Patient Stories
Be Your Own Advocate: Michelle’s Story
My name is Michelle, and like many of the patient stories on this site, I stumbled upon the Stop The Clot Facebook page during my research for more information on blood clots. On October 29, 2013, I survived a life-threatening blood clot in my calf (deep vein thrombosis or “DVT”) and lungs (pulmonary embolism or…
My Daughter Died From The Pill at 16: Theresa’s Story, As Told By Her Mother
Note: This is Theresa’s story, as told by her mother Laura Femia Buccellato: My story……….My 16 year old daughter Theresa came to me and told me she had sexual intercourse for the first time. I was not happy about it, but I was happy she came to me about it. She asked me about going…
The Doctor Didn’t Listen: Jason’s Story, As Told by His Mother
Note: This is Jason’s story as told by his mother, Becky Hilty This story is about my son Jason Michael Hilty, born November 9, 1988. Jason died of a DVT on September 20, 2008. He was 19 and a second year student at Auburn University in Alabama. Jason had been complaining of pain in his…
The Best Cure is Knowledge: Cedric’s Story
As U.S. Army Master Fitness Trainer, I was use to physically challenging my body. So it was not unusual, when in August of 2002 I shrugged off a sharp pain in the calf of my leg – a pain that had jolted me from a restful morning sleep. “What is it,” I thought, and quickly…
No Longer Nonadherent: Shawna’s Story
Shawna was never too keen on going to the doctor. By her own admission, she did so fairly infrequently. So, it came as quite a shock when she found herself at her doctor’s office, and surrounded by no less than three physicians, waiting for an ambulance to transport her to the hospital. “I didn’t go…
Debbe’s Prescription for Adherence: Patient Empowerment
It was mid-March in 2009, and spring was just a few days away. The weather was inviting, but Debbe McCall didn’t take her daily walk that morning. She woke up that day to her heart racing. A quick check with her blood pressure cuff showed that her pulse was 121 beats per minute, and her…
In Memory of Jamie Lee Gravley: His Blood Clot Story
My name is Melanie Gravley, and I am 23. This story is about my husband, Jamie Lee, who lost his life due to a pulmonary embolism (PE) in June 2012 at age 22. We were together since June 20, 2007, married on Sept 3, 2010, and welcomed a son on May 20, 2011. We…
Don’t Stop Fighting: Tara’s Story
Tara Robison was startled at age 20 by 21 blood clots in her lungs. She was misdiagnosed at first, but her persistence in seeking further care saved her life. In June 2010, I felt a pain in the right side of my upper chest that I thought at first was just gas pain. I…
Do Not Wait to Seek Care: Melissa’s Story
I was a healthy 25-year-old who ran numerous half marathons, sprint triathlons, and I am also an active Crossfitter. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d battle life-threatening blood clots in my calf (deep vein thrombosis/DVT) and lungs (pulmonary embolism/PE). I noticed lingering calf pain in my left leg in September 2011. There…
I Was Told I Had a UTI: Jennifer’s Story
If someone would have told me a year ago that my birth control pills were killing me, I would have laughed. At 25 years old, I was on the top of my game. Professionally, I had just started my dream job six weeks prior as a meteorologist at NBC 6 in Miami. Physically, I was…
