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I Went to Yoga With 15 Blood Clots in My Lungs and Didn’t Know It: Laura’s Story
What I thought was a regular day led to a nightmare. The Vacation My husband and I decided to go on vacation — a very short flight (1.5 hours) to Mexico. During the flight, I felt the chills that wouldn’t go away, even once we arrived at our destination. I had to stand in the…
They Told Me I Have Factor V Leiden 15 Years Ago, But Was Told Not to Worry: Karen’s Story
Live Your Life 15 years ago my mom had surgery for lung cancer. Two weeks later she had a clot in her leg and a PE. They found out she had Factor V Leiden. They told all 5 of her children to get checked. I was the only one and found out I have it…
I Thought It Was From Bad Air Quality — My Lung Was Filled With Clots: Shawna’s Story
Listen to Your Body During fire season in Southern California, I was experiencing shortness of breath that I attributed to bad air quality. It Got Worse As the week progressed it got worse and I began to feel pain in my back. By Friday, I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my back anytime I…
I Assumed It Was Normal Recovery Pain. It Was a Blood Clot in My Lung: Breighdun’s Story
Every Day Is a True Blessing On April 7, 2024, I experienced an aching pain in my side that I believed was a pulled muscle. A week earlier, I had undergone a hysterectomy — so I assumed the discomfort was part of the normal recovery process. My Aunt Recognized the Risk When I mentioned my…
“Don’t Wait or Gaslight Yourself. You Have One Life:” Alexus’s Story
Don’t Wait or Gaslight Yourself. You Have One Life. I had a pulmonary embolism in December 2025. It Started With a Fever A couple of days before, I was sick with a fever. My left leg started to hurt so bad — like a Charley horse. No matter what I did, nothing helped. Day Three…
After 8 Hours of Brain Surgery, a Blood Clot Almost Killed Me: Nicole’s Story
The Perfect Storm I was diagnosed with Long COVID in August 2025. In October 2025, I underwent an eight-hour surgery for Chiari Malformation — an experience that ultimately improved my quality of life. However, about a week and a half after returning home, I developed a pulmonary embolism in my right lung — something that…
A Dull Pain on a Flight Home That Almost Cost Me Everything: Caden’s Story
My Experience with a Pulmonary Embolism I’m 23, a college athlete, and I’ve always considered myself healthy and strong. I play baseball and was finishing up my senior year — just about a month and a half from graduation. I never imagined that something like this could happen to me. It Started on a Flight…
“Would We Lose Our Baby?” — A DVT Diagnosis at 23 Weeks: Annie’s Story
I never thought a blood clot would be part of my story. I was a former Division I athlete, a college football executive, healthy, active, and someone who had always been accustomed to pushing through pain. August 2024 In August 2024, I was 23 weeks pregnant with our first son — the baby my husband…
Most People Don’t Survive That: Carter’s Story
Living on House Credit and Doctor Time Written within two months of saddle pulmonary embolism I was 59 years old when, on Thursday, March 27, 2025, I suffered a massive saddle pulmonary embolism. My right lung was almost completely blocked, and my left lung had a large blockage as well. The embolism resulted from an…
“My God. I Could Have Died:” Cheryl’s Story
Listen to Your Body I’m 68 now. I’ve had asthma most of my life. It’s under control most of the time. February 2025 The first of February 2025, my breathing was not good. I thought it was my asthma. My nebulizer was doing nothing. I went to urgent care. They did a chest x-ray and…
