As told by her sister Ashley
My sister Jessica was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis that caused her to have a pulmonary embolism when she was 21 and she almost died.
She had an IVC filter placed at that time, but it didn’t keep her from developing another DVT in July 2023 that caused her to have a PE again, and this time it took her life.
Jessica wasn’t great about having knowledge of her condition and what she should do to prevent clots from returning. She probably even thought she was invincible and protected with the filter in place, but she’s gone now, and she was only 36.
There has been so much my family has learned, but for us, it’s too late. Losing my sister at such a young age has been very difficult for me and my family and we miss her every day. I wish I would have been more involved with her health care, but more so I wish she knew just how serious the outcome could be.
Follow-up care with your doctor is so important, and so is living a healthy lifestyle. It’s also important to avoid risk factors that can cause clots.
I recently learned about Stop the Clot and wanted to share my sister’s story in hopes it will reach others in similar situations to catch and prevent something before it is too late.
Resources
Interventional Therapies to Prevent Blood Clots
Know Your Risk
Follow-Up Care
