As told by her daughter Kirsten
My mother Sonja was a sparkling school principal and 62 years old. She loved her teachers and children.
In mid January 2022, she had a pain behind knee that she was used to, as she had mild arthritic chronic pain. She made her usual chiropractor appointment on January 27, 2022 and that is what dislodged her embolism.
On February 2, 2022 she was having mild shoulder pain, was feeling low and didn’t want to eat lunch. I spoke to her at 8 p.m. and that was the last time I ever heard her voice.
By 7 a.m. on February 3, 2022, I was standing over her body where she had collapsed in her room and died. I had no idea how my young and vibrant mother had just died. We ordered an autopsy and the cause of death was a saddle pulmonary thromboembolism.
We don’t know if she had a clotting disorder. I was tested and I am negative.
I lost my best friend and have battled to come to terms with how suddenly she died. I wish she had gone to see a doctor, but the symptoms were so subtle and her death so sudden.
My advice to others is if you feel unwell, don’t dismiss it. Listen to your body.
Resources
Blood Clot Resource Center
Signs and Symptoms
Facebook Support Group
