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This was my first pregnancy, and I was so happy and excited. I experienced |
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This was my first pregnancy, and I was so happy and excited. I experienced the normal morning sickness and swelling, but as I entered the last trimester, my friends and family began to comment on how "bad" I looked. Actually, I felt "bad"as well, but assumed that was the way all pregnant women felt by that late stage. I accidentally missed one of my OB/GYN appointments, actually showing up on the wrong day, when I was about33 weeks. Even the nurse suggested I wait and see a doctor when one was available, but I declined...I had out of town guests at my house and wanted to get back to them. At night, I had taken to sleeping on the couch in a sitting up position. I explained to my husband that I felt I was "drowning" if I would lie down completely. I was the size of a Macy's day balloon, but still thought all of this was "normal". The day of my next appointment, the women I worked with decided to give me some of their annual leave time (I am a teacher) in order to get me to go home and rest for the last 4 or so weeks of my pregnancy. They STRONGLY urged me, and shared that they were very worried about my appearance. That afternoon, when I made it to the OB's office, I stepped on the scale and found I had gained 11 pounds in two weeks. The nurse looked puzzled, and I explained that I really had not eaten much, lately, as I had not been feeling too well. She looked concerned and immediately sat me down to take my blood pressure. It was 200/120!!! Everyone in the office immediately went into serious mode. They checked my urine, called an OB in, and within minutes whisked me over to the ajoining hospital. Blood samples were taken, and I was put on Magnesium to keep me from having a seizure. At this point, they began to explain to me the problem...I had preeclampsia, and they feared my blood tests would reveal I had moved into the HELLP syndrome. I called my husband and parents, still not realizing just how serious this condition was. My eyes began having a hard time focusing, I felt they were trying to cross on their own. After a day of remaining on my side, and with countless blood tests and other forms of monitoring, the OB said it was time to take the baby by C-section, otherwise, we may lose the baby. Later, my mother shared with me that he was more worried about losing me, as my blood tests were showing rapid deterioration. Although my son was delivered around 3 and a half weeks early, he was perfectly healthy. He weighed in at 7 pounds 6 ounces, and came out crying lustily. I was placed on blood pressure meds, but within 2 weeks of being home, I had sweated myself down to my pre-pregnacy weight. No, not from exercise, just simply from sweating. My body seemed to enjoy releasing the extra fluid at night, so much so that I would have to change nightgowns each night because I was completely soaked. By my 2 week appointment, my OB/GYN almost did not recognize me. It was then we discussed the seriousness of what had happened, and how lucky I had been, not just to survive with a healthy baby, but also to apparently have suffered no permanent damage. I was taken off of the blood pressure meds, and have not had a single problem since. That was 8 years ago. I am now pregnant with a second child (a little surprise). I am nervous, but closely monitoring myself, as is my doctor. Hopefully, this one will be much less eventful. |
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I hadn’t been feeling well for a few days. I decided I would go in to work super early and give directions to the staff and then go home and go to the doctor. I got home and lay on the couch un...
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