Misdiagnosed

My mum saved my life. I was diagnosed with upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or a blood clot in my arm, in late June 2019. I started showing signs and symptoms at the beginning of the month. I was 26 years old, had a 9 to 5 job, and loved going to the gym.…

During my first pregnancy at 15 years old, I started to have intense burning and numbness on my left side groin and hip region that my OB/GYN stated was normal pregnancy pain. After giving birth, I followed up with my primary doctor and neurologist. All of my doctor’s visits concluded with no diagnosis. My second…

At 15 years old, I began taking hormonal contraceptives to relieve migraines. I received my prescription quickly after a brief medical exam where I was asked about my family history. I never imagined my journey on hormonal contraceptives would end abruptly nine years later after an emergency room diagnosis of bilateral pulmonary emboli, or bloods…

I went to the ER in April 2020 with severe pain in my right chest and back area. I couldn’t lie flat, or take any deep breaths, like coughs or sneezes. I couldn’t bend forward to pick anything up, and I was getting fatigued from the pain. It had gone on for three days before…

In 2016, life was normal. I was balancing a full-time desk job, motherhood, and the excitement of a second pregnancy. However, around 32 weeks into my pregnancy, things started to take a turn for the worse when I developed pain in my left hip. Worried, I went to the doctor, who, without fully examining me,…

I was diagnosed with the genetic clotting disorder factor V Leiden when I was 15 years old. My aunty (my dad’s sister) had a blood clot during pregnancy and she learned she had FVL, which led to members of my family, including me, being tested for it too. While growing up, FVL never had any…

My name is Michele. I am a healthcare worker, mother, and recent survivor of venous thromboembolism (blood clots in the veins, which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism). I am sharing my story to raise awareness, both on a general level as well as from the perspective of a healthcare worker. In January 2020,…

In December 2016, my life felt as full as it could get. I had six kids ranging in age from 1 year old to 12 years old, a busy freelance writing career, and involvement in various community organizations, including a parent advocacy group I had helped form a year before. Yet, my concept of “busy”…

In July of 2019, I nearly fainted in my lobby on my way to work. My roommate was gone all summer, so I phoned my parents who talked me through the symptoms I had and advised me to call an ambulance. I met the emergency medical technician outside and after a quick electrocardiogram of my…

In March of 2020, I had my second child via C-section. The surgery went well, and my baby was healthy. However, afterwards, I had a significant postpartum hemorrhage, which caused my body to have to work very hard to clot. About a week after coming home from the hospital, I developed a low-grade fever and…