Athlone man says he is lucky to be alive after blood clot
An Athlone man has spoken of how lucky he is to be alive after being diagnosed with a blood clot back in 2014. Warning others to act fast if they suspect they have the condition, Enda Dowd, who is a patient of the Midlands Regional Hospital, Tullamore, described his experience: “I went on holidays to America April 2014 and I noticed my left leg was showing signs of swelling and discolouring so I got it checked while there, but I was told it was okay.”
"When I got home it got significantly swollen, red, hard, like concrete. I knew I had to get it checked so I went to my GP, and they sent me to Tullamore Hospital, and I was diagnosed with a DVT and was transferred immediately into intensive care where the blood clot in a short amount of time started to move towards my heart and by all accounts, I am very lucky to be here today.”
Enda told his story to coincide with Word Thrombosis Day as he presented Annmarie Kirwan, an anticoagulation nurse at the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, with a ‘Warrior Award’ from Thrombosis Ireland VTE Exemplar Awards.
Annmarie was nominated by her patients and Thrombosis Ireland for her ‘exceptional care and dedication to her patients and VTE, Patient Safety & Optimal recovery of each of her patients’.
“I have been at the Tullamore clinic ever since (2014) and they have been brilliant. I am thankful my condition is extremely stable and the team have kept a very good methodical look at it and it’s all good so far,” commented Enda.
"I would appeal to anyone who suspects a clot to act fast and see a doctor, it’s no joke. Don’t take any chances with your health,” he warned.
Tullamore Hospital is lighting up the front entrance as part of the Thrombosis Ireland awareness campaign and encouraging people to educate themselves on the signs of blood clots and act fast if they suspect a clot, which they say can happen to anyone, young or old. Clots are preventable in many cases and very treatable if caught on time but can be potentially fatal if the signs are ignored.
The latest figures suggest that one in twelve Irish people will experience a blood clot in their lifetime. Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot blocks a vein or artery. If the clot later breaks off and travels to the lungs it can prove fatal. One in four people who get a clot will die from it.
Blood clots can be very serious and need to be treated quickly. While staying healthy and active can help prevent blood clots, people should seek medical help immediately if they have one or more of the following symptoms: swelling or pain in one leg or calf with associated warmth or redness in a leg, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, chest pain, which may be worse when you breathe in, or if you have a cough and are coughing up blood.
“If you're at risk of blood clots – for example, you're in hospital – follow the advice of your doctor about preventing clots. This may involve wearing stockings that improve your blood flow or taking medicine to reduce the risk of clots (anticoagulants).
There are also things you can do to help avoid clots. Keep moving – even if you’re sick in bed, try to move your legs and feet every 90 minutes and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. You should also avoid sitting for long periods, smoking and drinking alcohol,” advised Louisea Burke, Director of Nursing at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore.