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I Held My Wife's Hand As She Went Cold And Slipped Away – Our Horror Story Should Serve As A Warning To All

A WIDOWER has spoken of the pain of feeling his wife's hand go cold, after her migraine-like symptoms turned out something much more sinister.

Natasha Hewitt, 35, began to feel poorly in December and was given antibiotics and painkillers for a suspected ear infection after she attended a walk-in centre.

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Natasha Hewitt, 35, died shortly after being diagnosed with a blood clot on her brain just before ChristmasCredit: SWNS

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Natasha, Nick pictured with their son Harry - after suffering miscarriages, the couple were trying for another babyCredit: SWNS

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Natasha complained of pain that spread from her back to her head and earCredit: SWNS

But she was rushed to hospital just two days later.

There, Natasha was diagnosed with a large blood clot called a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

This occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain's venous sinuses, preventing blood from draining out of the brain, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

As a result, blood cells may break and leak blood into the brain tissues, forming a haemorrhage.

Symptoms of it include headache, blurred vision, fainting and even loss of control over movement in parts of the body and seizures.

She was transferred to specialist brain unit for surgery, but tragically died two days later.

Speaking for the first time since Natasha's death, her husband Nick, 42, said: "Everything seemed perfect. We were actually trying for another baby.

"However, that all changed when Natasha started complaining of feeling poorly last December.

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"The last time I saw Natasha open her eyes was when she was transferred. We hoped and prayed that she would pull through but sadly she didn't.

"We got to spend our last final moments together. It was absolutely awful feeling her hand go cold and the colour in her face change, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

"Natasha was a beautiful soul, there was no bad in her; just a kind and caring person."

Natasha, of Sheffield, South Yorks., first complained of pain which had moved from her back and into her head and left ear on Sunday, December 11 last year.

She took strong painkillers and managed to go Christmas shopping with Nick and their baby son, Harry.

During their last shopping trip together, the couple bought Harry his first pair of shoes.

But her pain continued and she had migraine-like symptoms and struggled to stand up without feeling dizzy.

The following Wednesday, she attended a walk-in medical appointment at which she was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers for a suspected ear infection.

Two days after first being prescribed antibiotics, Natasha - who had a history of blood clots - was admitted to hospital.

Natasha, who was studying for a business management with accounting degree through the Open University, was transferred for specialist surgery later that day.

Surgeons operated on Natasha to relieve pressure on her brain on Saturday, December 17. She died at around 1am the next morning.

Heartbroken Nick added: "Natasha sought medical advice but she didn't seem to be improving; in fact she looked to be getting worse.

"Natasha was unable to look after Harry and I felt powerless to help her.

"It got to the point where I thought enough was enough and she needed to go to hospital.

"She couldn't stand up, she was vomiting, her speech was confused. She couldn't even keep water down."

Nick described the moment when the true severity of Natasha's condition hit him.

"After arriving at hospital I was taken into a small room and offered a hot drink. That's when I knew how serious it was," he recalled.

"I sat at her bedside was speaking to her as she was unresponsive. I held her hand and cried whilst saying 'I'm so sorry'."

Natasha and Nick had suffered 11 miscarriages and two failed rounds of IVF before they found out they were expecting Harry.

She was diagnosed with a blood clot in her placenta at 25 weeks pregnant and doctors took the decision to deliver Harry 14 weeks premature in July 2021.

The following month, Natasha, also received hospital treatment for a blood clot on her lung.

Harry spent 18 weeks in neonatal intensive care before he was allowed home to his parents.

Nick, who has now instructed medical negligence lawyers to investigate Natasha's death, added: "We thought it wasn't meant to be but then suddenly found out Natasha was expecting. We were overjoyed.

"When Harry was born there were some really tough and emotional times, but he showed amazing fight.

"We were so excited to bring him home to start our life as a family together.

"Harry was making amazing progress and developing. We'd have a family day every week where we'd go swimming, go to the park or go for a long walk."

An inquest into Natasha's death is due to take place this week, expected to last three days.

Rosie Charlton, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Nick, said: "While nothing can bring Natasha back, the inquest is a major milestone in being able to provide them with the answers they deserve.

"Blood clots can be incredibly serious and need to be treated quickly.

"If during the course of the inquest any issues in the care Natasha received are identified, it's vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety."

