My blood clot story started at a time that should’ve been the happiest of our lives — we had just become a family of four! A few days after giving birth to our second child, I developed a severe headache.
Unfortunately, at the ER, I was misdiagnosed and treated for post-partum pre-eclampsia. After a few difficult days in the hospital, I was released with medication for my blood pressure. However, 12 hours later, my blood pressure spiked, and my severe headache returned worse than before.
We rushed back to the hospital with our newborn baby. After a few hours, I went into a full-blown, convulsive seizure. The last thing I remember was trying to say the words, “Help me.” I then lost consciousness.
I was transferred to the neuro ICU and admitted to the hospital. An MRI and MRV were completed and we finally had answers — a blood clot! More precisely, I had CVST, or cerebral venous sinuous thrombosis. A blood thinner was immediately administered. After a few weeks of inpatient care, I was discharged and thrust into a new life as a blood clot patient and survivor.
A few years later, I needed a surgical procedure and cleared it with my hematologist. Doctors thought my CVST was related only to pregnancy, so I wasn’t considered to be at risk for developing another clot. However, a week after surgery, I experienced chest pain that was more severe than my surgical pain.
I received devastating news. I had multiple pulmonary emboli in my lungs, and I’d need to be on blood thinners indefinitely. My hematologist believes I may have a currently unidentified or undiscovered clotting disorder.
My blood clot experience has changed my life. I have some discomfort in the areas where my clots were. I have anxiety about developing another clot. I think about the “what ifs” of those days in the hospital.
I’m thankful to be able to advocate for blood clot patients and survivors. I’m thankful for my life and my family. I’m thankful to NBCA for providing me with a support system of other clot survivors and for their invaluable resources. I’m proud to be part of this NBCA community.
Resources
Women and Blood Clots
Know Your Risk
Living Your Best Life on Blood Thinners
