PE

On the morning of December 21, 2021, Jason and his family were planning to spend the day Christmas shopping—just a simple, joyful day together. Instead, it became the day their lives changed forever. Jason was 50 years old when he passed away unexpectedly. That morning, his youngest daughter found him on the ground. He was…

I am a 24-year-old first-year medical student. On December 18, 2025, I was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment. That day, I initially presented the emergency department with severe shortness of breath, near-syncope (fainting), and a rapid heart rate (tachycardia). I …

In February 2022, when I was 16 years old, I woke up with intense chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain in my left leg. At first, I thought I had COVID-19, as I had no idea what a blood clot was. However, after visiting my pediatrician, I was told to go to the emergency…

In October 2024, I had a sore groin for three days. Scans showed nothing, and my GP said it was likely a muscle strain from work (I’m a crane driver). I was given pain relief and told to rest. On the fourth day, I woke up unable to walk. My leg was swollen and purple.…

I’ve been in and out of the hospital throughout the year, starting in January, when I underwent surgery to treat a pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). I had been experiencing pain and swelling in my leg, but I didn’t have any symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, like chest pain or shortness of…

On December 15, 2022, I sprained my ankle and was checked at urgent care for a possible break. I was told that I had no break, but that I should not put any weight on my ankle for five days. After that, I was able to put some weight on the ankle, but I started…

I had a pulmonary embolism on September 10, 2025 at 24 years old. A couple weeks before, I noticed the left side of my back and neck were hurting. I thought I was just sore from Pilates so I took ibuprofen and didn’t think much about it. On September 5, I got engaged in Las…

As told by Lauren, a nurse practitioner residing in Rochester, NY, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice student at Duke University School of Nursing. It was after nine in the evening when my phone rang. It was my best friend, calling a little later than usual. I had “Married at First Sight” on TV—my guilty…

Two weeks after hip labral repair surgery, my thigh became very sore. I assumed it was from new exercises in physical therapy, but a few days later my calf became painful also. I was having a hard time getting around, so I called my insurance company’s 24/7 nurse hotline in the middle of the night.…

I ran my first 5K in years the Sunday before all this happened. During the race, I injured my right knee. On Monday, I went to the doctor and was told to try rest, ice, compression, and elevation, and to use crutches for a few days. The first day on crutches wasn’t bad, but by…