
It was so sudden—he didn’t even get off the airbridge at the airport before he collapsed. Just a minute before, they were chatting away about having a nice cup of tea.
In 2022, Robert collapsed and died, but there had been a previous episode in 2016, however there are still so many unanswered questions surrounding that event. He was told he didn’t need to continue with medication and wasn’t under any consultants. He had one diagnostic test a year and was told he was fine. Linda can no longer access his records, but she worries for her children and grandchildren.
Robert’s mum also died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism at age 62. Robert survived the 2016 event by chance—it could have been fatal if he’d been discharged as planned because he seemed fine, and all tests came back okay. However, a young doctor insisted on one more test, which detected the blood clots. Despite surviving then, Robert later died at age 62, just like his mum. The age similarity could be coincidental, but their lifestyles were so different.
Linda’s concerns remain, especially for her children and grandchildren. Her story highlights the importance of vigilant, ongoing medical care and awareness of family history when it comes to life-threatening conditions like pulmonary embolisms.
