Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 102, January 2018 | Page 30

MULTISPORT
didn’t think there was anything seriously wrong
with me. And alcohol thins the blood as well,
doesn’t it?
Long walks helped the healing process
I flew home on Monday, taking my Aspirin,
compression sleeves on my calves, keeping
my legs and feet moving. I was feeling slightly
nervous. Thoughts were rushing around my
head: “What happens if you have a blood clot
and you fly? Is there a doctor on the plane?” But
I kept reminding myself that I had just raced a
Half Ironman, so surely I would be fine.
After landing I went straight to the radiology
department at the Medi-Clinic, but with no
referral letter, they wouldn’t do an ultrasound.
But what if I die, I asked jokingly… little did I
know how close to the truth that was! Anyway, I
booked a doctor’s appointment for the following
morning, and he said yes, chlorine could have
affected my chest, but it wouldn’t explain my
leg, so bloods were taken and marked urgent.
Within two hours the doctor called to say my
results were back: The test