Is Arkansas barren!?

[rachel a]

Come on all of you Arkansas souls...surely someone in our great state is snooping around the website!!

Rachel Adamson
Arkansas Coordinator

Dylan Samuel 10/04/04 @ 32 weeks (due to severe PE)

[catherine]

I'm here LOL! I know that folk have posted in the past from Bryant and from Russelville......... Considering that the state appears to have so few MFMs... we should know each other... I know that Kim McC and I share a perinatologist ..... doesn't that sound kind of weird???

Catherine
Mom to Finn, Lucy (preeclampsia and HELLP) and Chloe.

[kimmc]

Hey Girls,
I'm still down here in Benton. I don't usually have time to post though. The twins are currently taking a nap though! Catherine, I'm actually going to a different peri. this pregnancy. My first appt. with him is in a couple of weeks for an u/s. Hopefully, we will find out the sex of the baby!

Kim (28 with type 1 diabetes)
Kylie and Jesse Born 08/22/03 at 35 wks. PE

I'm pregnant! EDD 10/03/05

[rachel a]

Kim!

Glad you're back! My son was born 10/04! Small world. Keep us posted on how your peri appt goes. I'm looking for a peri for my second preg!? Still contemplating TTC...I'm only six months postpartum!

Congrats on the newbie!! I'll be praying for a safe and PE-free preg!

Rachel Adamson
Arkansas Coordinator

Dylan Samuel 10/04/04 @ 32 weeks (due to severe PE)

[umteach]

I am in Northwest Arkansas, but was living near Texarkana when my PE developed just before 30 weeks and was airlifted to the hospital. There are a lot of moms who have PE or other related conditions there, and they give out a packet of information for moms of premies. I wonder if they would let you all give information. I was desperate to connect with other parents of premies and preeclampsia, but the doctor's office just wanted to let me know that I was fine since my bp and labs were normal again. I couldn't remember details for weeks and still feel too forgetful. I have had a lot of people contact me who have friends or family on bedrest with PE, and I am very glad to have found this board!

I loved the care that Kirsten received in the nursery, but the docs in training in L/D needed some work with bedside manners. By the time I had my c-section, I could barely talk yet the doctor repeatedly asked me if I really wanted my tubes tied and then said, "even if something happens to this baby?" I had major guilt after that and very glad that Kirsten came out fine. The doctor who had scheduled the section the previous night had said that Kirsten had a good chance of survival since I had been in the hospital for 48 hours on steroids, but a shift had changed in the meantime.

Denni Palmer
Gretchen born at 39 weeks on 8/21/00; very mild PE (it was also the heatwave of 2000, so everyone's BP was elevated). Delivered by c-section early due to a massive fibroid tumor that was preventing her from growing. The section was necessary since induction rapidly raised my BP.
Kirsten born at 30 weeks on 1/09/03; I know at one point my BP was 175/117, but the nurse kept turning my monitor away from me during my 12 hours wait for a c-section. I opted to have tubes tied based on advise from the doctor that another pregnancy could result in my death based on the severity of this PE and a mild history with my first pregnancy. We had already wanted to have that done anyway.

[rachel a]

Denni,

Hi! So glad to have you with us! I sent you an email!

[umteach]

I got your email and I am glad to have found this board. I am actually in Elm Springs which is just west of Springdale. My husband and I are the pastors at Elm Springs United Methodist Church. I am the Director of Christian Education and he shows up and preaches on Sunday (ha ha). If anyone is in Northwest Arkansas, or comes up here, send me a note and we will do lunch! Denni <><

[Guest]

Hi Neighbor! I live in Lowell so we are practically in the same town! I'm so glad you found this site, and you'll love all the great advice and wisdom on the forum. Kristen and my son Hunter are around the same age, so we have a lot in common.

I gotta get ready for work, but I'll send you an email soon.

Welcome!!!

[ashleymac]

Hello! New Arkansas member - from Little Rock! I lost my first child due to preeclampsia last week. My husband and I have been very fortunate to have a wonderful support system in place to help us through this, but it really helps to talk to other people who have been through this before. It doesn't help me deal to hear someone who has had healthy pregnancies, or none at all, to say "I know what you're going through." Our little angel (Drake) was delivered at 23 weeks and 5 days...3 days after I was diagnosed with preeclampsia. The doctors just wouldn't wait any longer, although I wasn't afraid for my well-being. I wish they would have waited the 2 more days for him to be at least 24 weeks....it could have made all the difference. But, now, we will never know. I am also tired of hearing people tell me "It's okay to cry and grieve." I am! I just do it in my own way...in private.

Again, I am so glad to know that other Arkansan women have been in my shoes. We are hoping to try again after a while....we have always wanted children and aren't ready to give up yet!

[fiona]

Ashley,

welcome to the PF - I am so sorry you had to find us this way. Unfortunately, there are far too many women here who do understand exactly what you are going through. The balancing act between saving our lives and getting our babies to a place they can survive is very tough - my own son was delivered at 26 weeks, but lived for just two days. Unfortunately gestation length is only one factor in our babies' chances.

I'm not sure how busy the AK forum is right now, but please do come and take a look at out Grief and Loss forum where there is much support to be found.

You can find it here: http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=8

Take care,

Fiona