Not Forgotten

What happened to Serena Williams?
Shortly after winning her fourth Wimbledon title last July, Williams cut her foot on a shard of glass. The severe cut required surgery and 18 stitches. Although she played an exhibition match shortly thereafter, continuing problems with the foot has kept her out of competition since then.

Hours after she dazzled the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, Serena Williams was in a Los Angeles hospital receiving emergency treatment for a blood clot in her lungs.

News that a top athlete like Serena Williams suffered a pulmonary embolism has many people wondering how this could happen to someone who stays fit for a living.

Well, the truth is, deep vein thrombosis can happen to anyone. And since Williams had just undergone surgery, her risk was increased.

What is a pulmonary embolism?
A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks a major artery feeding the lungs.

These clots usually arise in the leg, usually in a deep vein. Doctors call such a clot a thrombosis. A clot arising in a deep leg vein is called a deep venous thrombosis or DVT. DVTs often arise after a period of inactivity and are particularly common after long airplane flights. A clot originating in a deep leg vein in some cases will break free and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) leading to a pulmonary embolism can occur at any age. Of course there are risk factors like clotting disorders, taking birth control pills, prolonged immobility, smoking, family history and being overweight.

I hope and pray Serena is back up feeling spiritually, financially, mentally, physically and emotionally better real soon. I hope she can put all this behind and press forward.

I read her tweets and sometimes, it makes me wonder, If she's really happy? Call it a keen eye or whatever, but I'm reading between her lines and seeing through her smile. Maybe, what I see is alot of myself. Who knows?

Her last tweet over a week ago, made me start praying harder for her and harder for myself. She said, "I wish that someone would come and find me, until then I walk alone". She sounded so much like how I'm feeling. At least, she's brave enuff to put it out there.

Until then Serena, I hope your feeling better soon and I'm a fan that's praying for you!