Deep vein thrombosis survivor Jason Whitney adjusts to life after amputation.

Sometimes in our lives, things go exactly as planned – other times, things don’t go quite as expected. In the case of Jason Whitney, a West Branch resident, the end result of the deep vein thrombosis in leg was not what he expected, but he’s learning to live with it.

However, if it weren’t for Dr. Omar P. Haqqani, Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Vascular Health Clinics in Midland, MI, the result may have been life-threatening.

Jason’s complications with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) started over a year ago, when he started to experience minor discomfort in his right leg.

“At first I thought it was something psychosomatic, so I basically just put off going to the doctor for it,” Jason said. “However, when I went to the doctor to check on it, my leg had already gone cold.”

Up until the pain had gotten worse, Jason said that the pain he was experiencing was totally manageable, and would only bother him when he go for his usual walk.

“It was actually on my birthday that I found that the bottom of my leg had gone ice cold,” Jason said.

Soon after, Jason went to see Dr. Haqqani to see what the reasoning behind the troubles with his leg, and Dr. Haqqani confirmed that a deep vein thrombosis was what was causing Jason’s symptoms.

Dr. Haqqani then told Jason that an artery in his right leg was completely occluded from a deep vein thrombosis, and that in order to potentially save his leg, they would have to act fast.

“First, they did a clean out in order to attempt to save my leg and from what they saw, they were able to get the majority of the blockage out of my leg, “ Jason said.

However, after Jason had gone through the procedure in order to revascularize his leg, as well as suitable time to see if the surgery would have an effect, Dr. Haqqani approached Jason about the option of amputation.

“He was very straightforward about my situation and didn’t pull any punches,” Jason said. “He told me that, given my circumstances, that I would be better off.”

Jason then agreed to the amputation, and his right leg was removed below the knee.

Moving forward from his amputation, Jason has progressively continued to accept his condition, contributing his success to a number of factors, including that he will soon be fitted for a prosthetic once bleeding subsides.

“The transition was definitely tough,” Jason said. “However, through physical therapy from the Step Up program in Midland and the support of my family, it’s been getting easier.”

Despite the circumstances of having to undergo an amputation, Jason spoke highly of both the surgical and administrative teams that comprise Vascular Health Clinics.

“The time Dr. Haqqani spent together was great, and he always explained everything to me incredibly well,” Jason said. “Not only that, but all of the nurses, doctors, and the receptionist Becky were all great to me.”

For Jason, the future continues to look bright, as he adjusts to life with his amputation, with a new plan, a new perspective, and the support of a loving family by his side.