1 00:00:05,728 --> 00:00:09,120 In life, most of us are driven to do good things. 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:16,705 Though we may fail or misstep, our ability to help others and strive for good-natured acts never goes away. 3 00:00:16,866 --> 00:00:20,888 Even at its most diminished, it will always exist. 4 00:00:21,168 --> 00:00:26,152 I said to my wife and daughter, this pain kind of feels like there's a knife in my back now. 5 00:00:26,152 --> 00:00:32,676 I remember hugging them and saying goodbye and not knowing what I was about to find out. 6 00:00:32,956 --> 00:00:35,640 At our lowest and most terrifying moments, 7 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,394 How do we continue to show up for one another? 8 00:00:38,576 --> 00:00:41,481 How do we continue down the path of support? 9 00:00:41,963 --> 00:00:45,940 And what I found out was that it was a submassive pulmonary embolism. 10 00:00:52,662 --> 00:00:56,905 Every six minutes, somebody in America dies of a blood clot. 11 00:00:57,106 --> 00:00:59,408 We're here to change that statistic. 12 00:00:59,408 --> 00:01:03,191 Welcome to Taking a Breath, a Stop the Clot podcast. 13 00:01:03,191 --> 00:01:11,878 An award-winning podcast dedicated to bringing awareness of the dangers of blood clots from the clotting disorders community to the world. 14 00:01:11,878 --> 00:01:19,865 With the help of many notable blood clot survivors, we are here to give you the knowledge and the skills you need to prevent this silent killer. 15 00:01:19,865 --> 00:01:21,804 My name is Leslie Lake. 16 00:01:21,804 --> 00:01:27,337 I am the volunteer president of the National Blood Clot Alliance and I am a blood clot survivor. 17 00:01:27,337 --> 00:01:29,238 And my name is Todd Robertson. 18 00:01:29,238 --> 00:01:35,801 I am the patient engagement liaison for the National Blood Clot Alliance and I am a seven-time blood clot survivor. 19 00:01:35,801 --> 00:01:38,382 And we're here to stop the clot. 20 00:01:44,878 --> 00:01:48,999 What does take to resume your life when coming so close to near death? 21 00:01:49,299 --> 00:01:53,760 What does normalcy look like when living in the life that was nearly taken from you? 22 00:01:54,101 --> 00:01:59,242 Our guest today is someone whose experience lands him in the middle of this very question. 23 00:01:59,382 --> 00:02:09,105 The reality of survival and using his experience to advocate for awareness and prevention through the difficulty of post-traumatic stress is no easy feat. 24 00:02:09,285 --> 00:02:12,074 It is my pleasure to welcome to the show 25 00:02:12,074 --> 00:02:17,963 someone who is championing clot survival and prevention through his advocacy and vulnerability. 26 00:02:17,963 --> 00:02:26,274 Please join me in welcoming survivor, father, partner, and NBCA board member, the exceptional Dan Walsh. 27 00:02:29,486 --> 00:02:34,526 My name is Dan Walsh and I am a volunteer board member of the National Blood Clot Alliance. 28 00:02:34,606 --> 00:02:44,686 I had a pulmonary embolism in 2021 and I found purpose in joining the National Blood Clot Alliance through sharing my story and turning my pain into purpose. 29 00:02:44,686 --> 00:02:50,226 Having my blood clotting event, I didn't have any awareness to what blood clots were. 30 00:02:50,226 --> 00:02:58,808 When the doctor came and delivered the news, I was stricken with quite a myriad of emotions, but one of the biggest things I asked the doctor was, 31 00:02:58,808 --> 00:02:59,918 What is this? 32 00:03:00,019 --> 00:03:04,823 And he spent the time to explain it, but still never really fully grasped it. 33 00:03:04,823 --> 00:03:11,909 And even when I left the hospital, I had to my own research to figure out what I had gone through and what I was experiencing. 34 00:03:12,150 --> 00:03:14,235 Such a common occurrence now. 35 00:03:14,235 --> 00:03:21,518 I mean, we've done how many podcast episodes and the amount of people that said, I didn't know anything about blood clots. 36 00:03:21,518 --> 00:03:24,801 Like I'd heard the word peripherally, but you know, didn't know anything about it. 37 00:03:24,801 --> 00:03:26,230 And also just like. 38 00:03:26,230 --> 00:03:31,311 also didn't get the information in the hospital when they met with their clinician or a clinician about blood clots. 39 00:03:31,311 --> 00:03:36,335 So very common and means we have some work to do to continue to get the word out for sure. 40 00:03:37,136 --> 00:03:49,103 So I know you're based in Florida, walk us through how this all happened, what you were originally feeling, what ended up actually being some really important symptoms for you, 41 00:03:49,183 --> 00:03:54,862 but walk us through kind of the whole story of how you got diagnosed. 42 00:03:54,862 --> 00:03:57,242 starting with how you didn't get diagnosed. 43 00:03:57,642 --> 00:03:58,342 Absolutely. 44 00:03:58,662 --> 00:04:01,502 So, yeah, it was in July of 2021. 45 00:04:01,762 --> 00:04:03,302 I had been feeling off. 46 00:04:03,302 --> 00:04:07,642 The primary thing that I was dealing with was just this upper back tightness. 47 00:04:07,642 --> 00:04:12,762 It almost felt like I had done a pretty intense workout, but I didn't do a workout. 48 00:04:12,762 --> 00:04:15,582 So I was kind of confused why this was happening. 49 00:04:15,582 --> 00:04:18,042 And it felt tight. 50 00:04:18,042 --> 00:04:22,282 It felt uncomfortable, not quite excruciating, but just uncomfortable. 