Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader endured 'excruciating pain' before finding blood clot

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Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ Charly Barby shares a terrifying life-changing moment she experienced when it came to her health this year. The sports star details how just months ago she developed a pulmonary embolism in her left lung.

Following the success of Last Chance U and Cheer, Netflix dropped America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and many of the show’s stars rose to fame, despite failing to make the team. The show followed Charly’s journey and she ended up getting accepted onto the roster earlier this year. The NFL cheerleader also had a life-altering experience when it came to her health.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ Charly had a pulmonary embolism

America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders detailed just how tough life can be for the people wanting to make it onto the team.

This December, Charly shares more than she’s been enduring behind the scenes as she opens up about being a pulmonary embolism survivor.

Taking to Instagram, she writes:

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“May 6th 2024 I developed a Pulmonary Embolism in my left lung that ultimately changed my life. I was lucky enough to receive medical care in time before the unthinkable could happen…”

“…Going through this taught me to never take anything for granted, how much I truly love to dance, the power of prayer & how important taking care of yourself is, and most importantly to LISTEN to your body,” adds Charly.

Pulmonary embolism explained

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot in your lung that creates a blockage. This causes issues with blood flow and oxygen levels in your lungs.”

The symptoms of pulmonary embolism are usually “shortness of breath and chest pains that get worse if you exert yourself or take a deep breath.”

Charly details how she experienced “excruciating pain” on her left side, before feeling a “stabbing pain in her left rib cage” and “shortness of breath.”

“I tried to stretch it out, I tried to roll it out with a massage gun. The next day, I couldn’t sleep, and was up all night with this horrible pain.”

The Netflix star says as more days were going by, the pain was getting worse. Eventually, she couldn’t stand up or lay down without pain and then decided to go to the ER.

The hospital ran tests on Charly before they came back that she “had a large blood clot in her left lung” that stopped her from breathing.

She was told she had a “deceased left lung” in her body and this was the reason she couldn’t breathe properly.

Charly is now raising awareness for The National Blood Clot Alliance and urges people to donate.

She adds in her IG post: “Blood clots, the risks of them & the symptoms are not talked about enough. Before this had happened to me, I had no idea the severity of a blood clot in the slightest.
The timing of this was extremely rough and the mental battle that I fought was just as hard as the physical…”

“…30% of individuals who experience a Pulmonary Embolism die within one month of the diagnosis.
1 in 4 people who have a Pulmonary Embolism die without warning…

“I believe that I initially started with a DVT clot, however, it was too late to tell since it had already been in my lung. I am very lucky to have not had surgery. I have been on blood thinners for 6 months and counting & am continuing to learn more as well as be tested for other underlying conditions on top of Factor V Leiden. However today I feel better & healthier than ever before!!”