In October 2022, I was having issues with a low heart rate. I started having severe, right-sided back pain and dizziness so much that I was crawling to avoid falling. I had no shortness of breath or swelling in my leg.
A few days later, I coughed up blood and contacted my physician, who sent me for labs and a chest X-ray. A few hours later, he called and said I needed to go to the emergency room right away, as my D-dimer was up.
I was positive for a DVT and bilateral pulmonary emboli. After five days in the hospital and placement of a pacemaker, I was sent home on oxygen and blood thinners and remained on oxygen for about three months. I was close to needing a thrombectomy, but luckily, I responded to heparin and oxygen.
So many doctors saw me: hematology, pulmonology, a hospitalist, and cardiology, and all said I was lucky to be alive. My primary doctor did not see me in the hospital, as many hospitals have hospitalists, so when I did my follow-up, he gave me the biggest hug and said, “I am so happy you are alive.” I cried like I never cried before.
The scariest part is that all the tests indicated no cause. As a nurse, you think I would not have waited, but had no predisposing factors or typical symptoms.
I am so happy to be alive and share my story with others. My favorite gift to give to family and friends who travel is compression stockings, along with sharing my story with them.
I was told I will be on rivaroxaban for life, and if that allows me to be alive, I will take it. I am so happy to be part of the support groups and am so concerned that so many people experience this diagnosis. Please don’t ignore symptoms and make your voice heard!
Resources
What is a PE?
Living Your Best Life on Blood Thinners
Facebook Support Group