51 00:04:22,842 --> 00:04:23,698 So 52 00:04:23,698 --> 00:04:33,995 I tried to stretch it out, you know, do some stretches and try and move it around a little bit thinking that potentially that would alleviate the symptom and nothing changed and it 53 00:04:33,995 --> 00:04:35,626 continued to get worse. 54 00:04:35,787 --> 00:04:42,191 After a few days, I was listening to my body because people talk about that a lot and I strongly suggest that to anyone that's feeling anything. 55 00:04:42,191 --> 00:04:48,656 Listen to your body and if something feels off, it's probably off and you should get validation and education around what's happening. 56 00:04:48,656 --> 00:04:51,794 So at that point, I did go to an urgent care. 57 00:04:51,794 --> 00:04:59,679 and explained what I had been dealing with, explained that I had kind of an intermittent cough, but the primary issue was the back pain. 58 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:09,727 And the urgent care said, hey, you pretty sure it's a pulled muscle, not really much we can do, prescribed some medications and sent me on my way. 59 00:05:09,727 --> 00:05:13,990 But before I left, I had said, hey, can you just do a chest x-ray? 60 00:05:13,990 --> 00:05:19,774 Like, I'm really concerned about the combination of coughing and the tightness in the upper extremities. 61 00:05:20,046 --> 00:05:22,887 And they said, we can do it, but we don't think it's gonna show anything. 62 00:05:22,887 --> 00:05:24,368 So they did do the chest x-ray. 63 00:05:24,368 --> 00:05:27,449 They said they were very busy and they would call me with results. 64 00:05:27,649 --> 00:05:35,192 So I went home, felt pretty at peace, because I had heard what I had thought was a back pain and just a pulled muscle. 65 00:05:35,453 --> 00:05:38,614 And I felt there was some confidence around what the doctor was telling me. 66 00:05:38,614 --> 00:05:40,225 So I carried on. 67 00:05:40,225 --> 00:05:44,086 And then later that night, I did get a call and was optimistic. 68 00:05:44,086 --> 00:05:46,257 The doctor said, hey, we got the x-ray back. 69 00:05:46,257 --> 00:05:47,830 We see some residual. 70 00:05:47,830 --> 00:05:50,242 inflammation in your lungs, but nothing to be concerned about. 71 00:05:50,242 --> 00:05:54,144 We'll call in a prescription for that and there's nothing to worry about. 72 00:05:54,144 --> 00:05:55,995 Take the medication and you'll be good. 73 00:05:55,995 --> 00:05:56,826 So I do all that. 74 00:05:56,826 --> 00:06:02,089 I follow the orders and a few days later it gets worse to a point where it was discomfort. 75 00:06:02,089 --> 00:06:03,760 It started to become pain. 76 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:10,624 So I called them back and I was told quickly it gets worse before it gets better. 77 00:06:11,705 --> 00:06:13,784 So I ended up 78 00:06:13,784 --> 00:06:18,137 taking the advice and guidance and continue to do what I was told to do. 79 00:06:18,137 --> 00:06:21,920 So at this point, we're at about three or four days with the symptoms. 80 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:27,664 A couple of days later, so I think this puts us at like day six, it woke me up from sleep. 81 00:06:27,664 --> 00:06:36,610 Woke up multiple times throughout the night, once at 3 a.m., once at 5 a.m., and then finally, like at six or seven in the morning, I said to my wife and daughter, this pain 82 00:06:36,610 --> 00:06:39,132 kind of feels like there's a knife in my back now. 83 00:06:39,132 --> 00:06:42,074 I remember hugging them and saying goodbye. 84 00:06:42,302 --> 00:06:45,445 and not knowing what I was about to find out. 85 00:06:45,445 --> 00:06:49,298 And what I found out was that it was a sub-massive pulmonary embolism. 86 00:06:49,298 --> 00:06:53,206 But I remember specifically saying to them, I'll be back soon. 87 00:06:53,206 --> 00:06:55,993 I have to get this pulled muscle taken care of. 88 00:06:55,993 --> 00:07:01,448 So I hugged them goodbye and really thought that I would be back later that day. 89 00:07:01,448 --> 00:07:03,740 You know, immediately got to the ER. 90 00:07:03,740 --> 00:07:06,282 They saw something immediately in the EKG. 91 00:07:06,282 --> 00:07:08,193 They started hooking me up to machines. 92 00:07:08,193 --> 00:07:11,526 They put me in a CT machine right away. 93 00:07:11,567 --> 00:07:16,985 And um right after that, I was told what I had been dealing with and was admitted to the ICU. 94 00:07:19,054 --> 00:07:29,074 So just for people who are listening to this, you went from urgent care, where you were told it was a pulled muscle, to the intensive care unit in a matter of days. 95 00:07:29,094 --> 00:07:30,374 100%, yep. 96 00:07:30,374 --> 00:07:38,994 Which shows that you were walking around with something that was completely life-threatening, that had been completely missed by somebody else. 97 00:07:38,994 --> 00:07:43,114 Yep, something life-threatening, I had been walking around with it, had been missed. 98 00:07:43,734 --> 00:07:48,224 And truly, if I hadn't been so in tune with my body, like, 99 00:07:48,224 --> 00:07:49,735 It could have been an afterthought. 100 00:07:49,735 --> 00:07:53,538 My oxygen saturation never dropped below 97. 101 00:07:53,538 --> 00:08:03,216 And this clot had been sitting there for at least a week to a point where I have scarring in the right side of my lung now because your lungs don't really heal in that way where 102 00:08:03,216 --> 00:08:04,386 they regenerate. 