It was awful news to hear that the blood clot issue which sidelined Chris Bosh for most of last season had re-surfaced around the All-Star break. Since then, the Miami Heat forward’s condition has been on close watch, but the feedback thus far has been pretty positive. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra shared that Bosh was working with the training staff early in the month.
An update from the Miami Herald reports that Bosh is still needing blood thinners for his condition:
Chris Bosh, whose blood clot in his calf has dissipated, was still on blood thinners as of early this week, and the Heat and Bosh have received different medical opinions about how soon he can come off the medication, according to someone with direct knowledge. Bosh remains hopeful of playing this season but can do that only if he’s not on thinners.
Some doctors recommend staying on blood thinners from three to six months after a clot develops. But that isn’t a unanimous view, and that’s one issue being debated with regard to Bosh. If he can come off the thinners sooner, he could potentially play again this season — something Bosh has said he remains “positive” about being able to do.
One of the latest progress reports on Bosh was he no longer had active blood clots and was optimistic about making a return this season. If Bosh is still needing to be on blood thinners, that optimism appears more so as sheer hope.
The timeline of Bosh’s potential return is such a crucial component to the Heat’s contention in the playoffs. The Heat are still competitive without Bosh, but he legitimizes their chances with his presence. Perhaps the blood thinners are for extra assurance as the postseason approaches in a couple of weeks. Being that the medical recommendation is for him to remain on them for three to six months, he’s surely getting the most ample treatment now for a chance to help his team look to make some real damage in the playoffs.
