Woman

In the fall of 2023, I was a healthy 21-year-old college senior busy with graduate school applications and interviews. I was working out multiple days a week and going to class, trying to enjoy my last year of college. One night, I went bowling for the first time in a while and woke up the…

It began with excruciating back pain and shooting pains up my left leg. I felt unable to walk. The week that I noticed my first symptoms, I was back and forth to urgent care and the doctors. They kept saying the same thing, “You have nerve damage” (sciatica). They gave me painkillers and told me…

On Christmas Eve 2023, I slipped on ice and broke my kneecap. I spent eight weeks in a splint and kept my leg elevated. Two weeks later, I experienced shortness of breath and chest pain suddenly. I went to the ER and was diagnosed with a submassive bilateral PE with right heart strain. I spent…

In September 2024, I went on FMLA and short-term disability due to severe pain in my leg that was assumed to be a hamstring and calf cramp issue. Less than two months later, on Nov. 14, 2024, I had the biggest scare of my life. I woke up that morning and went to let my…

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…

When I went in for hip surgery to repair my labrum — a ring of cartilage in the hip that stabilizes and cushions the hip joint — I was excited. After two years of limited mobility, I couldn’t wait to get back to the active lifestyle I loved. I’d likely injured myself training for triathlons,…

I am a healthy 23-year-old woman and had never experienced any real health concerns. I walk the same route every morning to work, but on this particular morning, I was out of breath almost instantly. When I sat at my desk, I was still unable to catch my breath. It felt like the air was…

I had my first DVT and PE almost five years ago at 21 years old. My leg was hurting, but I kept ignoring it. When my dog Kiko started sniffing my leg and whining, I felt that something was wrong because that was unusual behavior for him. I went to urgent care, and they sent…

I was diagnosed with my clot in February 2022 after a period of immobility recovering from a torn hamstring. I was unaware of any underlying health conditions, and the blood clot was seemingly out of nowhere. The medical professionals where I was living at the time placed me on blood thinners and left me to…

I am a healthy 44-year-old mom, wife, and professional who has never had any health issues. But 2024 was an extremely busy year, and I was having a lot of stress and anxiety. In October, I started experiencing some minor pain in my shoulder. Within a few days, the pain had moved into my side…