103 00:08:04,386 --> 00:08:11,273 So yeah, it's something that I wish would have been found earlier, but I'm really grateful that I listened to my body. 104 00:08:11,273 --> 00:08:17,836 I love what we're doing with NBCA because we're driving a lot more awareness to things like this and helping arm patients with 105 00:08:17,836 --> 00:08:22,488 the knowledge to advocate for things like CT scans and different testing. 106 00:08:22,488 --> 00:08:23,238 Absolutely. 107 00:08:23,238 --> 00:08:26,929 And just making the public much more aware of blood clots. 108 00:08:26,929 --> 00:08:29,040 So you end up in the ICU. 109 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,630 This is obviously a shock for you. 110 00:08:31,630 --> 00:08:33,461 And then what happens from there? 111 00:08:33,461 --> 00:08:37,592 They take you to your room, you're on blood thinners, like walk us through what happened. 112 00:08:37,592 --> 00:08:38,023 Yeah. 113 00:08:38,023 --> 00:08:40,263 So a lot of it didn't click for me. 114 00:08:40,263 --> 00:08:42,894 Like everything was happening so fast that 115 00:08:42,894 --> 00:08:52,894 They take me from triage, they take me into a temporary room, they put me into a CT scan, then they're immediately doing an echocardiogram to check for the heart strain, which I 116 00:08:52,894 --> 00:08:57,794 did have some heart strain, and then from there, I'm at that point waiting for a room. 117 00:08:57,794 --> 00:09:07,134 And I just remember calling everyone in my household, and I'd been told by the doctors how serious it was and how I needed to call everyone. 118 00:09:07,134 --> 00:09:10,994 And I had some conversations at 31 years old that you never think you're going to have. 119 00:09:10,994 --> 00:09:12,044 Some just... 120 00:09:12,044 --> 00:09:21,802 really tough conversations with a two-year-old daughter, with a wife who was at home taking care of the home and a family that lives out of state, and then getting to a point 121 00:09:21,802 --> 00:09:26,066 where I couldn't even have visitors because of some of the restrictions going on at that time. 122 00:09:26,066 --> 00:09:35,894 So from a turn of events standpoint, go from CT scan to echocardiogram to ICU, and then just constant machines, constant. 123 00:09:35,894 --> 00:09:40,299 changing the heparin drip and then at one point I was on sepsis alert. 124 00:09:40,299 --> 00:09:42,140 They were kind of monitoring me for sepsis. 125 00:09:42,140 --> 00:09:49,618 So then spiking fevers and they're doing blood cultures and to make light of the situation, I used to not really like getting blood draws. 126 00:09:49,618 --> 00:09:51,130 I used to be very afraid of it. 127 00:09:51,130 --> 00:09:54,433 And now it's just become like, oh, only 20 vials today. 128 00:09:54,433 --> 00:09:59,468 uh I've just tried to arm myself with that attitude coming out of it because... 129 00:09:59,468 --> 00:10:01,820 I like to think of things happening for me and not to me. 130 00:10:01,820 --> 00:10:09,016 I think we have that choice and we have that option to sit and we can be in those moments where we're upset and why me and we're depressed. 131 00:10:09,016 --> 00:10:16,813 But I also think we need to choose how we react to things that happen to us and find purpose and find reason behind things. 132 00:10:16,813 --> 00:10:18,695 So that's really what I tried to do. 133 00:10:18,695 --> 00:10:21,317 What was that conversation like with your wife? 134 00:10:21,317 --> 00:10:22,838 I can't even imagine. 135 00:10:23,399 --> 00:10:26,764 The conversation with my wife, I think 136 00:10:26,764 --> 00:10:31,497 It was all of us just trying to put the pieces together of like, you just had a pulled muscle. 137 00:10:31,497 --> 00:10:34,359 Like a few days ago, you were told you had a pulled muscle. 138 00:10:34,359 --> 00:10:37,482 How are you now being told that this could be fatal? 139 00:10:37,482 --> 00:10:41,104 It not feeling real, it feeling like a really, really bad dream. 140 00:10:41,104 --> 00:10:42,225 That's what it felt like. 141 00:10:42,225 --> 00:10:45,057 And there were just moments of that, right? 142 00:10:45,057 --> 00:10:50,531 Of ups and downs of like, even when I got home, I look back at pictures, my face just wasn't there. 143 00:10:50,531 --> 00:10:55,214 Like I was just disassociated from life because when you go through that, 144 00:10:55,214 --> 00:11:00,934 I don't think people talk about enough the mental health challenges that come after a near-death experience. 145 00:11:00,934 --> 00:11:10,194 And not only for me, for my family, of like not knowing if they would see me again and then me walking in the door and then that new way of life afterwards, which, you know, it 146 00:11:10,194 --> 00:11:13,254 was a good year before things kind of normalized. 147 00:11:15,328 --> 00:11:25,066 You've done an amazing job advocating for not just blood clot awareness and education, but bringing to light the mental trauma that all of us as patients really suffer from. 148 00:11:25,066 --> 00:11:35,425 And I think you've taken it a step further than certainly I did, which is to incorporate your family because you forget that there's a whole group of people that are impacted by 149 00:11:35,425 --> 00:11:35,655 this. 150 00:11:35,655 --> 00:11:37,546 It's not just the family member as well. 151 00:11:37,546 --> 00:11:41,500 So let's talk about the mental health side of blood clots. 