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Blood Clot Awareness
Purchase his CD or MP3 downloads from his website, and Mark will donate 15% of the sale to the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia (NATT).
Mark was a 45 year old singer/songwriter living in Waynesboro, VA when he suffered a pulmonary embolus in June 2006. "I want people to know that you don't have to be an old man to suffer a serious blood clot," Mark said. "I was performing a private concert in northern Virginia when I noticed a dull pain in my left calf. After a day of much more intense pain in my right chest area I was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism (lung clot), most likely originating from a blood clot that formed in my leg," explained Mark.
During the 3-hour long concert, Hackley remained in an awkward position where, according to doctors, a new cowboy-style, calf-high boot most likely cut off or reduced the blood flow to his calf, thus allowing a blood clot to form. Months earlier he had suffered a severe muscle pull in his upper leg during a softball match. Sitting for long periods of time, injuries, and surgeries are all possible culprits for blood clots. There are a number of other risk factors for forming blood clots. You can find out more about your risk by using the DVT Coalition's Risk Assessment Tool at www.PreventDVT.org.
Like most individuals who experience a deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, Mark was treated first with heparin and then with warfarin (brand name Coumadin), which he took for a year after the clot. "Having a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolus (PE) is a very serious situation, and I want to help increase awareness of DVT and PE so that others may prevent blood clots before they happen. In an effort to help promote DVT Awareness, I am donating a portion of all my online CD sales to the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia," said Mark. His CD is available for purchase from his website at www.markhackley.com.
RECOGNIZE THE WARNINGS OF DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT):
- A dull to sharp pain in the back of one calf
- Possible swelling and/ or discoloration of one calf to purple or blue
PULMONARY EMBOLISM (PE):
- Pain in the chest
- Possible shortness of breath
STEPS TO PREVENTION
Walk and stretch your legs often, especially during:
- Extended trips by plane, train and automobile
- Lengthy periods of bedrest
- Long hours sitting behind a desk
- Any tight or cramped situation
Mark is available to speak/ perform to help promote community awareness of blood clots.