Canadians, where are you?

[manalc]

Hi Susan, LOL I totally understand what you mean about the morphine! I was offered it too for my pre e epigastric pain and I was horrified! I mean the week before the pharmicist looked at me with disgust bc i wanted a decongestant and now they were saying do you want morphine. Crazy. It just goes to show that the drs who say no meds you're pg are lazy and just don't want to do their research (or afraid of lawsuits). In my opinion of course!!! glad you're looking back and laughing a little. my funny moment is when we were being admitted. I was taken in my the ambulance people so i didn't know what was going on , but DH drove behind the ambulance from whistler ( where we were vacationing from TO) to vancouver. He walks in to the delivery room with our luggage!! LOL Our camping bag and 2 suitcases!! Because the rental was due back. The looks he got were priceless.

Moderator why did you remove the names of the hospitals she went to? I'm confused.

Mommy to baby boy Adam, born at 30 weeks 1 day -- preeclampsia/HELLP. 2 lbs 2 oz. Almost a year old now!

[kpowers]

some where on the site it says something about not recomending hospitals or something to that effect when I find it I'll post the link here. I was asked about morphine too for a headache and to help me fall asleep. I took t3's I think its well on my case at least there wasn't going to be enough time to do any harm and if so most likely as they said she wasn't going to make it. As they were right.
Paula I am glad to finnaly figure out you name on here after the talk with Carol.

Kim mom to
Emma May Powers still born 12/12/04 sever PE & HELLP
ca.geocities.com/kimpowers@rogers.com/index.htm

[youtan]

Hi to all the Canadian members! Its great to see such activity on this board lately!

manalc - I just sent you an email.

Here is a link to our posting policies:
http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4686

And a discussion on the topic:
http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3378&whichpage=1

Remember, if you'd like to share names of doctors and hospitals in your local area you may always email that to each other privately.

Thanks for posting and welcome!

Tanya (31)
Local Group Moderator & Kansas Coordinator
Nathanial 3/6/99 HELLP 27 wks, 1lb 10oz
Jonathan 8/9/02 PIH/low fluid 34 wks, 4lb 8 oz
www.geocities.com/tly_phd

[godsgrace]

I have been lurking for a day or so reading all the posts and enjoying the funny moments :o) always nice to look on the bright side.

I do just want to add a quick 2 cents worth of my opinion for suze or anyone else who struggles with her same concern. I'm from B.C. and I had severe IUGR and fetal destress for weeks with my daughter before she was finally born by c-sec at 31 weeks 1 day due to P.E. We were in the SCN for 5 weeks with her and all over the province (almost like a SCN tour of BC). There was lots of fun stuff surrounding all those events and that part of our lives, but I don't want to rehash it again or take up reading time (I have a hard time keeping my posts short, simple and too the point... but I'm trying!), but it was unpleasant and a bumpy road... I'm sure you all are more than aware. We are now happily preggers (almost 24 weeks) with our second child (A BOY!!!).

First, you are not wrong to want to have another child even after such a horrible and traumatic experience and you should never feel shamed for wanting that, its natural and children are SUCH a gift, why wouldn't we want more :) It is a normal human thought to think after such trauma, doesn't make it right tho. I personally feel that yes I see the facts and statistics, but I refuse to focus on them and worry and stress about what tomorrow brings. Bad things happen every day, but if we tried to avoid all things with the potential to harm us... well... you couldn't. I also feel that positive thinking is half the battle. So you can either take on an attitude of "I am positive I will not develop PE (etc) with this pregnancy and I'm going to be in control, on the ball BUT not worry about it and be smart and informed instead" or the alternative positive thinking of "I'm positively, absolutely sure I'm going to develop PE etc this time and even if I'm not sure, I'm going to worry and stress about it anyway." Which brings me to my next point. Worry and guilt are useless emotions IMO :). Worry is just a human emotion that shaves years off of a persons life and can actually affect the outcome of a situation negatively (esp if that situation is growing inside of you and directly attached to your blood pressure). I am yet to hear of someone who worried themselves into a better position in life. You can't enjoy life when you are so engulfed with worry and stress.

On a lighter note... my "funny" moments during the PE ordeal...

Morphine was fun... actually everything was pretty funny while on morphine :)

After finally being allowed to get out of bed after the c-sec I decided to try to use the lu for the first time (one of those big surgery milestones). However, my husband, who was stuck like glue to me during my hospital stay (having me black out in the shower was enuf for him) accompanied me on my journey. Not quite sure of the turn of events still, but somehow he bumped the call button in the bathroom while helping me on the throne and suddenly all of the maternity ward staff, it seemed, were at my bathroom door milling around me including my doctor. So now I can look back and laugh and think... 10% of Langley's population now knows what I look like in my most vulnerable state. Yeah... nothing kills the moment on the throne quite like that moment.

Mommy to Grace Lillian - January 20th 2004, 31 weeks 1 day @ 2lbs 13oz - severe complications due to PE. Number 2 due next September!

