Misdiagnosed
It’s So Important to Fight For Your Health: Taylor’s Story
Throughout my pregnancy, I experienced pain and cramps in my legs, and lots of strange, unexplained bruising. My OB/GYN said it was normal. The last month of my pregnancy, I started having occasional chest pains and my breathing had become different. It didn’t feel like shortness of breath. The only way I could explain it…
The Pressure and Pain Were Unbearable: Autumn’s Story
No one will ever forget when the world shut down because of COVID in 2020. A few days later, I started to lose feeling in my left leg. Whenever I stood up, my leg turned purple. While everyone else was taking walks to pass the time during lockdown, I was finding it harder and harder…
I Thought I Had a Blood Clot, But No One Listened: Cherree’s Story
Three months after a surgical procedure, I went to urgent care as my leg was turning colors and I couldn’t walk. I was told that I had plantar fasciitis on the top of my foot. That was so off track, so I went to a sports medicine doctor who diagnosed me with tendonitis just by…
Don’t Ignore the Ache: Demi’s Story
In September 2022, I gave birth to my second child, a little boy weighing 9 lbs. and 11 oz. Sadly, he passed away at 12 days old due to issues during my labor, which caused brain damage, specifically hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). At my six-week checkup with my general practitioner, I mentioned pain in my stomach…
This Experience Has Scared Me: Sally’s Story
At 45, I was a healthy, active mom and just thought I was having ongoing respiratory issues from a previous cold and cough. I suddenly had pain in my chest, shortness of breath, and a rapid heart rate, which got worse if I walked around. I went to a walk-in clinic the next day, where…
Many Doctors Aren’t Familiar with CVST: Abigail’s Story
I woke up one morning with the worst headache of my life. I immediately thought it was a migraine because my mom suffers from them. I had also been sick for weeks before, so I thought it could have been from that. So I popped a couple of ibuprofen and went to work. It never…
I Want to Help Raise Awareness: Corrinne’s Story
In the spring of 2023, I gained a new appreciation for the gift of breathing. Over a period of weeks, I grew increasingly short of breath. As I was misdiagnosed twice, first with allergy-induced asthma and then bronchitis, I struggled more and more to breathe during everyday activities. After several weeks, I was so short…
My DVT Was Misdiagnosed as Postpartum Swelling: Chelsea’s Story
In the Spring of 2013, I was expecting my first children, twin girls! My twins arrived at just 30 weeks and were both in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). About 2-3 weeks after their birth, I noticed some discoloration on my leg, and it felt a little weak. I went to urgent care, where…
I Felt Like I Was Having a Heart Attack: Andrew’s Story
For over a month and a half, I had excruciating, indescribable pain in my leg. I was given lab tests, but doctors couldn’t detect anything. My PCP and the ER continued to give me steroids and pain medication, stating it must be coming from my back, which made no sense based on the pain and…
The ER Sent Me Home With No Answers: Emily’s Story
When I was 34 weeks pregnant and 25 years old, I started experiencing pain in my left calf. Being a nurse, I started to question when I should be concerned about the pain. I reached out to my obstetrician and was advised to drink more water and walk more often. The following weekend, I traveled…
