Syverson Dealing With Blood Clots

Article reprinted courtesy of Fargo Forum and reporter Eric Peterson. Picture courtesy of Fargo Forum photographer Dave Samson.

Moorhead - Brady Syverson woke up around 5 a.m. on a recent Sunday with a sharp pain in his side.

It was uncomfortable just to breathe.

"It felt kind of like a knife stabbing into my side," said Syverson, who is a junior on the Concordia men's basketball team.

His initial reaction was to go back to bed, thinking the pain would pass. After telling his girlfriend of the discomfort, she insisted he see a doctor.

The 6-foot-6 Syverson went to the emergency room, not expecting the news he would receive later that day.

The 20-year-old had blood clots in his lungs.

"It really came out of nowhere, and it was a huge surprise," said Syverson, a Fargo North High School graduate. "When they told me I had blood clots in my lungs, I was like 'Wow.' "

The clots were found on Jan. 25, ending his season after 16 games. Syverson started all of those games, averaging 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

"We're grateful that his girlfriend (Sydney Kays) made him go in because he wouldn't have gone in on his own," said Jean Syverson, Brady's mom.

Syverson expects to be on blood thinners for the next three to six months. That medication is the primary reason he can't play anymore this season due to the risk of internal bleeding.

"It's scary, but it's also a blessing that I caught it as early as I did," Brady said. "Every time I've heard about blood clots, it's like somebody died from a blood clot."

In hindsight, there were signs that something wasn't right, Brady said.

Right after Christmas break, he would get winded faster on the court, but thought that was because he was out of shape from the break. Austin Nelson, who is a sophomore teammate, said Syverson talked about pain in his side the week before Brady went into the hospital.

"I really didn't think anything of it," said Nelson, who went to Moorhead High School.

Neither did Brady, who thought he may have taken a shot to the ribs in either a game or practice.

"Looking back, you can kind of piece things together," Jean said. "You kind of explain it away with logical reasoning. … You hope that it's just an opportunity to make other people attention (to their health)."

Brady wants to be a coach one day, so he's using his time on the bench to learn. Syverson is also using his playing experience to offer advice to his teammates.

Syverson is still able to take part in some practice drills that don't involve contact, mainly shooting.

"The hardest part is watching, knowing I feel 100 percent to be able to be out there," Brady said.

"He's done a really good job of it on the outside," Cobbers head coach Rich Glas said. "I'm sure it is frustrating for him on the inside."

This isn't the first time Syverson has dealt with a season-ending injury. During his senior year in high school at North, he tore his ACL and missed the last part of that season. Syverson said going through that injury has helped him deal with his current situation.

"That disappointment kind of prepared him," Jean said. "He handles things very well. He is very laid back. He doesn't let things bother him."

Syverson said he still isn't sure why he had the blood clots. His age and activity level make him an unlikely candidate. He said genetic testing is being done to see if it is anything hereditary.
Syverson is hopeful he can return for his senior season.

Jean remembers back to the morning when she got the call that Brady was going into emergency room with the side pain.

The mom in her was thinking about what it could be on the drive to the hospital.

"He's a big guy and he plays hard," Jean said. "I am thinking he took an elbow and he fell hard. That is what we were thinking."

That was followed by shock after she found out it was blood clots.

"Even the doctor was completely baffled," Jean said. "He was surprised to have to tell us that."

Brady is grateful that his teammates and coaches visited him that first night he spent in the hospital.

"They were just packed around my bed," he said. "I know the guys will support me with whatever. It's really nice to have teammates like that."