PE

My story began in late 2018. I was on oral birth control for a few weeks in October 2018 and stopped as it caused mental health symptoms. A short time later, I experienced sudden increases in heart rate every time I got up to move, and progressed to sudden shortness of breath and a feeling…

As told by her sister, Heather. I experienced a blood clot. I survived. My sister didn’t. Around Thanksgiving of 2020, my 18-year-old sister Faith began complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath, and then she passed out at work. Over the next three days, my parents took her to the doctor three times, where…

On January 13, 2025, I was diagnosed with an unprovoked pulmonary embolism lodged in the main artery on the right side of my lung, blocking and restricting blood flow. I also have right-sided heart strain due to the clot. Just before Christmas, my right leg behind my knee became swollen and extremely painful. I have…

Watch a video of Brandon’s story: I had my first blood clot when I was 29. It started as a subtle cramp in my left calf—nothing alarming at first—but it slowly got worse, even with icing and massaging. When I woke up one morning and couldn’t put any weight on it, I knew something was…

As told by her sister, Vanessa Brenda passed away on January 10, 2025, at 36. After almost three months of waiting, our family finally learned the cause of her death: pulmonary embolism due to lower extremity deep vein thrombosis. I’d heard of this condition before but never thought someone her age could be affected. The…

As told by Paul’s mother, Denise. We wish we had known the symptoms of blood clots, and we wish we had known they can affect anyone, at any age, at any time. Sadly, Paul, Jr. was not one of the lucky ones. He did not survive his blood clot. He passed away on September 19,…

In early September 2024, I noticed major swelling in my left leg/ankle but did what any 34-year-old would do — I chalked it up to something I ate that was bad for me. I had massages lined up toward the end of September to make me feel better from other health issues and stress at…

I gave birth to my daughter on March 15, 2022 via C-section. By April 9, I had developed debilitating pain in my right lower extremity, as well as a low-grade fever. I called my doctor, and she stated my pain was sciatica and the fever was not attributed to my recent surgery. My leg didn’t…

As told by Finley’s mother, Veronica Finley had been diagnosed with factor V Leiden homozygous in May 2023. I asked for him to be tested due to family history. No one explained his diagnosis to us, nor was it given any credence when brought up at doctor appointments. In June of 2024, in the height…

My journey with blood clots has profoundly shaped my understanding of both physical and spiritual wellness, becoming the cornerstone of my life. The first episode occurred in 2011 when I was three months pregnant with my fifth child. I had been experiencing persistent pain in my left leg, I was dismissed each time I went…