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Hormone Replacement Therapy Likely Caused My Blood Clots: Janene’s Story
In November 2023, I had been experiencing calf pain for several weeks, which I assumed was a pulled muscle as I had recently started an exercise program. I also had a nagging cough which I assumed was a seasonal cold. By November 30, my entire leg had doubled in size, so I quickly went to…
I Refuse to Be a Victim: Mickey’s Story
After returning home from a weekend of skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado, I woke up with low back pain and pain in my chest on a Monday morning. I didn’t think much of it because it was normal for me to be sore after exercise, and I’ve always struggled with exercise-induced asthma as a lifelong Colorado…
This Has Completely Changed Everything: Andrea and Andre’s Story
Wednesday, January 18, 2023, will be a day I will never forget. It started as an ordinary day at home with my two children, Amelia, and Andre. My son Andre, who had just turned 3 a month before, had been sick for about a week. I had already taken him to the pediatrician just three…
Advocating For Awareness Has Been Incredibly Rewarding: Dan’s Story
On July 31, 2021, after being misdiagnosed and sent home almost a week prior, I finally received a diagnosis that would forever change my life: sub-massive pulmonary emboli and pulmonary infarction. I call it “the back pain that saved my life.” My primary symptom was upper back tightness and discomfort, which I later learned was…
Monitor Your Own Vitals: Jamie’s Story
It was June of 2023. I was five days postpartum when I started to get really erratic blood pressure readings. It would go from 177/206 to 123/79 within minutes, up and down like a roller coaster. I was also having palpitations and I remember telling the doctor later that I had a twinge of pain…
My Lungs Felt Itchy: Jessica’s Story
In 2021 I was feeling healthier than I had in years because I spent the previous 10 months working out and eating better. On April 14, I had varicose veins treated in my right leg. Two weeks later, I had a follow-up where they did an ultrasound on the leg and released me to resume…
My Doctor Told Me I Almost Died: Tonia’s Story
On March 21, 2024, I woke up having extreme shortness of breath while trying to get ready for work. Finally, I decided to text my boss to tell him I was going to be late. I made it to work at 10:00 and let my boss know what was going on with me. At the…
I’m Happy to Be Alive: Lizzie’s Story
In September 2022, I underwent a foam sclerotherapy on the great saphenous vein in my left leg to treat a varicose vein. This is a minimally-invasive, non-surgical procedure that involves injecting a foam mixture into varicose veins to treat underlying vein conditions. At the time, I was unknowingly Covid positive for the second time in…
I’m Proud of How Far I’ve Come: Juliana’s Story
Less than two days after giving birth to her first baby, my aunt died of blood clots in her lungs and heart. I was 13 at the time and the news shocked the whole family. Two weeks after her funeral, I had some strange leg pain. I thought I had pulled a muscle or injured…
My Doctors Say I’m Lucky: Marta’s Story
I was at work just sitting down when my heart started racing. My Apple Watch alerted me that my heart was beating at 140 bpm, something I had never felt before. I chalked it up to just being overworked and tired. So I sat down drank some water and took a break. My heart started…