152 00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:44,242 Like I said before, you've been an amazing advocate for this. 153 00:11:44,376 --> 00:11:51,448 We don't often get the opportunity to have a lot of men show up on the show and talk about this because for whatever reason they don't want to. 154 00:11:51,448 --> 00:11:54,369 And so we're grateful and we're thankful for your voice. 155 00:11:54,589 --> 00:12:03,532 But just talk to us what this all means and how you guys process together as a family, not just individually and what you want to say to other people who may be experiencing this. 156 00:12:03,752 --> 00:12:10,274 So, yeah, as soon as I arrived home from the hospital, I was discharged on my wife's birthday and 157 00:12:10,274 --> 00:12:13,456 her birthday just sits differently now because of that for all of us. 158 00:12:13,456 --> 00:12:23,843 Because that day was a moment of positivity and rejoice, but also a moment of sadness and a birthday that we never want a birthday like that again, if that makes sense. 159 00:12:23,843 --> 00:12:31,569 So I think back to that day and we tried our best to celebrate, we ate a cake, but I just remember not really feeling me. 160 00:12:31,569 --> 00:12:36,692 Like I still felt the physical pain, but I just felt kind of emotionless. 161 00:12:36,692 --> 00:12:39,434 And I'm a very emotional, empathetic. 162 00:12:39,434 --> 00:12:43,516 sensitive human and I remember just not feeling me. 163 00:12:43,516 --> 00:12:46,638 I felt very off like things weren't affecting me. 164 00:12:46,638 --> 00:12:48,960 I know no emotion to me. 165 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,101 The next day I woke up and still felt off. 166 00:12:51,101 --> 00:12:58,765 So I immediately went on the computer through my insurance and signed up for a telemed for therapy and that first session actually happened on my birthday. 167 00:12:58,765 --> 00:13:01,037 My my me and my wife's birthday are three days apart. 168 00:13:01,037 --> 00:13:06,790 So I spent my birthday with a therapist and 169 00:13:06,854 --> 00:13:17,598 I remember explaining what I had gone through and she listened and we talked about it and she had said, like, I think you're dealing with some trauma. 170 00:13:17,598 --> 00:13:27,541 And I was later clinically diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, which at times people don't associate with health events, but it is very common for cancer survivors, 171 00:13:27,541 --> 00:13:31,662 people that have gone through things like this to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. 172 00:13:31,950 --> 00:13:34,910 I was diagnosed with that and I learned to navigate that. 173 00:13:34,910 --> 00:13:41,570 But what I'm so glad is like I grew up in a family and I have brothers that we all kind of talk about mental health. 174 00:13:41,570 --> 00:13:43,590 We don't, you know, ignore it. 175 00:13:43,690 --> 00:13:54,870 And I was so glad that I thought that like the minute I fell off mentally, I signed up for an appointment and went to therapy and continue to go to therapy because you shouldn't 176 00:13:54,870 --> 00:13:55,970 carry this alone. 177 00:13:55,970 --> 00:13:59,410 Like I think it's something you need to talk about. 178 00:13:59,410 --> 00:14:00,446 You need to 179 00:14:00,446 --> 00:14:09,172 handle and I still am very much able to talk about what I experienced and have it as a part of who I am and it's always going to be a part of my identity. 180 00:14:09,252 --> 00:14:17,798 But I think therapy really helped me get through some of those moments in the beginning where every little ache and pain you think is another clot or every little thing that 181 00:14:17,798 --> 00:14:20,991 happens you immediately get into your own head and you're like could that be me? 182 00:14:20,991 --> 00:14:24,223 Like what what almost happened or you know those kind of moments. 183 00:14:24,223 --> 00:14:28,686 So I highly recommend seeking help if you need it. 184 00:14:28,686 --> 00:14:31,306 after going through an experience like this. 185 00:14:31,406 --> 00:14:37,506 For a person, it's a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness, and people should embrace it. 186 00:14:37,506 --> 00:14:44,866 You were way better about doing this than I was because I waited a while and then I was like, oh my God, I need to have somebody help me. 187 00:14:44,866 --> 00:14:48,946 And I listened to you talk about your experience and I'm like, oh my gosh, that was me. 188 00:14:48,946 --> 00:14:50,106 That was me. 189 00:14:52,076 --> 00:15:01,597 When it comes to stress and anxiety, it is imperative to emphasize just how much bearing they can have over both short-term and long-term health. 190 00:15:01,598 --> 00:15:07,805 With blood clots specifically, do elevated levels of stress increase risk of a clotting event? 191 00:15:07,846 --> 00:15:11,890 What about the increased stress as a result of a near-fatal clot? 192 00:15:14,112 --> 00:15:22,918 If you were sitting in front of a conference room full of clinicians that treat blood clot patients, what would you want to say to them about the mental health aspect? 193 00:15:22,918 --> 00:15:32,525 Because one of the things with us as patients is we look normal, or at least I think I look normal, but we look normal and people don't see what's kind of going on under the 194 00:15:32,525 --> 00:15:32,905 hood. 195 00:15:32,905 --> 00:15:41,140 So if you had an opportunity to speak to them about incorporating this as part of the treatment plan or just overall your thoughts, what would you say to these folks? 