Having ridden in Nice in the morning for a couple of hours as a wind down from the Tour Med which finished Sunday in Toulon and the sun was out it seemed like a good idea to take another ride. I had taken the bike out of the car on the Ventimiglia esplanade planning on enjoying the sun for a short while more when i spotted the group gathering for their lunchtime ride. This episode finished up with another two hours on the saddle.
Later in the evening i was at the UCMonaco club house where i was given a new outfit, since they had seen it on the TV regularly since they had given it to me during the TDF start in Monaco.
As i headed back into Italy i started experiencing similar pains to those of August 2009 when i came down with Pulmonary Embolisms . Arriving back in Austria after deciding that safety was the better option i checked into the Schwaz Hospital for blood tests. These tests confirmed a return of Pneumonia and Embulisms (blood clots)in the right lung.
Advices given in 2009 before leaving the hospital were heeded and yet with all the precautions observed i found myself back where i had started in Aug 2009, only now it was a return to extended medication. On top of this i am now required to wear heavy weight compression stockings day and night for a month and daily thereafter for an indefinite period.
POINT I AM MAKING FOLKS is that regardless of being an advocate for Anti Doping and leading a clean life, Cycling and MY genes have combined to leave me with health issues.
DO NOT THINK THAT CRAMPS are an irritant or irrevelence, and when they ease think no more of them ! SEE your doctor ! You too could for a variety of reasons have blood clots and waking up dead is not the solution , it is very unfortunate for all you leave behind .
Too many Recent Cycle Racers both Pro. & Amateur have had the symptoms i experienced and did not seek advice or visit their health professionals. I am alive thanks to an acute awareness of my body and abilities . Perhaps i pushed the envelope and brought on both attacks to the extent i was able to survive, others just did not realise or put off dealing with their symptoms.
Act Today and survive for your tomorrows !
Will i ride the Giro or TDF routes this year ? Something to look forward to, but health issues will overrule a foolhardy effort !
Those concerned about researching this matter further could look at some of the following sites :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulmonary_embolism
http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/p/pulmonary-embolism
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/pulmonaryembolism.htmhttp://emedicine.medscape.com/article/759765-overview
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/antiphospholipid.htm
http://www.thrombosisadviser.com/en/understanding-thrombosis/how-thrombosis-develops/index.php?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=2&ad_group=Blood_Clots_Leg&kw=leg+blood+clot&gclid=CPPKg_CLlKcCFdERfAodgzW4cg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrombolysis
Appears that as a blood group B+ subject, it could be the "factor V Leiden "has had an influence on my situation.
More information will be added to this post as it is too important a subject to leave unfinished !
