Oh gosh, I want one of each![:D]

Julie (27)
Zachary James, 7/22/03-7/27/03, born at 26wks - severe pe

Southern California Coordinator

I vote for "Got Mag?"[:p] too funny!

Laura
Moderator/AK Coordinator

Mom to Alicia (severe PE) 5/98 and Camille (htn, oligo) 4/03
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/c/camilleandallie/

How about "Preeclampsia Happens"? Or "Got Mag?" And one for the dads: "My Wife Had Preeclampsia and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt." [;)]

Carol (38)
DH Bill (40)
Tara Mairichi
12/7-12/9, 2002
The Mightiest Little Angel

How soon can we get one of these T-shirts? I too have a tough time deciding. LOL Lots of help aren't we Anne? [;)]

Catherine (22), Moderator (pregnant again)
DH Britton (27)
Emma Margaret (03/02/03) 37 weeks from PIH & oligo
Baby #2 due August 11, 2004

Anne, I like both too!! I want both!!! That's a hard choice!!!

Mada Harpster

Sam 6-29-00 36weeks P.E.
Ben 11-03-01 No P.E.

What do y'all like better for a t-shirt? HIP Mama? or PZ (on the back it would say "Preeclampsia Zealot" or "Ask me about Preeclampsia"

(HIP Mama stands for Hypertension in Pregnancy)

I can't decide--they are both so witty. [;)]

Anne Garrett
Executive Director
Preeclampsia Foundation

Me too!

I always bring it up. Its like, people ask me how my baby is doing and I tell them what happened and that I am worried about this pregnancy, too.

Arminda
Fredo (born at 35 1/2 weeks on 10/25/03 because of PE)
Pregnant again due 9/19/2004 (and should be a girl according to the chinese lunar calendar ) It was accurate with the first baby, but with this pregnancy I guess that we will see if its true [:D] . . .

Chinese lunar calendar: http://www.thelaboroflove.com/chart/cal.html

Zealot-shcmelot!
You could have saved her life! Bravo!!!

Mama to Bella,1/02/03, born 33 and 5/7 weeks at 3 lbs,6oz.Pre-E and PIH,& HELLP.
Babygirl #2,EDD 6/24/04

I do often find myself talking to pregnant women about Pre-e. I forwarded the info email I got from this org. to a lot of my friends, and the reaction was strange----most felt it was alarmist, and asked me things like "wasn't that a little scary to send people?" It's like people only want to hear the positive about pregnancy. I think a lot of people have some fear of something like being "jinxed"---they think if they don't think about it, it won't happen. I have to guard myself sometimes against being TOO negative, but it's just so scary to think of people just not even knowing the signs of pre-e and maybe ignoring them. When I first got pregnant this time, my best friend (who has had 4 kids, all without any pain medication and without ANY pregnancy problems) got sick of hearing my worries and said I just was a pessimist. When I started having the BP problems early on, she was almost in denial. Oh, well. I WISH I could be less of a worrier about pregnancy, but I hope I do help others sometimes without scaring them too much!

Suzanne (37) and DH Tony (41) + William (9, severe PE, born at 32 weeks) and Freddy (6, fairly typical pregnancy) and Baby (due approx. 8/26/04!)

Catherine
Don't be afraid to be a zealot. I like to hang out on Ivillage everyone once in awhile, especially when I was pregnant. I ran into a lady in one of the chats that was a month ahead of me and was asking people about headaches and swelling etc.. and of course I started quizing her.
She did end up on bedrest from calling and seeing her doctor after chatting with me, and she ended up delivering 8-10 weeks early as her preeclampsia got worse.
It was nice to know that relating my experiences with the condition allowed someone else to see they weren't being paranoid, nor what they were feeling was normal in pregnancy and thus they seeked out help. In the long run, if telling people my story allows just 1 person to realize what may be happening to them and helps them to get the care they need, then it just may all have been worth it!

Erin

Moderator - First Time Moms, Parents of Preemies
Missouri State Coordinator
Mommy to Alex and Mason