Recent research has revealed that women with four common health conditions are eight times more likely to suffer blood clots.

Symptoms of a blood clot

Blood clots happen when blood clumps together and coagulates.

There are two types of the condition.

A blood clot in one of the large veins in someone's leg or arm is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

If not treated, DVT can move or break off and travel into the lungs.

Meanwhile, a blood clot in the lung is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) - this can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of a DVT include:

swelling in your arm or leg

pain or tenderness not caused by an injury

skin that's warm to the touch, with swelling or pain

redness of the skin

Symptoms of PE include:

difficulty breathing

sudden, sharp chest pain that might get worse when you breathe in

coughing up blood

fast or irregular heartbeat

Source: NHS, CDC

Blood Clots In Veins: Unmasking This Silent Threat On World Thrombosis Day

We would surely have heard about diabetes and cancer, claiming thousands of lives in India. But do we know there are conditions associated with blood clots that are potentially life-threatening but are often overlooked?1 in 4 people succumb to conditions caused by blood clots, also known as thrombosis1, a condition that's preventable with timely action, such as regular risk checklists that can act as a safety net to spot potential clot problems.Clots in blood vessels called arteries can lead to heart attacks and strokes; however, clots in blood vessels called veins, too, can lead to serious and life-threatening complications.2 Today, we are going to delve into what is venous thrombosis and venous thromboembolism. Congratulations!

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Login to view result In this article, we'll uncover the origins of this lesser-known but prevalent health issue, what makes it so deadly, and the urgent need to be aware and halt it in its tracks. Know Venous Thrombosis: The unseen threatThrombosis is a term that refers to the formation of blood clots within blood vessels, which can obstruct the flow of blood. This condition can manifest as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and/ or pulmonary embolism (PE).

DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) is a blood clot formation in the deep veins eg: in the leg, thigh, pelvis, or arm, which obstructs blood flow and carries the risk of clot fragments breaking off.

PE (Pulmonary Embolism): Occurs when these clot fragments travel to the lungs and block blood flow in the lungs, which can put pressure on the heart, which is life-threatening and can lead to death.

Venous thromboembolism (DVT+PE= VTE), refers to the term your doctor may use to refer to both DVT and PE together 3. It is estimated to contribute to 5%-10% of hospital fatalities, making it the leading preventable cause of death among hospitalised patients.4

60% of venous clots occur during or after hospitalisation3 making VTE the no. 1 cause of preventable hospital deaths.5 Globally, about 1 Crore individuals get affected by VTE each year.6

All it requires is our understanding, awareness, and timely action.

Your right to know:DVT and PE are serious, life-threatening conditions that require immediate medical attention.

Be proactive: If you are admitted to a hospital and don't receive a VTE risk assessment, be proactive and ask for one.

Ask for a risk assessment form if you or your loved one is hospitalised or is about to undergo surgery. 7

Who is at a high risk of developing a clot? 11High-risk individuals for clot development:

Hospitalised patients: Vulnerable during hospital stays.

Patients undergoing/recovering from surgery: Surgical procedures raise clot risk.

Key risk factors for clot formation: 12Understanding these root causes and risk factors is critical for all:

Prolonged inactivity: Long flights, immobility post-surgery, and bed rest heighten clot risk.

Additional risk factors: Obesity, smoking, hormonal changes (e.G., birth control pills or hormone therapy), specific medical conditions (like cancer or inflammatory disorders), and family history.

Know the signs and symptoms:While 50% of the time, DVT often lurks without symptoms,13 it's essential to be vigilant. Here are some red flags to look out for:

Pain, swelling, warmth, and redness in the affected area. (leg, thigh, pelvis, or arm)

Swollen and tender legs that are painful to the touch, if you have blood clots that block blood flow to your leg veins (deep vein thrombosis or DVT)

Shortness of breath and pain when breathing if you have a blood clot that travels to the lungs (pulmonary embolism)14

Raising awareness and early detection: The key to preventionThe first step in combating blood clots is awareness. By understanding the risk factors and recognising the symptoms, individuals can seek medical attention promptly.

For those at high risk, as shared above, doctors might recommend medications or blood-thinning agents to minimise the chances of clot formation during the high-risk phase.

Here are some tips to keep the blood flowing and prevent clot formation:

Frequent long-flight travellers- Change your position often, especially during a long trip.

