Purple Hope (Kind of long)

[brittneyrichmond]

Reading all of your wonderful stories and topics has inspired me!


My name is Brittney Richmond and I am 23 years old and was affected by preeclampsia when I was pregnant last year. I was lucky enough to have made it to 38 weeks while I was pregnant and was able to have a c-section after 22 long hours of labor to a healthy boy. However, my doctor did not treat this disease seriously whatsoever. I knew something was wrong with me pretty much from the beginning. I was overweight for my height when I got pregnant so I knew the weight gain would be a hardship on me but I was not prepared for what was about to happen.

First of all, I was gaining weight in weird amounts. Some check ups, I didn’t gain anything, another check up the next month, I gained 13 pounds. I was also walking every single day and drinking no sodas and only water. My doctor also prescribed me an inhaler because I could not breathe properly from the rapid weight gain. So as time went on he mentioned protein in my urine around 31 weeks (mind you my feet were so swollen I couldn’t wear shoes but flip flops at this point and my legs couldn’t fit in my jeans) and he suggested bed rest for only a week and my blood pressure was up a little bit. He was very rude and acting like this was my fault somehow and accused me of taking water pills (ridiculous right?) So I decided to contact my employer and go on short term disability for the rest of my pregnancy because I couldn’t walk down across my house without feeling dizzy or I might pass out. Well this is when I started asking questions. Why am I feeling like this? Why am I so swollen? What is causing this rapid weight gain? So that’s when I found about preeclampsia. I decided to ask my doctor about it and he kind of blew it off and said I had little signs of it but it could be possible. Well around 34-38 weeks of my pregnancy, I finally had enough. My grandmother had a blood pressure machine at her house and I would monitor my blood pressure myself and I was getting up into the 160’s and I began to get scared because no one that I knew had even heard of preeclampsia and every time I called labor & delivery, they said call your doctor and they just kept telling me to lay down. I hadn’t even gotten up out of bed that day, and the blood pressure kept rising. So finally at 38 weeks, I had my appointment and my blood pressure was 190/120 and I was so scared for my baby’s life and they finally admitted me to the E.R.

I feel so lucky to have survived and to have had my son who I am so thankful for every single day that I have decided to start an organization for the foundation in my community called Purple Hope and I plan on doing bake sales and walks in my area! Every single one of you inspire me and not to take one day of my life for granted and I am so ready and excited to fundraisers in my community. I am so glad that there is a community atleast online that I can come to and read stories of hope to motivate me to continue trying to get this group off the ground.

[l412angel]

So glad you found us here! Welcome!

So glad you have a healthy baby boy! Any questions you may have we are all here to help!

[miamibunnie]

As I am writting this I am tearing because your post touched me. Welcome...(:

[kara]

Hi Brittney,

Welcome to the Preeclampsia Foundation! I'm sorry you've had the preeclampsia experience, but relieved that things have turned out well. I want to encourage you to fund-raise and raise awareness for preeclampsia. It's the individual volunteer spirit that helps us move our mission forward.

The Preeclampsia Foundation is a not-for-profit (501c(3)) organization that was founded in 2000. We have experienced volunteers standing by to help you in your efforts. We have an annual "Walk" called the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia (www.promisewalk.org). I know you've been in contact with the National Walk Director (Becky.Sloan@preeclampsia.org). She is the best resource for getting a walk organized. We have all the tools in place for this type of event, from a professional fundraising website, to documentation of support from the best medical professionals in the field, and everything in between.

For any other fundraising events, you'll need to contact Dawn.Detweiler@preeclampsia.org. Dawn is our Director of Local Fundraising. She has the tools you'll need to organize other fundraisers, like bake sales. Because we are a non-profit, we must follow certain protocol in organizing these events so as not to incur tax or legal issues. But it's usually pretty easy to get started!

We also have some training seminars available via web conference that you may participate in, to get you up to speed on what the PF does, as well as current theory relating to preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, so you can be an accurate source of information in your community.

We appreciate your dedication to raising awareness of Preeclampsia through your group, but know that we have a lot of experience in this area, as the only non-profit dedicated entirely to preeclampsia awareness and research. We can provide you with tools and information, so you don't have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. We also have the structure in place so you don't have to worry about taxes and legal issues.

I'm also happy to help you meet your goals, as Director of Volunteer Development. Feel free to email me at anytime - Kara.Boeldt@preeclampsia.org.

In the meantime, please fill out our Volunteer Survey so you'll know a little more about us and what we do, and we'll know a little more about you and how we can help you in your volunteer efforts. You can find it here: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB229RKW9VP5N

Best regards,
Kara

[brittneyrichmond]

Thank you for all of your kind words! :)

[Dawn D]

Hi Brittney,

I just replied to the message you sent to my email address, and included info on how you can coordinate your bake sale, etc. within the guidelines of our organization - and with benefit to PF.

Kara has already provided you with important direction in her post - particularly about the policies of our non-profit - and I am happy to also help guide you in finding rewarding ways to become involved and help the cause!

I am glad to hear that you and your son have survived the effects of this disorder. We admire and appreciate your devotion and look forward to having you volunteer directly for the Preeclampsia Foundation.

welcome!