On March 31, 2023, while playing high school softball, an opposing player slid into me, breaking my tibia and fibula. I was taken to a nearby hospital via ambulance where I underwent surgery the next morning.
My leg had some swelling over the next couple of months, but it was never bothersome until June 8. I woke up that morning with significant groin pain and my leg was even more swollen from my foot to my thigh. I was taken to the local hospital for an ultrasound and found that I had a fully occlusive blood clot from the back of my knee into my abdomen.
After a couple of hours in the ER, I was off to the Children’s Hospital two hours away. Upon arrival, I was brought to the hematology/oncology floor and informed that I would be going in for a thrombectomy to remove the clot in the morning. After four days in the Children’s Hospital, I was free to go home. However, I was now on a blood thinner and unable to play any sports.
My mental health was completely in shambles. On August 3 I was back to see my hematologist for a routine check, ultrasound, and lab work. I was informed that I had a blood clot, the size of a writing pen, in my groin.
Before I was rushed off to the PICU, the hematologist told me, “You must have a guardian angel up there because this is twice.” I spent four days in the PICU on a heparin drip, hooked up to several machines, nurses, and doctors watching my every move and hearing/seeing some of the scariest things from other areas in the PICU.
Just when I thought my mental health was bad before, this round ruined me. After discharge, I spent four months giving myself enoxaparin sodium injections. I sat sidelined to all the sports I previously played. On November 29, 2023, I was finally given the all-clear. My clots had dissolved or hardened. I was free to go back to my life.
Sadly, my experience gave me severe anxiety, depression, and PTSD (which I am in therapy to help manage). It also allowed me to find out that I have a clotting disorder, prothrombin gene mutation, or factor II.
My blood clot risk factors were a perfect storm: In addition to factor II, I had broken my leg, had surgery (which left me non-weight-bearing for six weeks), was on estrogen-based birth control, and was dehydrated.
I would say no matter your age, take a look at all things in your life that could be considered a risk factor. I was a healthy, active teen and this happened to me! I think most people associate blood clots with older populations.
Resources
Pediatric Blood Clots
Prothrombin gene mutation (factor II)
Hospitalization
