As sobering as it was and as seriously as [the doctors] took it – and as much as I'm trying to make the adjustments I need to make – I don't think it had any more of a profound effect. I just take things as they come and try to deal with them, and try not to let any of these experiences drag me down.

To me, the challenge in life is to keep moving, going forward and doing what you want to do. This isn't going to stop me.

What did you learn from your experience with DVT, and what advice do you have for people in similar situations or with chronic conditions?
Two things: I was surprised to read the statistic that blood clots kill more people than breast cancer and AIDS combined. That's a pretty shocking statistic.

[Editor's note: About 60,000-100,000 Americans die of DVT and pulmonary embolism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast cancer and AIDS kill about 55,000 people annually, according to statistics from the CDC and the American Cancer Society.]

But you can do something about it. You can be proactive and make sure you're not doing the same dumb things that I did.

You can stay on top of your diet and then just [get] yourself checked out occasionally, because a lot of this can be prevented.

I look at this [experience with DVT] as a self-inflicted wound. I did this to myself. So let's learn from it. People should have [the dangers of DVT] on their radar screen, because it could happen to anybody.

For more information and expert advice, visit Lifescript's DVT Health Center ^[1].

How Much Do You Know About DVT?
Do you sit for most of your day? Take birth control pills? Lifestyle and genetic factors can raise your risk for deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in your body. If the clot travels to your lungs, the condition can be fatal. Could you be at risk? Test your DVT IQ with this quiz ^[2]. At the end, you'll know how to detect, treat and prevent DVT.