Mike H

This story is directly taken from Mike’s notes at a recent speech.

1st Jab May 24 2021 – 2nd Jab July 12 2021

Good afternoon.

It’s kinda ironic that I’m Telling my story. It’s exactly one year ago to the weekend that my life changed. I have always been into health and fitness. I became a personal trainer to help others. I always wanted to be fit for my kids and I enjoyed being in as best of shape as I could be. Plus I wanted to be the gramps who could run, play and pickup my grandson or granddaughter without struggling or pain.

I was working for a large retail home improvement company then the world shut down. All was fine for the first bit then they started to cut hours. The first round of cuts didn’t bother me. It was the second round of cuts that hurt. I realized I could not afford to work for them any longer. I started to look online at other jobs and realized they all required double jabs. I have a mortgage, bills to pay so reluctantly I booked my first jab May 24/2021 (Pfizer). I put out some resumes and in the beginning of July I had a job offer. Went for my interview and was asked about my Jab status? Told them I had one and would get the second before I started. So I got my second jab on July 12/2021. It was more money, more hours, full benefits. My job was to unload trailers for a large farm company. My work hours were 7am-5pm Mon-Fri.

By October 1st I started noticing my right calve was sore. But just figured it was from driving a forklift all day, pressing the gas & brake constantly. The pain came and went. I joked with my brother that my right calve was going to be huge from all the flexing it was doing.

By Dec. I noticed my right calve was a little bigger, but it subsided after a few weeks. All was pretty good. Still had pain once in awhile in my leg but brushed it off to just work related. My last day at work was Feb 4/2022. I left work that Friday. All was good. I woke up Saturday morning. My calve was pretty sore. My brother and I spent the day together. I went to bed Sunday night, woke up at 4:45am for work Monday. Went to get out of bed when my feet hit the floor the pain in my right calve was like pain I’ve never felt in my life. I lay back down till the pain subsided, tried again, same thing. Lay in bed wondering what was going on? Tried a 3rd time, I could not stand or walk. I called work that I wouldn’t be in. Lay in bed after that. I finally got myself dressed and went to the hospital.

The Dr. on call said it looks you have a strained calve muscle, which made perfect sense to me. I was taken to another room where the nurse was going to do an ultrasound. But when she started at my groin I realized they were looking for a clot. I waited for the results. The Dr. Told me I have a clot in my right thigh and was started on blood thinners that day. That week I got into see my Dr., he have me 4 more weeks off work. Within that 4 weeks my ankle and foot had swollen. Saw my doctor who ordered an emergency ultrasound. That’s when I was told my clot was massive. From my groin to below my right knee. Now the panic set in. Saw an internal specialist who told me I could not work because if I bump my leg and a piece of the clot breaks off I could die, and bing on blood thinners and working out on a farm if I cut myself bad enough I could bleed out in 3 min. I was terrified to do anything. I was booked for a series of ultrasounds by a vascular surgeon. He did both legs and my abdomen and confirmed the size of the clot. My friends had set up an appointment to have a live blood reading done. When they priced my ankle. No blood came out. She had to squeeze to get the blood to flow but it didn’t flow. It cam out of my ankle like jello. Everyone was shocked. My blood reading was terrible. My blood cells are all stuck together. I had great support from my friends. I was put on some natural products and introduced to Kangen water, and have been drinking it ever since. In the coming months my vascular surgeon ordered another ultrasound. I waited 5 weeks to hear from him. He only did phone appointments.

When he finally called he said there was no change in the clot size. Surgery was out of the question because of the risks and dangers. Putting a bypass vein in usually doesn’t work, so just stay on the program you’re on. We talked a bit longer then he’d set up another ultrasound in 6 months. Then proceeded to say: “Good luck, goodbye Mike:. I was shocked at his coldness.

So on this Feb 21/23 I have an ultrasound. Now about my family. Jeremy and Justen. My sons are my greatest accomplishments. I have been so blessed to be their dad. Unfortunately now My family worries about me constantly. My brother and his family have supported me greatly with prayers and just being around me. Adrienne’s prayers. I am a new Grandpa. My grandson Myles has blessed this family so much and I pray I’m around a long time to watch him grow into an amazing man. He was born June 11/21. He was only 8 months old when I was diagnosed with my clot and I really didn’t think I was going to be here to watch him celebrate his 1st birthday. I can’t be the brother or Grampa that I always strived to be. I hope one day to run with my grandson to play road hockey and baseball or whatever he’s into. Myles is such a blessing to us. Because I’ve been told I can’t run, jog or put strain on my leg, I have to be very careful.

Despite the challenges he faces Mike almost always wears a smile and has a positive demeanour. He continues to fight for his health and a complete recovery as he is doing everything he can to help his body heal, but feels he has been marginalized by the healthcare system.