DVT
Surviving a Silent Killer: Lisa’s Story
I always thought of myself as person who wears many cape: a mom, a wife, and a friend. I was always on the go, shuffling my oldest child to high school and a job, taking both younger kids everywhere with me, while doing errands for myself, the house, the school, our brewery and at the…
Lower Back Pain was a Sign of Blood Clots: Kevin’s Story
“It’s nothing,” I thought when I had lower back pain at the age of 19 followed by odd cramps in my quadriceps while working out. See a doctor? “No way,” I thought. “I will fight through this, I can tolerate pain and I will be fine.” I even wrote off feeling exhausted, thinking that I…
The Day that Haunts Me Still: Dawn Leslie’s Blood Clot Story
On Sunday, August 9, 2015, after two weeks of pain in my right leg that felt like a strained muscle, I finally went to an urgent care facility. The doctor looked at my calf and stated that it should not have been swollen for two weeks from a muscle strain. She was very clear that…
10 Centimeters from Death: Rebeca Bushell’s Blood Clot Story
I am only 18 years old, and it has been a month since I was diagnosed with an extensive blood clot (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) in my left leg. It first started when I felt some soreness in my leg one day. Not having any education about blood clots, I just thought I had…
Gaining the Confidence to Pursue a Diagnosis: Helen’s Story
I am an avid recreational bicyclist. At the age of 51, I attempted my first multi-day bicycle tour. A couple of days after the six-day tour, I noticed a sharp pain in my left calf. It didn’t feel like a muscle pull. Honestly, it felt like a blood clot, but there was no redness and no…
I Am a Survivor: Sarah’s Story
I have always heard it said, “pain is weakness leaving the body,” and as a Marine, I’ve always been one to push my limits, but nothing could prepare me for what was to come. I found enjoyment in long distance runs long after I completed my time in the Marine Corps and trained for marathons.…
A Knee Injury Turned Dangerous: Jamie Kreger’s Blood Clot Story
My story begins with a knee injury in October 2015. I was in an immobilizer brace for about four weeks. I was also taking birth control pills. I was 39 years old and very active. On November 6, 2015, I woke up and then passed out once I stood up. About twenty minutes later, I…
The Most Terrifying Experience of My Life: Sue’s Story
I was 23 years old when I gave birth to my daughter in June 2010. During the last few months of my pregnancy, I sat and laid in bed a lot, because I suffered from sciatica, a condition in which compression of the spinal nerve causes pain in the lower back. Everything was normal with…
I Survived the Clot: Macie’s Story
My name is Macie Baker, and three years ago, at the age of just 15, I experienced a deep vein thrombosis (DVT or blood clot in the leg). Today, I’m 18, and I have post-thrombotic syndrome. I had no idea that my life would change forever on June 11, 2013. That day, my life changed…
It’s Like Having Sunburn Inside My Leg: Kerrianne’s Story
I want to share my story because, most importantly, it was as a result of reading patient stories on the National Blood Clot Alliance website that I went to get checked and was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my left calf. Let me tell you a little bit more about me. I am…