Woman
I Developed Two More PEs While Hospitalized: Sarah’s Story
I took poorly at the end of March 2018 with what I thought was a chest infection. I was prescribed antibiotics, but I was gradually getting worse. The doctor then started me on treatment for pneumonia. I was still feeling very poorly, though, and when I coughed up blood, I went to A&E (emergency room…
It’s Better to be Safe Than Sorry: Kyarra’s Story
As told by her mother Star My beautiful daughter knew she wanted to be a mom when she was in kindergarten. In May 2022, when she 23 years old, she gave birth to her daughter. Due to some medical issues, she had she ended up having an unplanned C-section. Three weeks to the day of…
My Mental Health Has Suffered More Than My Physical Health: Denise’s Story
In May of 2019, I began experiencing a dry cough. It continued to progress to the point where I could no longer hold a conversation without coughing every four words or so. I went to a family doctor who brushed it off as adult-onset asthma and allergies, gave me a chest X-ray, and sent me…
Listen to Your Intuition, Manage Fear, and Advocate For Yourself: Julie’s Story
In October 2023, I had just returned from a Florida vacation. The following day, I woke up with a subtle ache in my left calf. When I shared with my husband, he casually said, “Do you have a blood clot?” But after years of international flights with no issues, it was easy to attribute the…
She Had No Known Risk Factors: Shelby’s Story
As told by her mother, Noelle. My daughter passed at age 27 from a saddle pulmonary embolism on February 28, 2024. She stayed home from work with a headache. She got up after a nap, came downstairs and passed out. She came to and was clammy and sweaty. She said she was fine but we…
Be Persistent When Something Doesn’t Feel Right: Ebony’s Story
Early in my pregnancy, I thought I’d pulled a muscle in my left calf. The pain was horrible for at least two weeks. I soaked it and elevated it, but the pain didn’t cease. I went to urgent care but they sent me home and told me to continue to take Tylenol, ice, and elevate.…
My PE Triggered a Seismic Shift in My Lifestyle: Wendy’s Story
In Paris, during my second night, searing pain tore through my right lung. I hurried to the hospital and straight into the ICU. Reality hit hard. Blood clots besieged my lungs, diagnosed as a pulmonary embolism (PE), stemming from a larger clot in my left calf—deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The cause? Not a mere muscle…
This Would Not Have Happened If We Were Educated on Blood Clots: Leah’s Story
As told by her mother, Dawn. My daughter Leah was a healthy 20-year-old college student who needed a pretty extensive knee surgery in 2017. She came home from Purdue and had the surgery on May 12, 2017 so she could be ready to get back for fall semester. On June 5, 2017, she had a…
My Resting Heart Rate Was 180: Mryn’s Story
The day before New Year’s Eve of 2017, I was experiencing a fast heart rate and shortness of breath. My Apple Watch was going crazy saying my resting heart rate was 180 and above. I ignored it, thinking it was broken. I went to bed and woke up the next morning with shortness of breath,…
It’s So Important to Fight For Your Health: Taylor’s Story
Throughout my pregnancy, I experienced pain and cramps in my legs, and lots of strange, unexplained bruising. My OB/GYN said it was normal. The last month of my pregnancy, I started having occasional chest pains and my breathing had become different. It didn’t feel like shortness of breath. The only way I could explain it…