196 00:15:41,281 --> 00:15:43,810 If I had the opportunity to share 197 00:15:43,810 --> 00:15:51,795 just some feedback with clinicians that would be to treat this event less like a broken bone or a scrape on the knee. 198 00:15:51,956 --> 00:16:03,925 A lot of people go through any type of blood clot event and they come out of it with some paperwork and no real plan or even just awareness of what happened. 199 00:16:03,925 --> 00:16:05,710 What I would encourage... 200 00:16:05,710 --> 00:16:13,886 clinicians to do is talk about the mental health component, talk about how your life will be different in the beginning and maybe substantially forever depending on how severe the 201 00:16:13,886 --> 00:16:14,776 event. 202 00:16:14,817 --> 00:16:20,261 So we can't treat patients all the same because this is an ongoing thing. 203 00:16:20,261 --> 00:16:24,263 When you have an event like this, sometimes it impacts multiple organs. 204 00:16:24,263 --> 00:16:26,815 You might have to start getting followed by a cardiologist. 205 00:16:26,815 --> 00:16:31,689 You might have to be followed by a hematologist, a pulmonologist, et cetera. 206 00:16:31,689 --> 00:16:33,582 One thing that I wish I had had was 207 00:16:33,582 --> 00:16:42,446 kind of a roadmap when I got out of, hey, you need to go to this specialist and this specialist, and this is a hypercoagulable workup or some testing that we need to have you 208 00:16:42,446 --> 00:16:45,627 get done to make sure this isn't anything genetic. 209 00:16:45,867 --> 00:16:47,368 There wasn't much of that. 210 00:16:47,368 --> 00:16:52,248 And I found the National Blood Cloud Alliance, thankfully, and that helped me navigate it. 211 00:16:52,248 --> 00:16:56,461 There were just so many voids in that and then also voids in the mental health piece. 212 00:16:56,461 --> 00:17:00,965 No one came in to check on me from a mental health standpoint while I was in the hospital or even afterwards. 213 00:17:00,965 --> 00:17:08,831 And I think it should be integral for anybody going through a near-death experience to at least have the opportunity to speak with someone in that space. 214 00:17:08,831 --> 00:17:10,255 Yeah, 100%. 215 00:17:10,255 --> 00:17:18,279 And also the roadmap, know, know, NBC has this amazing new patient guide now that I didn't have either when I my blood clot. 216 00:17:18,279 --> 00:17:21,294 And I sometimes just like refer back to it at times because 217 00:17:21,294 --> 00:17:29,114 Sometimes I just need it, you know, like you need a refresher course, but everybody who experiences this should be given something like that so they have a better understanding. 218 00:17:29,114 --> 00:17:32,674 And you're right, it's not just about treating the physical, it's about treating the whole package. 219 00:17:32,674 --> 00:17:35,354 And that includes the mental health aspect of it as well. 220 00:17:35,394 --> 00:17:44,794 After having conversations with your family that you never think you're going to have at 31, and then making it out on the other side, it gives you a new lease on life. 221 00:17:44,794 --> 00:17:49,134 As I mentioned earlier, there are ups and downs, but you view life in a new way. 222 00:17:49,134 --> 00:17:51,150 The things that used to bother me 223 00:17:51,150 --> 00:17:52,830 don't bother me anymore. 224 00:17:52,830 --> 00:17:57,730 Things that you think are stress when you go through a near-death experience aren't stress anymore. 225 00:17:57,730 --> 00:18:03,430 You've seen what life can be and how quick it all can go in a flash. 226 00:18:03,450 --> 00:18:08,130 So in some ways I've mentioned before is I think it happened for me and not to me. 227 00:18:08,130 --> 00:18:09,810 It changed my viewpoint. 228 00:18:09,810 --> 00:18:14,130 There were things that I was prioritizing that shouldn't frankly have been prioritized. 229 00:18:14,130 --> 00:18:16,258 So I reevaluated and reassessed. 230 00:18:16,258 --> 00:18:21,142 the amount of time and energy I put into my family and my daughter and helping her grow. 231 00:18:21,142 --> 00:18:24,754 When you go through a near-death experience, it changes your whole viewpoint on life. 232 00:18:24,754 --> 00:18:29,107 Things that used to stress you before aren't really stressed in the grand scheme of things. 233 00:18:29,107 --> 00:18:34,561 And when you go through all that, it really makes you reassess the way you were living life. 234 00:18:34,561 --> 00:18:35,762 Were you living it to the fullest? 235 00:18:35,762 --> 00:18:38,714 Were you prioritizing the people and things that mattered? 236 00:18:38,714 --> 00:18:44,630 And when I came out of that event, I really did do that and spend a lot of time and... 237 00:18:44,630 --> 00:18:51,833 I kind of call it my YOLO year where like we did a lot of vacations and a lot of dinners and probably spent way more money than we wanted to spend. 238 00:18:51,833 --> 00:18:56,845 But ultimately I never get that time back with my daughter was two or three at the time. 239 00:18:56,845 --> 00:19:02,397 And I needed to help her get through what she had just gone through and she wanted her dad around. 240 00:19:02,397 --> 00:19:09,030 And I spent a lot of time with her and made an effort and choice to, to be more present. 241 00:19:09,030 --> 00:19:13,542 Even took a step back in my career to just kind of reassess where I was at. 242 00:19:13,568 --> 00:19:15,860 spend that time because time is not replaceable. 243 00:19:15,860 --> 00:19:17,381 And I saw that firsthand. 