In 2006, I was 31 years old, living in my home country of Venezuela, and 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby when I felt a pain like a knot in my left upper thigh. My mom suggested I keep my leg up the rest of the day and I could see my gynecologist in the morning.
When I woke up, my leg was hot, red, and swollen almost twice the size of my other leg. It was a deep vein thrombosis in the femoral vein.
The second blood clot happened two weeks after my third baby was born (I lost my second pregnancy). This time I was living in Mexico. I had the same pain and symptoms but in my left calf.
When I called my doctor, he suggested it was a tight muscle and prescribed me muscle relaxants, even though he knew of my history of a previous clot. I told him that I knew it was a blood clot again and requested that he send me to a vascular doctor.
The vascular doctor immediately diagnosed the DVT and I was hospitalized. I was separated for seven days from my newborn baby. I cried every day and called him, making him listen to my voice every night.
The third episode happened during a four- to five-hour car ride to the beach in hot weather. Not only was I seated for a long period in the car, but during my stay as well. I had the same symptoms in my left calf, but this time, it felt hard like a rock.
The fourth episode was after a long flight from hot weather to my current home in Canada. In addition, I worked from my bed for a few days due to the Covid-19 lockdown that happened precisely the same day of our arrival. I felt the same pain in my lower left calf seven days later.
Now I’m on blood thinners for life. I sorted out the side effects and I have a colorful life despite suffering from post-thrombotic syndrome. It is a patience and resiliency test. My boys today are 18 and 12. I’m alive to see them grow. I would not have missed it for anything.
