DVT
What Affects Me Most is the Anxiety: Jocelyn’s Story
I started to get sick very frequently around March 2019. I was having terrible colds and coughing all of the time. A few months later, I started having difficulty climbing stairs and couldn’t even walk without developing shortness of breath and feeling like I was having a heart attack. I went to my primary care doctor…
I Had a Blood Clot at 14: McKenna’s Story
When I was 14, I flew to my dad’s house in California to celebrate Christmas with him and my siblings. By the middle of the week, my left thigh was swollen, red, and hot and I couldn’t walk on it. I tried many things to get myself moving, but it hurt too much. When I…
No One Told Me What Was Going On: Cassandra’s Story
I am a 41-year- old woman. I was diagnosed with a massive pulmonary embolism (PE) and a large deep vein thrombosis (DVT), respectively, in my lung and left calf, in March of 2014. I had no idea what was going on. I was making my kids a snack and got so dizzy that it literally…
Nurses Say I’m a Miracle: Marcus’ Story
I am a 39-year-old Native American. I have had 23 pulmonary emboli (PE) and 31 incidents of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) starting at age 22, caused by the factor V Leiden mutation. I also have congenital protein C and S deficiencies. Nurses say I’m a miracle and call me a medical anomaly. Doctors ask…
Know the Risks of Estrogen-Based Birth Control: Melissa’s Story
After giving birth to my daughter by emergency c-section due to preeclampsia, I started to feel very ill. My right leg was throbbing and my chest hurt. I followed up with the doctor on this, and a quick scan showed blood clots in my leg (deep vein thrombosis) and my chest (pulmonary embolism). I was…
It Started with Stumbling up the Stairs: Misty’s Story
On March 31, 2022, I stumbled coming up a single step into my house. This stumble caused me to roll my ankle and strain my left calf muscle. I thought nothing of it at the time – I was a little sore but felt fine. Three days later, I left for spring break and was…
Not Just Calf Pain: Kayla’s Story
During the summer of 2012, I was going into my senior year of college and was training for Kent State’s Annual Black Squirrel 5k Race. I grew up playing soccer and I figured running a 5k would be a breeze. Little did I know, it was going to change my life forever. I was up…
It Could Have Been Prevented: Andrea’s Story
On November 7, 2020, I received a phone call from my stepson Conner. I could tell by the fear in his voice that something was terribly wrong. I remember his exact words, “Dad is conscious, but you need to meet us at the hospital now! Dad is in an ambulance they’re taking him to the…
Young People Get Blood Clots Too: Michelle’s Story
When I had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my left leg, I was a 19-year-old college freshman who had never heard of blood clots before. I assumed I’d broken my leg and hobbled to two classes before going to the hospital. The hospital was a rural one with only four beds in the ER,…
Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute: Marianne’s Story
In December of 2020 I started having some breathing issues. It was a struggle to make it up stairs and I seemed more exhausted than usual. I thought I was just tired and needed to rest. I told myself I would rest over the holidays and that I would eventually be fine. January rolled around…