[suze]

Hi GodsGrace--and congrats on your baby-to-be! I really appreciate the encouragement in your post. I think you are absolutely right about the importance of a positive attitude. I was always a really positive person and then I lost that for a number of months after the birth. I think it has come back--maybe it was hormones or just a normal response to something rotten happening pretty much out of the blue, but I am more myself now. If I am lucky enough to get pg again (and I have pretty much decided that I really do want to try) I will be determined to stay positive.
Do you have the same doctor this time around and is he or she nice and supportive? By the way my son was also 2lbs 13oz at birth. How many kids can say they've sextupled their birth weight by the time they're one year old?
S

ds 04/13/04, 30 wks

[marlita]

Hi! Nice to see some "activity" in Canada :D

My daughter was born at 31 weeks because of severe pre-e and the beginning of HELLP (didn't have the last part confirmed to me til this year though... I had suspected based on my blood work but the drs/nurses never mentioned it back then). She is now 3.5 years old and I'm 32.5 weeks pg with #2 and absolutely no sign so far of recurrence!!! I was never given any percentages of risk when I got pg this time... basically I was told it falls into the "they don't know" category :D Something they just have to watch you extra carefully the next time. The only thing really different is that this time I've been followed from almost the beginning by an OB and started my biweekly appointments sooner than one normally would.

I have no idea if I will go on to develop pre-e this time or not but I'm already 1.5 weeks farther along and every extra day we get is a blessing and a miracle for us. I figure that even if something does happen, I'll at least make it to 34 weeks (barring pre-term labour or something like that LOL) because that's when I'll be seeing my OB again :D

Marla
Janessa Belén ~ Sept 2/01 [31 weeks/2lbs. 12 oz/16 inches... severe pre-e/IUGR]
Lil Critter II ~ EDD July 26/05

[godsgrace]

You know there is a certian ammount of grieving that will accompany any loss wether that be a life, a dream or even the loss of a full term healthy pregnancy. I found myself deep in depression after Gracy's birth... I think aside from the pesky hormones with post partum we have been given an extra hurdle to get over... it takes time and its a process (ick). Even being pregnant with this little one now I find myself at points grieving my last pregnancy as I realize just how much I missed out on and knowing now how much I will still miss out on with a c-section looming... i just keep telling myself one step at a time... anyways... i hear doing it natural hurts... a lot *grin*.

In answer to your questions... I do NOT have the same doctor again. My doctor then was terribly negligent and had a low opinion of me for some reason (I feel it was based on his attitude towards young mothers such as myself... 19 at the time) and therefore he refused to ever listen to me when I knew so strongly there was something wrong with my baby. In the end it was really my own stupidity that I didn't smarten up sooner and take my health and concerns to someone who would respect them. I have a wonderful set of 'baby' doctors this time referred to me by my family physician who used them for her 3 babies and one very quirky OB... but a good one (not thrilled with the hospital we have to deliver at... but oh well). They arn't overly concerned at all about a repeat of the last fiasco, but they keep a close eye on me and other than the ungodly ammount of ultrasounds I have to undergo its pretty smooth sailing.

I think at a year Grace was like 23 lbs [:0]... so she would have multiplied her weight by *starts counting on her fingers* 8? Dunno the correct term for that lol.


Mommy to Grace Lillian - January 20th 2004, 31 weeks 1 day @ 2lbs 13oz - severe complications due to PE. Number 2 due next September!

[manalc]

Kim, I'm so sorry about your loss. I hope being here on these boards helps, I know it did for me when I was sad bc DS was still in the hospital after 7 weeks.

GodsGrace, that's wonderful news! I am so glad your daughter is doing great (knock on wood!) and that your pg is going well, I aim for such a positive attitude myself, keep coming back please! Good luck with the c-section. Ouch, a tour of SCNs sounds crazy and very frustrating. I saw some moms go through that when we were in BC women's but they were good to us at least..

Marla woohoo for making it past 32 weeks, awesome news! Did you take prenatal classes for this second baby? We delivered the day our classes were supposed to start! I was induced and drugged up to high heaven (not on morphine but pretty much everything else!). It felt anything but natural, despite not having had a c-sec. So, I wonder if we should take the classes, and if so, should we do it earlier than a couple normally would??

Hi Suze :) glad to hea DS is doing so well! I still get looks from people when I say he is a year old. DS is only 20 pounds, or just under and everyone guesses he is 9 months.. sigh.

Mommy to baby boy Adam, born at 30 weeks 1 day -- preeclampsia/HELLP. 2 lbs 2 oz. Almost a year old now!

[pmtt]

Hi there again!

KIM -- We were on the phone for over an hour and I never did say how sorry I am for your loss[:0]I can't even imagine the pain you must be going through!

MANALC -- (Sorry don't know your real name) We used to live in Kitchener right up until we brought the girls home from the hospital. Keeping you in my prayers also for a safe pregnancy!

GOODSGRACE and MARLA -- Keeping you in my prayers that your pregnancies keep going great!

SUSAN -- I know what you mean Michaela was 4lbs 12 oz at birth and was 23 lbs 5 oz at 1 year. Melayna was 3 lbs 15 1/2 oz at birth and 19 lbs 11 1/2 oz at 1 year. I look back at pictures from the hospital, and I think on how on earth did I hold those tiny little things so well!

I don't really have any funny moments from "my hospital days" Whatever they were pumping into me was coming right back out. I couldn't stop bringing it up[xx(]

It seems like everyone on here is pregnant with #2!! Hubby wants to start again...he wants that boy, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready yet!



Paula
Proud mommy to twin girls Michaela and Melayna (born Mar 4, 04 at 33w3d)

[manalc]

Heehee Paula, I can't imagine thinking of a 3rd baby right now, twin girls, must be a handful!
Manal

Mommy to baby boy Adam, born at 30 weeks 1 day -- preeclampsia/HELLP. 2 lbs 2 oz. Almost a year old now!