

407
00:30:22,037 --> 00:30:26,820
And on our team, say America doesn't get you to the Olympics Americans do.

408
00:30:26,820 --> 00:30:36,565
And I think that's like so true, whether it's, you know, liking a post talking about your
story to someone else donating, even just coming to a race and cheering you on.

409
00:30:37,614 --> 00:30:40,856
Thank you so much, Lauren, for joining us here today.

410
00:30:40,856 --> 00:30:41,876
You were amazing.

411
00:30:41,876 --> 00:30:50,321
This was just so much fun, which is not usually a word that I use with blood clots, but it
was fascinating to listen to you.

412
00:30:50,321 --> 00:30:58,806
And you're just going to provide so much hope for people, not just from a prevention
standpoint, but getting back to exercising again after having a blood clot.

413
00:30:58,806 --> 00:30:59,216
Yeah.

414
00:30:59,216 --> 00:31:03,408
Thank you so much again for just the opportunity to share my story and try to educate
others.

415
00:31:03,408 --> 00:31:07,180
And it's a really crazy thing to experience in life, but

416
00:31:07,194 --> 00:31:11,174
Knowing that other people have made it to the other side is quite inspiring in itself.

417
00:31:11,174 --> 00:31:15,394
And I'm happy that you guys provide a platform for people to share that side of it too.

418
00:31:15,394 --> 00:31:16,794
So just thank you for the opportunity.

419
00:31:16,794 --> 00:31:18,374
It's been a lot of fun.

420
00:31:18,474 --> 00:31:19,914
I'll do a trade with you.

421
00:31:19,914 --> 00:31:25,954
I will give you a horseback riding lesson on one of my horses if you put me on the
bobsled.

422
00:31:26,094 --> 00:31:27,434
Oh yeah.

423
00:31:27,474 --> 00:31:28,514
Like easy.

424
00:31:29,374 --> 00:31:29,734
Yeah.

425
00:31:29,734 --> 00:31:30,734
Just kind of like plastic.

426
00:31:30,734 --> 00:31:31,794
Give me a heads up.

427
00:31:31,794 --> 00:31:36,626
I won't legally let me take you down the track, but I know someone who can.

428
00:31:36,696 --> 00:31:40,128
We have tourist rides, so we'll get you a good helmet.

429
00:31:40,128 --> 00:31:42,250
You just bring your coat and your shoes.

430
00:31:42,250 --> 00:31:45,172
We wear the helmet and we're good.

431
00:31:45,172 --> 00:31:45,692
Yeah.

432
00:31:45,692 --> 00:31:46,993
Everyone can come guys.

433
00:31:46,993 --> 00:31:48,804
Free mouse surprise for everyone.

434
00:31:48,804 --> 00:31:50,955
I would love it.

435
00:31:52,217 --> 00:31:56,926
We want to thank Lauren one more time for sharing her experience with us today.

436
00:31:56,926 --> 00:31:59,392
A special thank you to the exquisite Dr.

437
00:31:59,392 --> 00:32:03,164
Carolyn Cromwell for her insight and expertise.

438
00:32:03,244 --> 00:32:06,180
Thank you for joining us on another episode.

439
00:32:06,180 --> 00:32:07,752
of taking a breath.

440
00:32:07,753 --> 00:32:14,724
For more information on risk prevention and community, please visit stoptheclot.org.

441
00:32:14,724 --> 00:32:17,728
We know the patient because we are the patient.

442
00:32:17,728 --> 00:32:22,034
Together with listeners like you, we can collectively stop the clot.

443
00:32:25,242 --> 00:32:28,644
For more information, visit StopTheClaw.org.

444
00:32:30,540 --> 00:32:33,495
Another Everything Podcast production.

445
00:32:34,859 --> 00:32:39,528
Visit everythingpodcast.com, a division of Patterson Media.

446
00:32:39,528 --> 00:32:42,171
Subscribe wherever you get your podcast.