Desk jobs and sedentary lifestyle- Move more, take regular breaks, and stretch often.

Wear loose-fitting clothes. 10

Additionally, organisations can also promote an active workplace with sit-stand workstations, walk-and-talk meetings, ergonomic office furniture, fitness programs such as yoga or Zumba, and active commuting options such as cycling to work or using public transportation.Take action against thrombosis.Blood clots may be silent, but they can have devastating consequences. It is time for people to speak up about this health issue. Let's raise awareness in our communities, workplaces, and homes and then take prompt action.

Next time a loved one is hospitalized, it is your right to inquire about thrombosis/blood clots and potential risks.

For more information on thrombosis, visit the website of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

1. International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis(ISTH). What is thrombosis? [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Sept 6]. Available from: https://www.Worldthrombosisday.Org/know-thrombosis/what-is-thrombosis/

2. Wendelboe AM, Raskob GE. Global burden of thrombosis. Circulation Research. 2016;118(9):1340–7.

3. International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis(ISTH). Deep vein thrombosis [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Worldthrombosisday.Org/know-thrombosis/what-is-thrombosis/deep-vein-thrombosis/

4. Inhospital mortality among clinical and surgical inpatients recently diagnosed with venous thromboembolic disease. Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis. 2015;40(2):225–30.

5. Al-Hameed F. Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis: Solutions are in our hands. Annals of Thoracic Medicine. 2011;6(3):105.

6. Khan F, Tritschler T, Kahn SR, Rodger MA. Venous thromboembolism. The Lancet. 2021;398(10294):64–77.

7. International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis(ISTH). Hospital-associated thrombosis [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 Sept 8]. Available from: https://www.Worldthrombosisday.Org/know-thrombosis/what-is-thrombosis/hospital-associated-thrombosis/#

8. Huizen J. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk: Assessment and more [Internet]. Healthline Media; 2019 [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Healthline.Com/health/vte-risk9. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Preventing blood clots [Internet]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Nhlbi.Nih.Gov/health/venous-thromboembolism/preventing-blood-clots

10. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Preventing blood clots [Internet]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Nhlbi.Nih.Gov/health/venous-thromboembolism/preventing-blood-clots

11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Are you at risk for clots? [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Cdc.Gov/ncbddd/dvt/features/blood-clot-risk.Html

12. American Society of Hematology (ASH). Blood clots [Internet]. [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Hematology.Org/education/patients/blood-clots

13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). What is venous thromboembolism? [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Sept 6]. Available from: https://www.Cdc.Gov/ncbddd/dvt/facts.Html 14. International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis(ISTH). Know the signs [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Sept 9]. Available from: https://www.Worldthrombosisday.Org/know-thrombosis/know-the-signs/ -Dr. Shalini Menon, Country Medical Lead, Sanofi (India) MAT-IN-2302301-1.0-09/23 Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the story are independent professional judgments of the doctors/experts, and TIL does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of their views. This should not be considered a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your treating physician for more details. This article has been produced on behalf of Sanofi (India) by Times Internet's Spotlight team.

Singapore Health Expert Shares Thrombosis Risk Factors Everyone Should Know And Mitigate With WTD's 60 For 60 Fitness Challenge

(MENAFN- Media OutReach Newswire) SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 11 October 2023 - Deep vein thrombosis is characterized by the formation of abnormally increased blood clots than physiologically required within predisposed veins owing to abnormal coagulability or endothelial conditions. Blood clots can become detached and enter the circulation and be dislodged within the arteries in the lungs that are life-threatening. Of note is one startling figure reported by International Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH): one-fourth of the global population died from conditions caused by thrombosis each year.

Prof. Lee Lai Heng, Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology, Singapore General HospitalPreventive measures against deep vein thrombosis (DVT) begin at home with behavioral changes, continue at work with more body movement, and hospitalized patients should be assessed for risk factors for developing deep vein thrombosis, physicians have recommended. To help apply recommendations to achieve large-scale risk reduction for DVT, the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) has been running a global campaign known as World Thrombosis Day (WTD), held annually on 13 October. For this year's occasion, ISTH launched the "60 For 60 Fitness Challenge" to promote exercising "every 60 minutes with 60 seconds of muscle movement".

