Pregnancy
I Live with Both APS and Factor V Leiden: Eloise’s Story
It was December 2020, and I was about four weeks pregnant. I spent a lot of time lounging on the sofa during the festive break. One day I noticed my arm began to feel tight and stiff, but I put it down to my lounging and holding my phone. Around a week passed and my…
I Strive to be a Champion for Others: Corena’s Story
My journey with blood clots has profoundly shaped my understanding of both physical and spiritual wellness, becoming the cornerstone of my life. The first episode occurred in 2011 when I was three months pregnant with my fifth child. I had been experiencing persistent pain in my left leg, I was dismissed each time I went…
My Identity As a Lifelong Runner Changed Forever: Becca’s Story
A week after I delivered my beautiful, Covid baby in August 2020, my identity as a lifelong runner changed forever. I was diagnosed with a DVT and admitted to a New Mexico hospital. I felt like my baby had been ripped from me. Covid visitation prevented my husband Dan or my baby from seeing me.…
I’m A Three-Time Pulmonary Embolism Survivor: Mallory’s Story
I am a three-time pulmonary embolism survivor! My first PE was in 2003 after childbirth complications (including a collapsed lung), which caused me to be hospitalized for one month. After I was released from the hospital, I returned one week later with shortness of breath while my lungs were still healing and stayed in the hospital…
I Made a Goodbye Video For My Daughter: Ashley’s Story
On October 6, 2024, at 36 weeks pregnant, I found myself in the emergency department of the hospital where I began and ended my bedside nursing career. My shortness of breath and elevated heart rate, which could have easily been attributed to pregnancy itself, were soon discovered to be due to a submassive saddle pulmonary…
My Doctor Dismissed My Leg Pain as Sciatica: Ashley’s Story
At 31 weeks pregnant, I was getting ready for the arrival of my baby when I started experiencing extreme pain in my left leg. I remember going to my baby shower and barely being able to walk. This was very concerning, so the next day, I called my OB/GYN and explained my symptoms. Unfortunately, she…
We Need More Voices, But Too Many of Us Aren’t Lucky Enough to Share Our Stories: Kyra’s Story
When I gave birth to my son, I was so excited to be a parent. But I began having headaches that were not normal. In the hospital, I was given medication to clot my blood because of slightly more than average blood loss. I was also given extra blood pressure checks because my blood pressure…
My Leg Pain Was Shrugged Off as a Labor Injury: Courtney’s Story
At five days postnatal, I started having pain in my right calf. I rang maternity at the hospital, who ran through the clot checklist: “Is it hot to touch? No. Is it red? No. Is it swollen? No.” Apart from the pain, there were no other symptoms. I was told to ring back if the…
I Experienced DVTs on Three Occasions: Joanna’s Story
My first DVT was in July 1995, two weeks after the birth of my first (and only) child. I had a shooting pain in my left buttocks and rode an ambulance to the hospital with my newborn and husband. The ER docs did not seem to consider the possibility of a DVT and were looking…
My Family History With Clots Saved My Life: Sadie’s Story
In December 2022, I experienced a miscarriage and developed constant pain in my right calf. Because my mom and an extended family member have a history of blood clots, I called my doctor right away to get it looked at. The doctor ran a D-dimer blood test and it came back high, so an ultrasound…
