Aged just 23, Julie had little awareness of blood clots, risk factors or that young people could be at risk.

On the 30 October 2012 I gave birth to my second son, I had pre-eclampsia, so delivery was quick however there were no complications, and I gave birth naturally to a health 5lb 10oz baby boy. I was discharged from hospital the next day.

A few days after this I was experiencing pain in my groin area, I also passed a very large vaginal clot. I contacted my midwife who explained that this was common with natural delivery and not to worry. A few days later I passed another clot this time slightly smaller. The groin pain had become worse, and so I was prescribed codeine, which did not really do anything to ease the pain. I was told that if the pain was still there on the Saturday (10th Nov) then I needed to go to the hospital for a checkup.

I woke with what I though was the onset of a cold

On the 9th November I woke with what I though was the onset of a cold, I was a little chesty but busy rushing around as it was the day I was registering my son’s birth. I got to the registry office with my husband and both our children when I felt very flushed and panicky. I was given a glass of water and then went to register my son. Whilst waiting in the reception for our taxi I felt very faint and collapsed (I don’t remember much after this so will tell the rest of my story from my husband’s perspective) an ambulance was called and the staff at the registry office helped me up onto a chair.

I felt very faint and collapsed

I then collapsed a second time falling off the chair. There was a doctor at the registry office who was also registering his child, he was seeing to me, and my husband said he looked worried as I was turning grey. The ambulance arrived and put me into a wheelchair I said to my husband “look after the boys”. I was taken to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital they found out I was a new mum and I guess they suspected a blood clot. They gave me morphine to calm my body down, but which resulted in me suffering from four separate cardiac arrests. The longest being for six minutes. I was stabilised and given heparin injections to thin my blood but this resulted in blood pouring from all outlets of my body (nose, mouth, ears).

My husband arrived at the hospital and was told that I was very poorly and that he needed to get my family to the hospital. They just kept telling him I was very poorly and that they could not tell him anything else.

My lungs were covered in blood clots

I was stabilised and put into an induced coma. My lungs were covered in blood clots, there was a very large blood clot in my pulmonary artery which caused the cardiac arrests. I had to have 13 blood transfusions. My kidneys stopped working and I was but onto a dialysis machine.

I remember not feeling sad just very confused

I was kept in an induced coma for four days after this I was woken up. I couldn’t speak properly as the tube in my throat had grazed my voice box, I couldn’t move due to my body shutting down. I remember not feeling sad just very confused. I had tubes coming out of both sides of my neck one up my nose and some in my arms and hands. I tried to lift my head, but I was just not strong enough.

I spent 14 days in intensive care working hard with physio to regain some strength. I was then allowed to go home.

if I’m honest I still have moments now mentally

Recovery took months and if I’m honest I still have moments now mentally however my health is good, and I have done some amazing things with my life since my clots.

I wish I’d have known about blood clots

The doctor explained that the pain in my groin would have been a blood clot that travelled through my body resulting in multiple bilateral pulmonary embolisms and PE in my pulmonary artery.

because the signs were there

I wish I’d have known about blood clots back then because the signs were there, I just never knew anything about blood clots prior to this especially in a person so young. I was 23 at the time.