Can you believe it? 2017 is almost over and I don’t know about you, but I am ready to say goodbye to this year. I don’t like to rush things, but I am ready for a new beginning. A lot of 2017 felt like holding my head above water as a struggled in the deep end on the sea of recovery.
Don’t get me wrong, 2017 was an amazing year, and I did some things that I never thought I would since my blood clot diagnosis. I conquered one of my greatest fears – traveling abroad on blood thinners – when I flew to London and toured the UK for 11 days. Among the highlights of things I saw was the stone circle at Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, countless castles and cathedrals (my personal favorite), and the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Traveling overseas was a great fear of mine, primarily because of, “what if something like a blood clot happened so far away from home?” From there, I could think of a thousand other things that could go wrong on an overseas trip. From the long flight, to a blood clot, to an unexpected injury, illness, or other unforeseen natural or planned disaster, the bad things that could happen added up quickly in my mind. I worried a lot about whether or not I should go, and about what I would do if the unthinkable happened. I planned and prepared as best I could, and finally decided I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of a lifetime to see things that I had only read or dreamed about. I almost regretted my decision to go after being delayed on the tarmac – on the plane – which turned my eight hour flight into a 12-hour ordeal, but once I made it to Europe, I was able to relax and have fun.
Until the second to last day of our vacation when I had a very scary – and my personal “this is the worst-case scenario” – experience occur. Much to my own disbelief, I fell and hit my head against a stone wall at the Tower of London. I had an immediate goose egg, blurred vision, and headache. I knew I needed to seek medical attention, and I did, just as soon as the taxi could get me to the hospital. I think I was too terrified to act, but thankfully, I had my family with me throughout the entire process. I had a CT scan at the hospital and was partially admitted for observation for 11 hours. I did not have bleeding, or an internal head injury. The biggest worry was my flight back home due to potential not-yet-seen bleeding complications, which did not happen. The flight home ended up going a lot smoother than the flight there. Experiencing one of my worst-case scenarios – and having a good outcome, because I was prepared for the possibility – has definitely helped to ease my fear and anxiety. Bad things can happen, even far away from home, and I will be okay.
It was a great year for my personal growth, as well as a patient leader and blood clot advocate. I am thrilled to say I was able to speak to two very different audiences this year, both which challenged me to think about how I share my story in new and different ways. One audience was chemists and medical professionals in San Diego, California and another was women with diabetes in Washington, D.C. As a result of my experiences this year, I feel that I am better prepared to continue providing information and support to even more people. Blood clots can and do affect anyone, and I hope that by sharing my story, I am able to provide life-saving information to someone who may not have known about blood clots before.
For BCRN, 2017 was a great year, and I am extremely grateful for your support. This year, there were over 300,000 page views on my blog. Thanks to you, I have gained important insight into the issues you want to talk about most, as evidenced by my most popular posts about recovery: how long does it take and what does it look like? I wrote them so long ago, in the midst of my own recovery, and I am so glad to know they provide relief and understanding for you still today.
Like any year, 2017 also saw it’s fair share of challenges and setbacks. After a few years of normalcy, I experienced some health challenges this year that challenged my resiliency and positive outlook. In August, I had a major bleeding incident that landed me in the ER for treatment. I’m still recovering from that by trying to stabilize my INR and boost my iron levels. Yesterday, I had an ultrasound to check for a second blood clot in my left calf. There was not one, thankfully, but it scared me to think that there might have been. In addition, I watched someone very close to me suffer from a traumatic brain injury while on blood thinners, which was very different from my own experience in London. Thankfully, that person is now recovering, but there were some scary times in the last months of this year.
These experiences reminded me of what I have been through in the past, and of just how fragile health our health is. These events have impacted me more than I anticipated, and they have been difficult to share outside of my private group (you should join us there, if you have not already). I’m still reeling from my experiences in a lot of ways. I know, however, I’m not alone, and many of you have already been down this road of uncertainty too. Through it all, I remain grateful for my health and grateful for the health of my friends and family. In just one instant, everything can change, and the end of this year made no mistake about reminding me of that.
As I look ahead to 2018, I don’t want to stop growing, sharing, learning, and exploring. I want it to be the year of “new beginnings” and “big things.” I want it to be the year of smooth sailing, too, sailing above the water. I don’t quite know what that means yet, but I do know that I have big plans for BCRN, and I hope you will join me for the start of them. I want to write more, share more, and do more to continue to provide you with the best support available if you’re recovering from a blood clot. You, my readers, are the driving force behind the work I do here, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in the year ahead. Let’s get out of the deep end and together, let’s forge ahead into what the future holds.
My wish for you is that you have a wonderful holiday season, with the people that matter the most to you. If you’re in pain, or you’re struggling with your health: you are not alone. No matter how hard it gets, don’t ever get up, and remember, it does get better in time. We’re still here, and we haven’t drowned yet. I wish you health, happiness, and a wonderful 2018.
There is hope for healing and you are not alone,
P.S. I couldn’t leave you without a few pictures from my adventures this year. Here’s a recap:
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- Me with the wind in my eyes at Stonehenge.
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- Me at Tintern Abbey.
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- Crossing the border into Scotland.
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- View from Edinburgh Castle.
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- The Roman Baths from the outside.
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- The Tower of London.
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- The actual spot of my fall.
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- Thank you to the Tower’s Beefeaters who’s knowledge and quick response to my accident got me to the hospital as quick as possible, via cab.
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- At the A&E in London. Add that to my list of experiences.
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- My husband and I in Washington, D.C.
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- My daily support pals.
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- Hiking near our home in Ohio.
Reader Writes In: How was your year? What are you most looking forward to next year?
Does the new year have you worried about making commitments and promises that ultimately end in disappointment? Find out why I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions.
New: I was recently invited to be a part of the Amazon Influencer program to share some of my favorite products with you. These are products I personally use on a regular basis. They include things like bandages, pill cases, and medical IDs. {Disclosure: I may be compensated for purchases made from my shop.}
Yet, in less than one week, I will board a plane to travel to Chicago for the 2016 
