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I Had No Idea That the Pain in my Knee Was a Warning Sign: Mark’s Story
About a week after having an arthroscopy on my left knee, I was icing the top of the knee and commented to my wife that I really should be icing the back of my knee. What I did not know at the time was that the back of the knee hurt because I was passing…
My Diagnosis Was Cortical Venous Thrombosis in the Vein of Labbe: Oscar’s Story
My blood clot experience started with an intense fever and headache that lasted five days before I was hospitalized. On July 26, 2023, I was leading a work call when I suddenly became unable to pronounce the words on my computer screen. My girlfriend and our housemate took me to the emergency room, and as…
It Started as Leg Pain: Rusty’s Story
It started as a sharp pain in my leg when I walked. I thought it was from my shoes, or maybe I had bruised my foot at some point. After about a month of these symptoms, my other leg started to swell and turn red. My wife, who is a nurse, and my doctor both…
I Was Told it Was Just Inflammation: Alphonso’s Story
I am a 48-year-old male and in March 2023, I was diagnosed with a blood clot spanning from my lower right calf up to the pelvic area. This was the result of a meniscus procedure I had done on my right knee approximately four weeks earlier. The first symptoms I experienced were tightness, swelling,…
We Lost Our Son at the Age of 20: Adam’s Story
As told by his mother, Jenifer. On Dec. 3, 2020, I took my 18-year-old son, Adam, to the ER. He had severe back and leg pain, and his leg was swollen and purple. I thought that it was a pinched nerve or maybe a kidney infection. Doctors discovered a massive clot in his left…
The Body Has an Amazing Ability for Healing: John’s Story
I had a bad crash on my road bike in late February of 2023. My initial injuries were a broken clavicle, shattered elbow, fractured pelvis, three broken ribs, and subsequent collapsed lung. I had elbow surgery that night and waited a month for clavicle surgery. What wasn’t caught, however, was a brain bleed. I was…
I’ve Never Been So Panicked in My Life: Adam’s Story
I had just gotten over a cold where I was laid up in bed for a few days, so I went for a run to get back on the exercise train. Shortly into my run, I felt an odd pain in my chest and decided to cut it short. The pain worsened over the next…
My Blood Clots Were a Result of an Ankle Injury: Martin’s Story
In December 2012, I was at work when a mild discomfort in my rib cage quickly become excruciating. Upon arriving at the ER, I was given various tests, including an EKG and ultrasound, which revealed blood clots in both of my legs, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Further testing confirmed that I had blood clots…
I Was Fortunate to Have Survived This: Joe’s Story
In June 2017, I noticed a pain in my left calf. I had been walking several days a week, so I thought I may have pulled a muscle. I spent time trying to stretch it out over the next week, but it persistently got worse. The pain I had been having in my calf then…
The Medical Profession has a Long Way to Go: Joel’s Story
I’ve always been an active person, regularly hiking 40 miles a week. When I had extreme calf pain in 2011 at 54 years old, I went to ER and was diagnosed with an unprovoked deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and was prescribed warfarin for six months. They did not know what caused the DVT and did…