Schoolteacher succumbs to Blood Clot 4 months after wedding

Schoolteacher Helen Thompson died one day after being diagnosed with a blood clot on her brain.  She wound up at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital on December 11th after suffering a seizure, three weeks after feeling hyper-sensitivity in her feet.  She had been admitted to the Royal Berkshire Hospital on November 25th for a possible inflammation on her spine.

Her husband of four months, James Thompson told the Oxford Mail, ““We had just got married. She left me still loving me, still wanting me, with me wanting her and loving her.  We loved each other so much.”

The previously healthy woman slipped into unconsciousness during one of the seizures and within hours had passed away.  Emergency surgery had been scheduled but the blood clot caused a hemorrhage.

“The doctors said they had never seen a case like this before. It was just so fast. Because she was on the contraceptive pill, she was at a higher risk of clots, but this was very rare,” Thompson is quoted as saying.

“We don’t really want to go through the process of trying to point fingers and blame.  It was a very scary situation. They hoped they could operate, but in the time between getting from Royal Berks to the JR it had spread so much it was impossible to do anything. It was just so fast – literally a few hours. She never woke up again.”

From our friends at the National Blood Clot Alliance, here are the most common signs and symptoms of blood clots.

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS – DVT:

• Swelling, usually in one leg
• Leg pain or tenderness
• Reddish or bluish skin discoloration
• Leg warm to touch

Contact your doctor if you have these symptoms, because you may need treatment right away.

PULMONARY EMBOLISM – PE:

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain-sharp, stabbing; may get worse with deep breath
• Rapid heart rate
• Unexplained cough, sometimes with bloody mucus

If you or someone you know are experiencing these symptoms call an ambulance or 911 immediately for treatment in the ER.

Photo Credit: Oxford Mail

webleed.org – your source for bleeding news!