Jalen Hurts and Clots
I have written before about seeing the heart of mental health issues by seeing the extremes while studying at Duke Medical Center. Psychosis helps us to see the day-to-day issues of mental health. But given the recent controversy over Jalen Hurts’ medical care, I want to reverse things and take a simple non-threatening medical situation and what was required of me to avoid blood clots.
Jalen Hurts, quarterback of the Eagles, was sidelined because of the serious condition of blood clots in the lungs. It can cause death. Hurts was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in both lungs. The legs have two primary vein systems: superficial and deep. The superficial veins connect to the deep system and together carry blood back to the heart.
I am grateful to the Inquirer for providing me with information about the medical condition and how it was or was not addressed properly.
Hurts long plane ride to England could have played a part of the issue of the clots as immobility on international flights may worsen clots.
The Inquirer provided a timeline:
Hurts requested treatment on October 8 for a calf that was gashed by an opposing player’s cleat.
On October 14 a follow up ultrasound detected a small blood clot and he was placed on the injured reserve list requiring him to miss the next four games. He was declared inactive on October 18. The Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, announced a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, a condition where a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins. There was evidence that the blood clot likely traveled up his leg, through the heart, and into both lungs.
On October 10 after the team’s flight to London, an ultrasound revealed a superficial blood clot. Doctors cleared Hurts to play the game against the Jaguars the next day but recommended a follow up ultrasound within 72 hours. He was told not to sleep between the flight and the game, so he was awake for 36 hours. Nobody seems to know who or why he was given that medical advice because it was wrong.
My story is simple. It’s the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. His was serious, and mine was not. There was swollenness in my legs. The ultrasound indicated that there was blockage in some veins caused by a few faulty valves which block flow. They had a difficult time finding them as there was so much hard muscle in the legs after running for most of my life and doing serious physical therapy after a concussion.
It’s after the ultrasound that things get interesting when the actual procedure was done in the morning as an outpatient. However, the rules to follow my procedure relates to Jalen Hurts situation.
It’s all about clots so the patient (me) must go back in a week to see if any clots are present. They read me the riot act of what I needed to do to avoid clots. I had to go home and be flat for a day and yet doing as much walking the next days as I was seating. Absolutely no flying. No PT or exercise. No lifting beyond 25 pounds. Pressure bandages were put on so that a clot would not form. I felt like a caged animal. I heard the word, clot, what seemed like a thousand times because once they get loose from the leg area great damage can be done in a snap of the fingers. So, I understand why there is such concern about how Jalen Hurts was treated or not treated.
Of course, Hurts did two international flights to London and back which would have been forbidden by my cardiologist. My doctor also had two attending nurses, one of whom was doing these procedures for 30 years. Clots, to them, were the enemy and should be taken seriously.
The Phillies’ fans let you know what they think without holding back. They agreed that Siriana was innocent but the players’ union and Goodell, and the NFL Doc put Hurts in jeopardy. I have three videos below which you should find helpful in making up your mind about this issue. I want you to pay close attention to what the doctor for the NFL had to say in his response. I had a conversation with a wise man before he retired from EA and asked him how he spots problem people. I will never forget his answer. He said, “Rev, if someone is talking fast, that is when you should start worrying about something they did or did not do.”
Notice that the NFL doctor spent little time talking about Jalen Hurts and most of the time bragging about their health system that he has in place in the NFL. He was a fast talker.
Why wasn’t there a question-and-answer session with Goodell and the NFL head doctor with the Phillie fans as the audience? I would pay to see that.
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