244 00:19:17,381 --> 00:19:18,882 That's very profound. 245 00:19:18,882 --> 00:19:23,125 again, I think so many of us have experienced what you have. 246 00:19:23,205 --> 00:19:30,851 You now have this platform and you've had this horrific experience, but you now have this platform that you can help other people. 247 00:19:30,851 --> 00:19:38,857 so talk to us about getting involved with NBCA and how you view your role now as kind of a senior statesman of blood clots these days. 248 00:19:38,857 --> 00:19:41,154 And also what that means in terms of 249 00:19:41,154 --> 00:19:44,916 You know, you're in a state that actually has legislation for the first time ever in this country. 250 00:19:44,916 --> 00:19:46,706 And what that, how do you feel about that? 251 00:19:46,706 --> 00:19:54,199 What does that mean to you and how you're going to use your voice to help others and hopefully change the trajectory of this terrible, terrible public health crisis? 252 00:19:54,260 --> 00:19:56,911 I was really fortunate to find NBCA. 253 00:19:56,911 --> 00:19:58,592 I stumbled upon it through Facebook. 254 00:19:58,592 --> 00:20:03,154 Like I was looking for answers to some of the questions that I couldn't get answers on. 255 00:20:03,154 --> 00:20:06,565 AI didn't exist then, so chat GPT wasn't an option. 256 00:20:06,565 --> 00:20:08,908 So I did find a group. 257 00:20:08,908 --> 00:20:11,979 for National Blood Cloud Alliance on Facebook of other patients. 258 00:20:11,979 --> 00:20:13,660 So Todd changed your life. 259 00:20:13,660 --> 00:20:14,920 Yeah, absolutely. 260 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,100 like I got involved with that. 261 00:20:17,341 --> 00:20:25,283 I got involved with that and I went on there and was asking questions and you know, which doctor I've seen these doctors, which ones do I need to go to next and really had a 262 00:20:25,283 --> 00:20:27,404 patients helping patients type of community. 263 00:20:27,404 --> 00:20:34,442 And days where I'd have rough days, people would be there to support me when I had my first clot of vursary celebrating my first year of new life. 264 00:20:34,442 --> 00:20:37,495 I had a whole group of people cheering me on and I found that community. 265 00:20:37,495 --> 00:20:47,554 And for something that I went a long time not even wanting to talk about because it had caused such a mental toll on me, I had individuals from the NBCA urging me to become 266 00:20:47,554 --> 00:20:48,875 involved as a thrombocytor. 267 00:20:48,875 --> 00:20:51,378 And that led to becoming a volunteer board member. 268 00:20:51,378 --> 00:20:59,645 And to your point, Leslie, becoming involved with going to Capitol Hill every year and sharing my story with some of the decision makers of our country and trying to drive 269 00:20:59,645 --> 00:21:01,182 awareness and change. 270 00:21:01,182 --> 00:21:07,424 And even more importantly, I live in Florida and this is a state that is ahead of the curve in terms of awareness. 271 00:21:07,424 --> 00:21:17,228 Emily Atkins was passed and that drives a lot more knowledge and resources and awareness to this condition and how we can help others that are experiencing it. 272 00:21:17,228 --> 00:21:22,740 And that's really meaningful and touching to me as I navigate this as a survivor. 273 00:21:22,944 --> 00:21:32,108 It's been amazing to watch just your progression when we first met you and you became involved with us, you know, as a thrombasser to become a board member and educating 274 00:21:32,108 --> 00:21:37,154 people, but really driving the whole mental health PTSD awareness issue. 275 00:21:37,154 --> 00:21:44,304 I don't think there's anybody else on our board or frankly in the entire space that has really tackled this head on the way that you have. 276 00:21:44,304 --> 00:21:47,115 So that's just has been an amazing thing for us to witness. 277 00:21:47,115 --> 00:21:48,486 And I'm so thankful. 278 00:21:48,568 --> 00:21:59,257 happy that you're with us to help others like this and also to advocate with us in DC and in other states because it's a travesty and it's disgusting that there's no funding for 279 00:21:59,257 --> 00:21:59,517 this. 280 00:21:59,517 --> 00:22:04,732 mean, shame on our government for not prioritizing something that kills 100,000 people. 281 00:22:04,732 --> 00:22:10,777 And it's not just the 100,000 people that pass away or 900,000 people that are getting a blood clot. 282 00:22:10,777 --> 00:22:16,344 It's the ripple effect of all of the people around us that are impacted. 283 00:22:16,344 --> 00:22:19,565 which makes this so much bigger than people realize. 284 00:22:19,565 --> 00:22:21,036 And so that needs to be addressed. 285 00:22:21,036 --> 00:22:23,237 And I think you're doing an awesome job doing that. 286 00:22:23,237 --> 00:22:25,798 So from me personally, thank you. 287 00:22:25,798 --> 00:22:26,268 Thank you. 288 00:22:26,268 --> 00:22:29,399 Thank you for giving me the platform and having the trust in me to do this. 289 00:22:29,399 --> 00:22:37,563 It's been cathartic for me to be able to share my story in this way, because like I said, it was something I didn't want to talk about. 