Woman
The ER Doctor Immediately Assumed I Was Having a Panic Attack: Amy’s Story
One day I was hanging clothes on our clothesline outside. I bent down and suddenly felt really short of breath. After that, I was fine, but then experienced it again when walking or doing anything strenuous. Living in the South, I thought it must be seasonal allergies, but it continued to worsen. When I took…
I Was Filled With Clots: Savannah’s Story
I had my son via C-section in April 2023. During my pregnancy, doctors said my leg pain was sciatica. After having my son, I was having severe headaches, and the pain medicine I was given didn’t help. A week later, I had three seizures. After the first seizure, we went to a local hospital. They…
IVs Have Provoked All of My Blood Clots: Jillian’s Story
In February 2019, I had surgery to remove a benign bone tumor in my sacrum, a triangular bone that connects the spine to the pelvis. An IV was placed in my right arm prior to the procedure, but I noticed they had switched the IV site to my left arm when I woke up from…
This Took a Huge Toll on My Emotional Health: Holly’s Story
In May of this year, I began to feel bloated and my stomach area became distended. It was very uncomfortable. Shortly after, I started feeling upper left quadrant pain. I continued on for a day or two feeling increasingly worse. Finally, I went to the ER. They did blood work and an ultrasound of my…
My Doctor Failed Me: Getsemany’s Story
I had given birth via C-section, and my daughter was sent to the neonatal intensive care unit at a different hospital. My legs were swollen for a couple of days after giving birth, but I figured it was normal since they pumped me with so many fluids when I was in labor and delivery. Six…
My Life Is Not the Same: Lisa’s Story
I remember how excited I was. I was five months pregnant with my son. I had just started feeling him kick and move and I was busy planning the nursery, clothes, pictures, and working. When I left work on a Friday, my left leg was heavy and I was dragging it. Over the weekend my…
My Advice is to Know Your Body: Shelitha’s Story
In 2016 I had surgery after tearing my Achilles during a work softball game. My doctor told me I could return to work after two weeks, so I did. The first week went as smoothly as could be and used a knee roller. By the following week, I was having a hard time catching my…
I Advocate For Myself More: Jessi’s Story
In October 2021, I had a fall that caused my left knee to dislocate. It was determined that I had fractured my patella, and torn the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) in my knee. Since I had a history of dislocations, I opted for an MPFL reconstruction to reduce the chance of dislocation in the future.…
Don’t Give Up, Keep Going: Alejandra’s Story
In March 2019, I woke up with my left leg all red and swollen. Thanks to God and the speed with which I received medical attention, the doctors saved my life and also my leg. I was in hospital for four days and I had two surgeries. They put a filter in my vena cava…
Don’t Ignore Your Body’s Cry For Help: Connie-Vee’s Story
I’m an artist, and I was editing and spending long hours working with few breaks. In addition, I didn’t get up on my last flight from Washington, DC to Los Angeles. Prior to traveling, I noticed swelling in one leg, but I ignored it. Upon my return, I took a one-mile walk that normally takes…
