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My name is April and I am 31 years old. When I was 18 I |
| My name is April and I am 31 years old. When I was 18 I had preeclampsia and didn't know it until it was too late. Now let me start out saying that my baby and I both survived and he is 12 years old now! I had gained 100 pounds during my pregnancy and my doctor didn't uncover that something was wrong until 2 weeks before my due date. At the end of my pregnancy, I was gaining 12 pounds a week! I was extremely swollen! You could touch my leg and it would leave a dent for a long time. I was dilated to 3 for several weeks. On one of my doctor's appointments my blood pressure was high so they sent me to the hospital for observation. I had no idea anything serious was wrong, I just thought great it's time for my baby to come! My blood pressure never went down so the induced my labor. I layed there for 17 hours and never dialated pass 3! On the 17th hour of being in labor, I was told that I was swelling and not thining out at all. They finally made the decision to give me a C-section. I was 18 and scared to death! I remember them getting my son out and passing him to his father to take him to the nursery. I was then alone in the operating room and the doctor asked me if I wanted my mom or dad. I was confused and didn't know what was happening! My mom came in and they told her "She is hemmoraging and she is going to die unless we attempt to stop the bleeding by giving her a hysterectomy". Of course my mom told them to hurry and do it! They had 2 doctors flown over by helicopter from Vanderbilt hospital to try to save my life. They were able to take out my uterus and got the bleeding to stop. They ended up giving me 5 pints of blood and 2 bags of plasma. I stayed in the recovery room for 3 days and didn't see my son for 3 days. I was in the hospital for 7 days before I was able to go home. I had never experienced so much pain in my life but that didn't compare to the emotional trauma that I had suffered. I cried for at least 3 years straight. I wanted to have more children and that had been stolen from me. I was very blessed to have my life and my son. That is something that I know I am lucky to have! That didn't stop me from having a very hard time dealing with what happened to me and the feelings of "Why me???". My husband and I were able to add another child to our lives through adoption 2 years ago. We adopted a newborn baby boy! He is the "Peace" that needed. My advice to other women out there is when you feel like something is wrong and your doctor doesn't do anything about it. GO TO ANOTHER DOCTOR! I was only 18 and didn't know how much my health is in my own hands! I wish I would have known to get another doctor. It sounds so simple now and I don't know why I just took my doctors word as law! I guess I was young and trusted doctors completely. I know now that you have to stand up for yourself and that you are in control! Also I believe that my outcome would have been different if they hadn't of left my lying there for 17 hours letting my uterus fall apart. The doctors said that my uterus just fell apart as they were taking it out because it was so fully saturated with fluids! A woman with the high blood pressure and swelling should never be allowed to go through labor. A C-section should be done immediatly to save the baby, mother and the mother's uterus from going through the strain and life threatning labor that is dangerous in these circumstances. |
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