As told by her mother, Tina.
My daughter Kaylie passed away at the age of 21 from bilateral pulmonary emboli that had gone undiagnosed even though she had been to the doctor just three weeks prior to her death.
Her symptoms were severe upper back pain near her shoulder, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.
Unfortunately, she did not get to see her primary provider, and her symptoms were quickly dismissed as muscle strain and anxiety. No testing was performed and she was given a muscle relaxant for the pain.
I was with her that day and we both pleaded for something to be evaluated as this was the third episode like this in recent months and it just did not feel right. We were told to talk to her primary about it. We left feeling unheard and completely dismissed and we both knew something was not right.
Three weeks later, she woke up feeling nauseous and began vomiting. We thought she had picked up a stomach bug, but within the hour, her breathing became very labored. I asked if she needed to go to the emergency room, and she said yes.
We were preparing to leave the house, and the next thing I knew, she was face down on the floor. I immediately called 9-1-1, but it was too late. I performed CPR and they did all they could do once they arrived, but she was gone.
If only the doctor who saw Kaylie three weeks earlier had listened to us and had run some tests, just maybe my daughter would still be alive today.
Know the signs and symptoms and advocate for yourself and your family. Do not let any provider dismiss you when you know something is not right.
