Patient Stories
All I Wanted to Do Was Delivery My Baby Safely: Faye’s Story
I was 31 weeks pregnant and was feeling very breathless. I had a routine appointment at the hospital and I was going to cancel as I felt so unwell. They immediately looked at me and things started to happen very quickly. I had a massive PE with right heart strain. They said if I hadn’t…
Healing Physically Was the Easy Part: Chloe’s Story
In 2016, when I was a sophomore in high school, I started having trouble breathing. My primary care doctor couldn’t figure out what was going on. I kept getting worse until my mom finally requested a specialist. They saw that my pulmonary pressures were through the roof and they wouldn’t let me go home. After…
My Current Diagnosis is Chronic Thromboembolic Disease: Ann’s Story
On Day 10 of a mild case of Covid and after running five miles that morning, I developed pain under my collarbone right before bedtime. I thought it might be a coronary vasospasm, which I get, so I took nitroglycerin. It didn’t help, so I decided to measure my oxygen, which was in the mid-80s.…
They Didn’t Believe My Pain: Meagan’s Story
On July 12, 2024, I started to have the worst headache I have ever experienced. I was nauseous and had blurry vision on and off, and I felt like one of my eyes was about to pop out of my face. I went to the ER twice. Both times they treated me with the “migraine…
My Clot Started 10 Years Before It Was Found: Jana’s Story
In December 2022, I had the worst pain in my life in my left side of my buttocks after working out. Being a physical therapist and a retired high-level figure skater, I assumed I had strained a muscle until I was unable to walk or bear weight on my left leg. After three ER visits…
Each Day is Harder, But I’m Still Here: Caroline’s Story
It was February 24 2024, and I had overslept. My husband had joked the night before, “Let’s not waste tomorrow staying in bed. I’ve got the day off, let’s make the most of it!” But when I finally glanced at the clock, it was already 10:22. Oh no, I thought, he’s going to call me…
This is the Scariest Thing I’ve Ever Been Through: Rakeisha’s Story
My gynecologist put me on a contraceptive ring and I wasn’t even on it a full 30 days before it almost killed me. On May 17, 2024, I woke up, couldn’t breathe, and could barely take two steps without almost passing out! I went to the ER around 9 a.m., I explained my symptoms, and…
This Diagnosis Was Shocking: Lacey’s Story
At the end of June, I began experiencing symptoms that I initially attributed to a chest cold. Since I could still carry out my regular activities, like exercising and working, I didn’t pay much attention. However, after about a week, my condition worsened, leading to severe pain when I inhaled and difficulty breathing. The persistent…
It’s an Ongoing Battle to Stay Well and Manage This Life Condition: Callum’s Story
At 29, I considered myself to be fit and almost indestructible. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I have a myriad of athletic accomplishments. I’ve run multiple marathons, I’m at a healthy weight, and I train in the gym regularly. All of the above left me feeling completely lost when I started to experience…
My Experiences with DVTs and PEs have Changed my Life: Hannah’s Story
On September 8, 2021, when I was 24, I had an emergency appendectomy. Four days later, I went into the ER for extreme calf pain and tightness in my chest, as it felt like I couldn’t get a full breath. I was diagnosed with DVTs in my left leg and bilateral lower lobe pulmonary emboli.…