290 00:22:37,563 --> 00:22:45,112 And you and the team have given me the platform to do it and have the confidence to share it and get to hear even from 291 00:22:45,112 --> 00:22:49,324 people we've met in DC year, two years later, hey, thank you for sharing that. 292 00:22:49,324 --> 00:22:54,327 I was able to tell someone to go get help and learn that they had a blood clot. 293 00:22:54,347 --> 00:23:02,152 When you hear things like that, when it comes full circle, that you know that your story has reached someone that has then potentially saved a life, that's when you know that 294 00:23:02,152 --> 00:23:03,692 you're making an impact and a difference. 295 00:23:03,692 --> 00:23:05,433 And this is all for a reason and purpose. 296 00:23:05,433 --> 00:23:06,974 Oh, absolutely. 297 00:23:06,974 --> 00:23:13,398 And I think you were the person who, I think you were in then Senator Rubio's office, weren't you? 298 00:23:13,398 --> 00:23:14,218 Yep. 299 00:23:14,318 --> 00:23:18,038 Tell the story about that because that possibly saves someone's life. 300 00:23:18,198 --> 00:23:26,918 So I guess it was in 2022, we were meeting with Senator Rubio's staff and we were explaining our mission and our purpose and blood clots. 301 00:23:26,918 --> 00:23:30,958 And I had had the opportunity to share my story and what some of my symptoms were. 302 00:23:31,118 --> 00:23:38,258 And one of the staffers was very surprised at how young I was and how young I was at the event when the event happened. 303 00:23:38,258 --> 00:23:40,298 And she was very moved by the story. 304 00:23:40,298 --> 00:23:41,824 I could sense it. 305 00:23:41,824 --> 00:23:50,679 And then the next year we went back and the same staffer was working and she had said, hey, before we get started, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your story last year 306 00:23:50,679 --> 00:23:56,783 because I had a coworker who was having some of the signs and symptoms that you have brought to our attention. 307 00:23:56,783 --> 00:24:03,206 And I had urged her to go get help and immediately they found out that she was dealing with deep vein thrombosis. 308 00:24:03,206 --> 00:24:10,050 So when you hear stories like that, it brings back turning my pain into purpose and trying to help others. 309 00:24:10,092 --> 00:24:13,123 Yeah, and that's what you're doing here today with us. 310 00:24:13,244 --> 00:24:16,676 Sharing your story will make that difference in many, many people's lives. 311 00:24:16,676 --> 00:24:23,029 But the impact of you having gone into someone's office, shared your story, which is emotional. 312 00:24:23,070 --> 00:24:24,531 It's a very emotional process. 313 00:24:24,531 --> 00:24:30,934 And for those of us that do this, you're reliving that trauma over and over when you do share those stories. 314 00:24:30,934 --> 00:24:34,276 So we don't just walk in and say, hey, here's my story and leave. 315 00:24:34,296 --> 00:24:37,558 That sits on our shoulders for a good long time. 316 00:24:37,582 --> 00:24:41,822 But by doing that, by sharing those stories, I mean, think you probably saved that person's life. 317 00:24:41,822 --> 00:24:43,562 They wouldn't have known about it otherwise. 318 00:24:43,562 --> 00:24:46,142 So again, thank you for everything that you're doing. 319 00:24:46,482 --> 00:24:53,142 Every year, NBCA, at the end of the year, highlights a patient or a family member, somebody who's been impacted by a blood clot. 320 00:24:53,142 --> 00:24:54,602 And so this year, it's you. 321 00:24:54,602 --> 00:24:57,102 And so you were about to be elevated. 322 00:24:57,642 --> 00:25:00,382 Speaking of reach, be careful what you wish for, right? 323 00:25:00,582 --> 00:25:04,442 You're about to be elevated to a level that maybe you haven't seen before. 324 00:25:04,442 --> 00:25:05,262 And so... 325 00:25:05,262 --> 00:25:06,242 How does that feel? 326 00:25:06,242 --> 00:25:13,102 Because your story is on video, it's in print, it's going to be blasted out into the universe, it's going to be picked up in the press. 327 00:25:13,102 --> 00:25:14,522 How does that make you feel? 328 00:25:14,722 --> 00:25:26,702 It makes me feel that this happened for a reason and that being able to take the story and take it from not wanting to talk about it to taking it to a level that you mentioned, 329 00:25:26,702 --> 00:25:31,582 Leslie, that this year being featured at the end of year campaign is going to be huge for awareness. 330 00:25:31,902 --> 00:25:33,740 I think awareness too that 331 00:25:33,740 --> 00:25:39,933 I think some people kind of have an idea of what a blood clot survivor should look like or people that deal with blood clots. 332 00:25:39,933 --> 00:25:43,402 They often think, you know, not young and things like that. 333 00:25:43,402 --> 00:25:44,983 And I think mine happened at 31. 334 00:25:44,983 --> 00:25:46,787 So blood clots do not discriminate. 335 00:25:46,787 --> 00:25:48,428 Like they can choose any of us. 336 00:25:48,428 --> 00:25:53,441 And I think we need to understand that and be aware of even more so aware of the signs and symptoms. 337 00:25:53,441 --> 00:25:58,483 But I'm very excited and humbled and grateful to be featured on the end of year campaign. 338 00:25:58,483 --> 00:26:03,458 And yeah, just hope that my story continues to reach others and drive awareness and 339 00:26:03,458 --> 00:26:05,219 Yeah, have happened for a reason, right? 340 00:26:05,219 --> 00:26:09,370 Like I think that's ultimately all of our goals is getting through this event. 341 00:26:09,370 --> 00:26:13,372 It's a lot of tragedy on our family to experience it and a lot of stress. 342 00:26:13,372 --> 00:26:18,374 And most of what came out of this was just understanding that life is precious. 