My mother has been teaching for 25 years. My mother might have been completed walking around the world if we add all the strolling she did around the school within those fruitful years.
Teaching kids is her passion until today at the age of 60. However, it seemed like her honourable work has also taken a toll on her health.
Here is my mother's journey to overcoming deep vein thrombosis in Singapore.
It was pretty quite common for teachers or any profession that requires prolonged standing to develop varicose veins. Over the years of pacing back and forth inside the classroom, my mother has developed varicose veins at a young age, probably in her 40s.
As much as I remember, purplish veins were visible behind her knees. It wasn't as prominent as it was this year. She experienced occasional leg pain after her shift. She refused to get varicose vein treatment in Singapore, saying the pain was still bearable.
At 60, her veins became more prominent, bulging on the skin's surface and extending across her lower leg. Her legs swelled frequently. She was always complaining about the pain and tenderness in her legs whenever she's walking or standing. Her affected legs were much warmer and redder than any parts of her body.
Before, we still do our walking exercise in the morning, but due to these symptoms, she can't stand up still without feeling the pain. I knew it was time to go to the doctor.
When we went to a vascular surgeon in Singapore, I thought my mother would receive normal varicose vein treatment in Singapore. However, after physical tests, the doctor required my mother to undergo more extensive diagnostic tests like compression ultrasonography. She was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis.
As our vascular surgeon in Singapore explained, Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT is a blood clot that develops in the veins commonly located in the lower limbs.
If left untreated, DVT can lead to more chronic health problems like pulmonary embolism and chronic venous insufficiency.
According to our vascular surgeon in Singapore, DVT has several causes. There are also types of people who are more prone to developing one.
DVT is an inherited disorder. If DVT runs in your family, you are likely to develop one. In my mother's case, her sister was also diagnosed with DVT a year after my mother's treatment.
Cancer patients are also prone to DVT. Chemotherapy contributes to the progression of DVT.
Immobility due to leg injury or prolonged sitting can also cause DVT.
Obesity, Pregnancy and birth control pills also contribute to the progression of DVT. Older people over 40 years old are likely to develop DVT.
We went to Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic to seek treatment options for my mother's deep vein thrombosis in Singapore.
We were offered several treatment options for my mothers DVT. There is minimally invasive treatment and oral medication.
Minimally invasive treatment included injecting "filters" near the affected veins to prevent clots from going to the heart and lungs. There are also devices that can suck the clot out of the affected vein.
Oral medication is a longer treatment than the minimally invasive treatment of DVT.Since my mother wanted to get rid of the excruciating pain, we chose the less invasive DVT treatment.
During the several months of recovery, I helped my mother with the DVT treatment aftercare. The full healing takes months, and the aftercare practice should be done permanently to prevent it from recurring.
Our vascular surgeon recommended wearing pressure stockings, similar to those for varicose vein treatment in Singapore. The pressure improves the blood flow in the lower limbs and prevents clots from forming.
During my mother's idle, we always make sure to elevate her legs to her heart level. Elevation reduces pain and swelling of the legs.
We also resumed our morning walks regularly. One cause of DVT is prolonged sitting. To prevent DVT from recurring, my mom should keep her legs well-exercised. Simple stretching and exercise to keep your legs moving can help as well.
Besides the physical exercise, we also go to Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic for follow up and monitoring.
I included vitamin K-rich food in my mother's diet. Leafy vegetables, avocado, egg yolks are rich in vitamin K that reduces the chances of blood clots.
With my mother's journey to DVT, I realised that you should not ignore simple leg pain. Many people, including me, undermine lower limb disorders, but their impact is huge on mobility. My mother is lucky that advanced and less painful DVT treatment is available in Singapore. What if it isn't?
Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic offers an array of advanced treatment of vascular and arterial in Singapore. Medical experts from Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic provide comprehensive vascular medical service for every Singaporean. Book an appointment with Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic today.
