Unnecessary
Angela Miller may have saved my life. I just wish someone could have saved hers. Angela went to Powell High School when I was there. I didn’t know her, but I knew who she was and there are many, many people who loved her and are grieving her death today. If you want to know more about her story click here: Angela’s Memorial Video. It’s always heartbreaking to hear about a classmate passing, especially when she is only 28. But my heart stopped when I read the cause of death. Blood clots in her lungs. The kicker, she was on the birth control NuvaRing. This is why my heart stopped. Angela is the second young woman I have heard about in less than a month passing away from blood clots in their lungs, due to the NuvaRing. And after them, I’ve read numerous other stories including this one about the 1000s of lawsuits they are up against. The girl in this article is another young 20 something who is not a smoker and is healthy.
I am on the NuvaRing, well, I was until last night. When I heard about Angela, I was first sad, then shocked, then completely pissed off. The word that kept coming to mind was “unnecessary.” I believe that God holds the world together. I believe moments such as this show us our need for Jesus to heal the broken world. It’s moments like these that remind me just how broken and full of pain this world is. Pain is everywhere. And sometimes it comes in the form of the untimely, unnecessary death of a beautiful young woman because of a product that should never be sold to us again.
Now I know that we should know all the risks involved in anything we put into our body. And I know that there are so many people who use the NuvaRing, as well as other risky options, that have not had the misfortune of something like this. But can I just take a minute to be really upset that this is what took her life? And could have taken mine? Both doctors (GYN and PCP) I spoke to before deciding to use the NuvaRing said, “you don’t smoke and you work out and don’t have a family history of clots so you’re good!” Then why have the deaths and hospital stays I’ve heard about been young women who do not smoke, are healthy, and do not have a family history of clots?
Last night was the last straw for me; it was too close to home. So I stand with Angela’s loved ones in getting the word out about the NuvaRing and it’s truly deadly risks. From the site link above:
“Our main concern is that no one else has to suffer the loss of a loved one taken too soon due to NuvaRing complications. We hope to spread awareness and prevent unnecessary pain in the future.”
“Life is too short and we wish you all to live your life the way that Angela did, to it’s fullest. L See more at: youcaring.com/memorialLfundraiser/memorialLfundLforLangelaL miller/121765#sthash.xpwOSnce.dpuf”
Lauren R. Brakebill
Additional Information about Angela’s death:
Angela, age 28, was found unconscious on the ground in her apartment parking lot on December 30, 2013. When the ambulance arrived the only thing she could communicate was that she couldn’t breath. She was quickly incubated to help her breath.
Her heart stopped on the way to the hospital where they were able to revived her. Her heart stopped two more times while in the emergency room due to blood clots discovered in her lungs.
Angela was moved to ICU. But within an hour her heart stopped again. After 30 minutes they pronounced her dead.
NuvaRing Truth 