Patient Stories

In January 2015, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and started estrogen-based birth control. Two months later, I married an active duty Marine and moved from Georgia to Virginia. Around that time, I started getting severe charley horse pains in my right leg that caused me to cry. I thought maybe I was…

This January, Paul should be celebrating his 22nd birthday and preparing to finish his senior year of college in May, at the University at Buffalo, with a degree in Civil Engineering. Instead, we are celebrating his short life and bringing awareness to others about blood clots. We wish we would have known the symptoms of…

In early August 2015, after getting back from a tour — I’m a military musician — I noticed that my right calf/ankle area was more sore than normal following a long walk I had taken. I waited. I did a squat or leg day workout on Monday, and noticed that my right leg was taking…

As dentists, we are continually updating our knowledge about oral cancer, bacterial endocarditis, diabetes, cardiac disease and all the many ways they intertwine with what we are planning for our patients’ oral health needs. We are also tuned into the signs and symptoms of stroke, heart at- tacks, high and low blood pressure, and a myriad…

This photo was taken before I went to the ER, but I was already having shortness of breath upon exertion. That was my only symptom. I saw so many doctors and had three CT scans without dye and nothing was found on my lungs. One week in March 2015, my breathing got worse and one…

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…

Before that day, I was physically fit. I had recently won the National Championship in the Firefighter Combat Challenge. I was a full time Captain with the Fire Department, and the single parent of a 19 year old son, and 16 and 9 year old daughters. I was happy, my kids were happy. Life was…

My name is Lisa Nelson and I am 35 years old. I happened to run across the listing for the annual Austin Stop The Clot race on the calendar page from RunTex and was disappointed it was coming up so soon. I couldn’t possibly still sign up, but more importantly: Am I up for a…

I was recently asked to present to a professional group of thought leaders about my experiences with atrial fibrillation (AFib).  In preparing for that presentation, I put a lot of thought into how I might tell this story and in wondering about how I should start my story, and I realized that I was thinking…

On October 25th, 2012, I called my boyfriend to come and pick me up from work, despite living just a 10-minute walk away. The bad shoulder and back pain I had been dealing with in recent days turned into a sharp stabbing sensation throughout my body, leaving me breathless and unable to walk more than…