My story starts on a fun family trip to New York City. The first day after our flight, I woke up with the most painful muscle cramp in my left calf. I stretched and walked it off throughout the day, and the pain subsided for a few hours. I went three more days of stretching and walking in pain.
Flight delays and a long, arduous journey the following day only worsened my leg pain. I went to sleep for a few hours only to be awoken by the throbbing in my left calf muscle.
Back home, I took myself to the nearest hospital and told them my story. They poked and prodded and did their tests and concluded that it may be a muscle strain. Because I mentioned a plane trip, they didn’t rule out a DVT just yet. The nurses seemed more inclined to diagnose a DVT than the doctor was.
I asked for any test that could rule out a DVT because I was worried about being in pain for so long. I knew the diagnosis was positive when the ultrasound tech looked me in the eye and said, “I am so glad you came to the hospital today.”
When the doctor came to deliver the diagnosis of a DVT, he seemed shocked. He explained that since I was young, he didn’t think a DVT was the cause. I was scared, but my eyes were open to how I needed to change my life and live healthily.
I stopped birth control due to my age (38), and because it put me at high risk for future clots. I am also losing weight to minimize the risks of clotting.
Eat healthy, live healthy, and stay healthy because you are never too young to be diagnosed with a blood clot.
