I just learned about this health center and how it provides free medical screening and health care to people of all ages in the neighborhood. I want to share that with all the families in our neighborhood. I was a little hesitant to share this with my family because I was afraid that they wouldn’t be receptive. But now it’s a part of our daily routine.
I know my family has a history of being hesitant to go to the doctor. A few years ago, my mother had a very dangerous blood clot in her brain. After months of excruciating pain and a lot of blood loss, she died. So even though we were told that the clot was caused by a genetic condition, she wasn’t able to get the clot checked out by a doctor.
My mom had a scary story just a few months ago. She had suffered a very debilitating stroke at home. The pain was unbearable. She didn’t make it to the hospital for several days in case she was going to die. One day she just didn’t feel like it was worth it. She even told me that it seemed like she was having her last days. So I was very hesitant to tell my family because I was afraid that they would not be receptive.
My mom was a victim of a genetic clotting disorder. I knew her only because she was so happy when she got the news. She is now at the family health center waiting for the clot to be checked out, and has decided its time to move on with her life.
You can still get a blood clotting disorder through a family history, or just through a strong family connection. But a very small percentage of clotting disorders are inherited, meaning the clotting gene is in your genes. The more people who have the clotting gene, the more likely you are to get clotting disorders.
My niece, a blood disorder patient, came to me and said, “My grandma has a clotting disorder, and my aunt has just had her blood checked out. I’m afraid to tell my aunt because she’s afraid she’ll get the same clotting disorder and die, along with my grandma.
If you have a family with a clotting gene, that means you are at risk for having the blood disorder. And if you have a family without a clotting gene, you are at risk for not having the blood disorder. In other words, if you are a clotting gene carrier, you are at risk for having a clotting disorder.
At present, there are several clotting disorders, including thrombophilia, that are potentially life-threatening in the wrong clinical setting. There are also clotting disorders that are less likely to cause harm, so your doctor may want to refer you to a clinic with more specialized care. But there are some things you should know. First, blood tests should be done only when your doctor tells you and your blood is completely ready.
The main reason for this is that clotting tendencies are hard to diagnose at a young age, so people who have a clotting disorder in an older age are not at risk for having a clotting disorder in their younger years. If you’re not sure if you have a clotting disorder in your younger years, check with your doctor.
Blood tests are done to screen for certain clotting disorders. A clotting disorder is a group of disorders in which the blood can’t form clots or the blood can stay clots instead of the normal form. People with a clotting disorder usually have problems with blood clotting, and this is why some people have to have their blood thinned, especially if they have a clotting disorder.
