In May 2024, a few days after delivering my first child via C-section, I began to feel heavy-chested and winded after doing very little, like walking and showering.
I had already been discharged as a patient, but my son was in the NICU, so we were staying across the hall in the hospital. I really didn’t think much of it at first. I thought that these were just normal post-C-section symptoms, until I brought them up to a friend of mine who is a labor and delivery nurse. She encouraged me to get checked out at triage down the hall, so later that night, I did.
I’m a type 1 diabetic as well, so I had concerns that I was experiencing pre-eclampsia, as I’m high risk for developing it. They did bloodwork and told me that they’d send me for more testing in the morning.
That night, I couldn’t lie on my back in bed. It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest, making it impossible to sleep, so I slept upright in a chair instead. The next morning, I went for a chest X-ray, an ultrasound of my legs, and a CT scan.
Shortly after, I was told that I had a bilateral pulmonary embolism, a clot that had likely started in my legs, travelled into my lungs, and then broke up into both sides of my lungs, caused either by pregnancy or the C-section. Being a diabetic put me at an even greater risk.
I knew absolutely nothing about blood clots at the time, and I was terrified. I thought I was going to die and leave behind my newborn and my husband. I was 28 years old and relatively healthy. I could never have imagined a diagnosis like this.
I spent 24 hours on IV blood thinners and endured twice-daily blood thinner injections for six months, which was physically and mentally challenging. I’ve made a full recovery since and am so grateful to be alive today!
I’ve learned to trust my body and instincts when something feels wrong. I have used NBCA resources to keep myself informed and to also read other survivors’ stories. It’s brought me comfort knowing I was not alone in this experience.