Prof. Lee Lai Heng, Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital , said that people were becoming increasingly prone to a sedentary lifestyle as ever-advancing technology kept furnishing them with daily-life conveniences as well as indulgence in social media activities and computer games. Inadequate body movement could result in blood clots forming in blood vessels to the extent of clogging, culminating in thrombosis, along with the possibility of severe complications. There has been reports of people, who are otherwise healthy, developing deep vein thrombosis after prolonged sitting working or gaming at the computer as well as after marathon mahjong games.

Major risk factors predisposing to development of DVT include:

Prolonged immobility , whether in or out of hospital. Blood circulation in the lower limbs slows down when the body remains immobile, eg during prolonged bed rest, being seated for long hours, especially in an awkward posture, resulting in increased susceptibility to blood-clot formation.

Hospitalization and major surgery: More than 60% of thrombosis cases were patients who had been hospitalized for too long or afflicted by vascular trauma after surgery. Their limited movement puts them at risk.

Hospitalization and Severe illnesses : Patients with debilitative heart and lung diseases and those with severe infections and inflammatory conditions are prone to developing DVT during hospitalization.

Cancer and cancer treatment - Compared with healthy people, cancer patients are 4 times more likely to develop thrombosis, which may then hinder their cancer treatment

Oral contraceptives, hormone replacement and pregnancy : Estrogen-based oral contraceptives and medications increase the levels of clotting factors, thus predisposing to blood clots. Pregnant women are also at increased risk, as their blood becomes thickened throughout their pregnancy and the first 6 weeks after childbirth. In the general population, risks of VTE in healthy women who are on hormonal medications or pregnant is low; but in the presence of other additional risk actors, the VTE risks increases substantially.

Cigarette's smoking and obesity are well established risk factors for atherosclerotic diseases have also been found to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism.

Hereditary cause People with conditions such as antithrombin deficiency, protein C and protein S deficiency which are genetic predisposition with increased blood clotting abilities are predisposed to with venous thromboembolism (VTE). Other genetic predisposition such as Factor V Leiden and Prothrombin gene mutation which are common in the west are very rare here. There are also other hereditary predisposition towards VE which may not be well described, so if there is a family history of VTE, one must be careful to apply preventive measures in high risk situations.

"Preventive measures are the best approach for thrombosis risk reduction, and the easiest for most people. Simply avoid risk behaviors. Keep a healthy life style and body weight. Don't smoke. Don't sit still for too long. Move you body about. Set aside regular time for exercises. Ask a doctor to assess your risk periodically if you need to keep a watchful eye on known risk exposure. Awareness of risk factors is critical for effective preparation, should it be necessary," said Dr. Lee Lai Heng.

Because thrombosis would continue to be a silent killer, ISTH found it imperative to establish WTD, now observed globally on 13 October, to raise awareness of the disease. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the theme of this year's campaign, Move Against Thrombosis, encourages people to get up and move to increase blood circulation, which can help lower the risk of blood clots. ISTH also came up with the "60 For 60 Fitness Challenge", hoping to see everyone spend just 60 seconds moving somehow for every 60 minutes of being largely sedentary: walk around the place at hand, dance to favorite tunes, perform hip circles, to name a few examples, all of which constitute preventive measures against thrombosis.

Hashtag: #WorldThrombosisDayThe issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About World Thrombosis Day (WTD) Launched in 2014 and held annually on 13 October, World Thrombosis Day aims to increase public, healthcare professional and health care systems' awareness of thrombosis and, ultimately, reduce unnecessary deaths and disabilities from thromboembolic disease through a greater awareness of its causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, and evidence-based prevention and treatment. The mission of World Thrombosis Day supports the World Health Assembly's global target of reducing premature deaths by non-communicable disease by 25 percent by 2025, as well as the World Health Organization's Thirteenth General Programme of Work 2019–2023, the Montevideo Roadmap 2018-2030 on NCDs and the Political Declaration of UNGA' Third High-level Meeting on NCDs. Visit for more information and to get involved.About the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading worldwide not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of thrombotic and bleeding disorders. ISTH is an international professional membership organization with more than 7,500 clinicians, researchers, and educators working together to improve the lives of patients in more than 110 countries around the world. Among its highly regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs, research activities, meetings and congresses, peer-reviewed publications, expert committees, and World Thrombosis Day on 13 October. Visit ISTH online at

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