343 00:26:18,374 --> 00:26:29,019 And I really am grateful that we're going to be taking my story and using it to help drive awareness and hopefully drive donations to continue to allow us to do what we do and maybe 344 00:26:29,019 --> 00:26:30,409 even on a larger scale. 345 00:26:30,409 --> 00:26:32,450 I think people don't realize that. 346 00:26:32,526 --> 00:26:41,186 You're a volunteer, I'm a volunteer, we're all volunteers and we're paying it forward because we don't want others to go through what we went through. 347 00:26:41,186 --> 00:26:47,566 But if you do go through this, we want to make sure that people have the resources that they should have, that they need to have in order to navigate this. 348 00:26:47,566 --> 00:26:50,346 And there's a cost associated with that, unfortunately. 349 00:26:50,386 --> 00:26:53,846 And we do depend upon those donations and contributions. 350 00:26:53,846 --> 00:26:59,506 So anybody listening to us today who feels like they want to write a check for $10 million, call Dan, please. 351 00:27:00,878 --> 00:27:05,098 And we'll credit him for that, but we need to be honest about it. 352 00:27:05,098 --> 00:27:07,438 I stories are the backbone of what we do. 353 00:27:07,438 --> 00:27:13,758 Sharing those stories really impacts everything that we do, but there's a cost to developing that, and we need to be honest about that. 354 00:27:13,758 --> 00:27:23,538 I think what people don't realize when these events happen with any type of near-death experience is the amount of hardship a family endures. 355 00:27:23,538 --> 00:27:29,658 So usually the person who is sick and going through, you know, call it, like for my instance, was a pulmonary embolism. 356 00:27:29,658 --> 00:27:30,850 I'm in the hospital. 357 00:27:30,850 --> 00:27:37,724 I'm getting the medications I need, I'm getting monitored 24 seven, lots of tests and lots of blood work being followed by a physician. 358 00:27:37,724 --> 00:27:42,957 And even after I'm discharged, having regular checkups and getting calls from physicians, et cetera. 359 00:27:42,957 --> 00:27:45,858 But the people that got left behind often are the families. 360 00:27:45,858 --> 00:27:52,082 So the families are at home, maybe hearing that their loved one may not survive or make it home. 361 00:27:52,082 --> 00:27:57,424 And if they're fortunate enough and that person makes it, then they're trying to navigate the new life. 362 00:27:57,424 --> 00:28:00,608 that's, know, appointments, helping this individual with 363 00:28:00,608 --> 00:28:11,125 life tasks that they're used to that person doing and the emotional component of everyone, you know, potentially saying goodbye a few moments ago and or days ago and, and then being 364 00:28:11,125 --> 00:28:12,566 like, wow, they're still here. 365 00:28:12,566 --> 00:28:21,973 So I think it's understanding the impact from a mental health side of not just the patient, but the families and those around them and how to get through that because it is 366 00:28:21,973 --> 00:28:22,824 life altering. 367 00:28:22,824 --> 00:28:28,428 And if we don't take it seriously, it could be rough on the families and the loved ones around them. 368 00:28:28,428 --> 00:28:29,228 So 369 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:37,572 I just continue to urge anyone that has gone through a similar experience to get help, even if it's just one session to assess where you're at. 370 00:28:37,572 --> 00:28:38,483 I think that's critical. 371 00:28:38,483 --> 00:28:47,455 Yeah, I think that's great advice for the patients, but also for the clinicians that are dealing with the patients to offer this up, even just to say, how are you doing? 372 00:28:47,455 --> 00:28:53,717 And if the answer is not great, then here's some resources or here's where we can direct you. 373 00:28:53,757 --> 00:28:56,218 Dan, you are a gem and... 374 00:28:56,300 --> 00:28:57,671 really, truly you are. 375 00:28:57,671 --> 00:29:02,833 And I want to thank you for joining us here today on Taking a Breath, our Stop the Clot podcast. 376 00:29:02,833 --> 00:29:13,698 Your advocacy is amazing, but honestly, what you're doing for those of us who suffer from mental health issues, PTSD regarding blood clots, nobody has tackled this like you. 377 00:29:13,698 --> 00:29:16,879 And so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here today and sharing. 378 00:29:16,879 --> 00:29:17,529 Thank you, Leslie. 379 00:29:17,529 --> 00:29:18,980 Thank you for your leadership. 380 00:29:19,881 --> 00:29:23,742 Thank you for joining us on another episode of Taking a Breath. 381 00:29:23,842 --> 00:29:29,207 We want to thank Dan for joining us today and sharing his harrowing yet inspiring experience. 382 00:29:29,207 --> 00:29:35,952 For more information on risk prevention and community, please visit stoptheclot.org. 383 00:29:35,952 --> 00:29:45,620 And if you wish to aid in our efforts of blood clot awareness, please consider donating to our cause at stoptheclot.org forward slash donate. 384 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,162 We know the patient because we are the patient. 385 00:29:48,162 --> 00:29:53,056 Together with listeners like you, we can collectively stop the clot. 386 00:29:53,678 --> 00:29:57,105 For more information, visit StopTheClaw.org. 387 00:30:04,814 --> 00:30:07,695 Another Everything Podcast production. 388 00:30:09,056 --> 00:30:13,638 Visit everythingpodcast.com, a division of Patterson Media. 389 00:30:13,638 --> 00:30:16,278 Subscribe wherever you get your podcast.