Patient Stories
Listen to Your Body, Your Life is Worth It: Jeri’s Story
Postscript: March 2021 Update After recovery following my first blood clot, I thought it was all finally over. After suffering a debilitating stroke due to a blood clot in 2018, it never occurred to me that I could have another blood clot while on a blood thinner. Luckily, this time I knew the signs. Eighteen…
The Perfect Provoked Storm: Jessica’s Story
I have never been “normal” when it comes to my health as a young adult. For 10 years, I struggled with severe stomach and esophagus problems. I developed an allergy to the medication that treats the conditions in my esophagus. So, this year, my health finally ran out of options. It wasn’t until April 2018…
My Only Symptom of DVT was Ankle Pain: Lora’s Story
In 2018, I welcomed my beautiful son into the world via Caesarean section. Everything was going well, except that I had ankle pain that radiated up my inner leg. I was told my ankle pain was due to the strain of pregnancy, and to continue to wear compression stockings. I did as I was instructed.…
Birth Control for Fertility Treatments Caused My Stroke and CVST: Antonella’s Story
December 21, 2017, started off just like any other day. I woke up early, worked out, and then got ready for work. I had a headache for two days prior. I was taking over-the-counter pain medication, but my headache was not so bad that it stopped me from my normal routine. While I was at…
My Experience with a Blood Clot on My Brain: Amy’s Story
I’m a 25-year-old woman who doesn’t smoke, drink very often, or use any kind of drugs. I take care of myself, and I try to keep active. Over the past year, I have been in and out of the doctor’s office with a lump on my face. The lump was getting bigger, which was concerning…
Listen to Your Body and Trust Your Doctor: Dana’s Story
On the way to my 37th birthday celebration, I suffered a pulmonary embolism, or blood clot in my lung, but I chose to ignore the symptoms. As a dancer, marathoner, mountain biker, and hiker, it did not even cross my mind that something serious was happening to my body, so I ignored every symptom I…
Steve’s Story, As Told by his Loving Wife
My husband, Steve Brenner, died of a massive pulmonary embolism (PE) or blood clot in his lung, at the age of 53, on August 15, 2016, just days before he was scheduled for hip replacement surgery. This was preventable. If Steve’s doctor or one of his colleagues at their orthopedic practice had replaced Steve’s hip…
A Career Ballerina Battles PE: Tiffany’s Story
My name is Tiffany, and I am a career ballerina dealing with the high risk of bilateral pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in my lungs. My professional dance career was side tracked as I sought treatment. It was March 15, 2017, and my senior year, when I was performing a ballet solo in George Balanchine’s…
Blood Clots in My Lung Almost Ended My Life: Deanne’s Story
On the morning of October 23, 2015, I collapsed at home after suffering from massive bi-lateral pulmonary embolisms, or blood clots in my lungs. I had knee replacement surgery five weeks earlier. I was not prescribed blood thinners after my surgery, but my doctor instructed me to take aspirin, which I did. It was a…
Take Control and Take Steps to Prevent Blood Clots: Ashley’s Story
My name is Ashley, and I was diagnosed with factor V Leiden, protein S deficiency, and protein C deficiency in March 2017. I was a waitress at the time, and I had just torn my shoulder due to a weight lifting accident. So, I started running outside a lot to stay active before I had…
