At five days postnatal, I started having pain in my right calf. I rang maternity at the hospital, who ran through the clot checklist: “Is it hot to touch? No. Is it red? No. Is it swollen? No.” Apart from the pain, there were no other symptoms. I was told to ring back if the pain got worse.
The midwives visited me at home that afternoon for my baby boy’s day five weight check. I mentioned the pain and she told me I wasn’t in enough pain as she had experienced a DVT before and she had to ring an ambulance. So it was shrugged off as a labor injury.
The pain never got worse, but it was still an issue four days later when I couldn’t put weight on it fully or stretch it out fully. I rang maternity back, and again they went through the checklist, but still, my only symptom was the pain.
They told me it didn’t sound like a DVT, but if I was concerned enough, go to A&E (emergency department in the UK). I’d had many professionals tell me it didn’t sound like a DVT that I believed them at this point.
On Day 12 postnatal, the pain was still there. My health visitor came and agreed it didn’t sound like a DVT but she would refer me to the doctor as it had been an issue for a prolonged period of time.
On Day 14 I woke up to get my daughter ready for Red Nose Day at school. I went to the bathroom and woke up to my daughter asking if I was OK. I had collapsed.
I came back around and shouted for my partner. My heart was racing, pounding out of my chest, I was extremely lightheaded and struggling to breathe. I made my way down to A&E. I collapsed to the floor again outside the A&E doors and woke up to the doctors and nurses rushing towards me.
My diagnosis following this was bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism with significant right-side heart strain. I spent five days in the hospital with my newborn. Thankfully my body coped amazingly well once I started thinners.
I am so unbelievably grateful to still be here with my children and family and will continue to tell my story with the hope it saves someone else.
