I am a three-time pulmonary embolism survivor! My first PE was in 2003 after childbirth complications (including a collapsed lung), which caused me to be hospitalized for one month. After I was released from the hospital, I returned one week later with shortness of breath while my lungs were still healing and stayed in the hospital for another week.
My second PE was two months after the first while on enoxaparin. I experienced severe shortness of breath and returned to the hospital. I had several clots and stayed for a week.
All of this happened when I was in my senior year of high school. I was attempting to rise above the idea that a teenager wouldn’t be able to graduate high school with a baby — I graduated with honors!
My third PE was eight years later. This time, I had an annoying pain in my chest right below my collarbone that I thought was a cramp from working out. I went to the emergency room for something unrelated and decided to mention the pain, just to find out I had several more clots. I spent the week in the hospital again. Each time, leg pain never happened.
I am supposed to be on blood thinners for life, but I have had several blood workups and doctors thought they weren’t needed. Since then, I have had other blood issues, including severe iron deficiency, anemia and malabsorption of iron, which requires me to get regular iron infusions. None of what I have been through has been explained.
This experience has changed me in so many ways! It was traumatic and has caused me to walk day in and day out not knowing if I will have another one. I am grateful to be alive.
