Rob C. is a world traveler. But in 2017, a long flight home sent him on a journey he hadn’t anticipated, as he survived a pulmonary embolism. Luckily, specialized care at Temple Health helped Rob take control of his health — and resume his travels.
A flight triggered a life-threatening condition
In October 2017, Rob and his wife were returning from Tokyo. He wasn’t feeling well. And while his illness was minor, the inactivity it caused — and the long flight from Japan — likely contributed to a life-threatening condition.
“The whole flight, I was lying down and sleeping,” he says. “It was that kind of sick when even the smell of food turns your stomach. I was down for another day or two after that. Looking back, that’s when doctors think it may have happened.”
What had happened was the formation of blood clots, likely in Rob’s legs.
The clots didn’t cause symptoms right away, but a week or two after his flight, Rob felt tightness in his sides. He saw his primary care physician, who ordered X-rays. Rob’s lungs were clear.
About a month later, Rob’s symptoms suddenly worsened.
“I came home from the gym and took a nap,” Rob says. “I was freezing cold. I’m never freezing cold, and I never nap. I woke up and said to my wife, ‘I’m in distress. Something is wrong.’”
Temple offered specialized care
At his local hospital, physicians diagnosed pulmonary embolisms in the outer branches of both of his lungs. The clots in his legs had traveled to his lungs, blocking the flow of blood and oxygen.
Rob received strong blood thinners. After an uncomfortable night in the hospital, Rob was sent home. Soon, he was on the phone with his primary care provider.
“She said, ‘Temple Health is the best. Temple Lung Center is the best. I’m going to call Dr. Rali,’” Rob says.
Parth M. Rali, MD, FCCP, FAPSR, is a national leader in pulmonary vascular disorder care, and serves as the Director of the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team at Temple Health. Dr. Rali was able to see Rob right away. A full series of tests, including Doppler imaging and CT scans, provided a complete picture.
“Dr. Rali looked at these tests and said, ‘You had a very serious blood clot. If it traveled to your heart, you could have had a heart attack. You’re fortunate to have had it present the way it did,’” says Rob.
Rob’s pulmonary embolism came as a surprise. A 60-year-old athlete and former volleyball coach, Rob didn’t have lifestyle factors that can increase risk, such as smoking, some medications, immobility, and surgery.
“I’ve always been active,” Rob says. “I think that was kind of the shock of it all.”
Some members of Rob’s family have a history of phlebitis and blood clots. Rob doesn’t have the genetic factors that increase the risk of pulmonary embolism, but his brother died of a blood clot in 2020.
