Woman
Take Care of Yourself: Kara’s Story
November 2 is a day that will forever haunt me. The previous day I got up from my work desk and was extremely lightheaded. It was almost as if I couldn’t walk, I was so dizzy. I grabbed a snack thinking maybe my blood sugar was low, but it didn’t help. I chalked it up…
Erring on the Side of Caution: Lindsey’s Story
In March of 2020, I had my second child via C-section. The surgery went well, and my baby was healthy. However, afterwards, I had a significant postpartum hemorrhage, which caused my body to have to work very hard to clot. About a week after coming home from the hospital, I developed a low-grade fever and…
I Was Supposed to be Fit and Healthy: Jen’s Story
On a Sunday evening in February, I got into bed and noticed I had a headache on the right side of my head. I felt pressure in my ear and thought I might have an ear infection. I couldn’t sleep much, but I got up on Monday and went into university assuming it would settle.…
A Super Bowl Sunday Like No Other: Nina’s Story
Super Bowl Sunday in February of 2016 seemed like it was going to be just a normal day of eating great snacks, laughing at commercials, and judging the halftime show like I was a professional critic. I woke up that morning with what felt like I slept wrong or pulled something in my shoulder. I…
You’re Not Too Young: Amy’s Story
Everything started when I was 16 years old, which was six years ago. I couldn’t breathe, and even while walking a few steps, I was out of breath. I was taken to the hospital for what they thought was a chest infection. They did not think it was blood clots because I was so young.…
Blood Clots Are Not Supposed to Happen Again: Jill’s Story
My story began after a total right hip replacement at 36 years old. What was supposed to be a routine and life-changing surgery, due to only being in my thirties, turned out very differently. I developed a rare, but serious complication that resulted in the loss of my right quadriceps function. I had no feeling,…
The Road Trips That Changed My Life: Cydnee’s Story
At just 23 years old, I have suffered with not only a DVT (deep vein thrombosis or blood clot in the leg), but also a PE (pulmonary embolism or blood clot in the lung). I was taking estrogen-based birth control pills for two years when I had a visit with my primary care physician due…
I Thought I Did Everything Right: Lauren’s Story
At 32 years old, I had my meniscus repaired and a Fulkerson osteotomy (surgical procedure to restore knee stability) was performed to prolong the integrity of my knee. It was my fourth knee surgery and I expected everything to go according to plan. However, I found myself wondering, could this surgical procedure cause me to…
The Death of Prince Helped to Save My Life: Michele’s Story
One spring morning in 2016, I woke up from a long, deep sleep in my California apartment. I turned on the morning Los Angeles news and saw that the musician Prince had died. I also simultaneously realized, in that moment, that I could not feel my toes in my right foot. I had been limping…
Sharing My Story, My Final Step in Healing: Shelley’s Story
At 23 years old, I never thought I would be lying in a hospital bed surrounded by doctors who were baffled by one of the youngest cases of blood clots in the lung that they had ever seen. It was the summer of 2014, and my husband and I had just bought our first home…
