December 22, 2010

Posted On Sunday, January 02, 2011  by Patricia

When December started I figured that with Christmas and the New Year approaching it would be filled with shopping, work, and dreaming about my baby due in March.

It started December 8th after a job interview when my legs and ankles swelled up out of no where. I figured I was starting to retain water or something. 25 and my first pregnancy I had no idea what was going on so on it went. A few days before my December 16th OBGYN appointment I noticed that other than my legs swelling to the point of not being able to walk, and the fact that I couldn't breath much, a cut on my left breast was leaking fluid.

To my OBGYN it was all normal. She took my blood pressure and apparently it was all good. Until December 20th when I woke up and my eyes were swollen shut. The local hospital said there was protein in my urine and high blood pressure (177/100) but sent me home with pills for the blood pressure.

By the next day I couldn't see properly but worked through it. December 21st I decided that was it and couldn't get in to see my OBGYN so went to a family physician instead. My doctor called my OBGYN and demanded assistance. Finally I was directed to the city hospital and admitted within two hours and transferred to a specialty hospital in Toronto via Ambulance ..complete with sirens and lights.

After a lot of tests, blood, etc. it was discovered I was pre-eclampsia and the baby's development was 4 weeks behind the 27 weeks she was supposed to be. That's when it was discovered (finally) that I had "sprung a leak" many days earlier and my cervix was open "a finger".

My liver, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and baby were shutting down and we were both close to death. Abigayle Sarah was born at 3:25 am on December 22, 2010.

She only weighed 1lb 2oz but today weighs 1lb 5.6oz and is 11 days old. She is a fighter but has a long way to go.

There needs to be more urgency for people with these symptoms even if it doesn't end up to be pre-eclampsia.