Many overlook the importance of factoring personal health into air safety considerations. Yes, we’re excited to get to that tropical destination or meet up with friends, but it’s crucial to remember to prioritize self-care.
In late January of this year, I faced a near-death experience due to severe blood clots in both of my lungs. What I thought was a pulled muscle, which was later misdiagnosed as pneumonia, turned out to be a pulmonary embolism. I was hospitalized for a week, starting in the ICU, and given a steady stream of heparin (a blood thinner) before moving to another unit a day later. There was talk of me undergoing a thrombectomy—a surgical procedure used to remove blood clots from arteries and veins, but eventually, the doctors thought I was recovering enough to let the blood clots dissolve on their own.
The doctors and I can only speculate why the blood clots happened: I was on an estrogen oral contraceptive at the time AND had been taking several long-haul flights throughout the year.
Needless to say, I think about my personal air safety differently now. Here are some tips I now follow to keep myself safe and prevent blood clots from forming:
- Take a walk around the airport before boarding your flight. I’m good for getting to the airport early, getting some food, and then parking myself at the gate until boarding, but if I’m already going to be seated for 4+ hours, why do that? Getting moving before the flight is best to keep things running smoothly internally!
- Hydrate! According to The Heart Foundation, “When you are dehydrated, your blood retains more sodium, thickening it and making it harder to circulate through your body.” I hated drinking water on flights because I’d sit in a window seat and wanted to avoid getting up and going to the bathroom. But that’s another must-do: getting up and walking around! So do your cells a favor and show them some love with a few nice gulps of water! Consequently, I now opt for aisle seats to encourage movement.
- I always fly wearing compression socks. Most pulmonary embolisms start as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs; the clot forms in the lower body, then breaks off and travels to the heart and lungs. Wearing compression socks helps keep blood from pooling in the legs, ankles, or feet.
I’m on the mend and making significant progress. Since my hospitalization, I took my first flight to New Orleans for a wedding earlier this month; I was nervous because I didn’t want a repeat of my near-death experience. However, I was armed with new knowledge, my blood thinner prescription, and my compression socks, and I had the best time celebrating my friends’ nuptials!
