I had been have a significant amount of swelling which kept being brushed off as normal. At 33 weeks I went to the OB for a follow-up & growth scan. My BP was elevated and during the scan I noticed the tech kept going to her computer to messaged the doctor, anxiety started from there- I knew something was wrong. I was told to drive myself to the closest ER to be evaluated because of my swelling, high BP, & I was showing little amniotic fluid on my ultrasound. I was given the steroid shots for baby’s lung development & I finally asked if they were planning to delivery my baby & I was told it’s just for precaution. Being a nurse myself, I knew it was more than “just precaution”.

The next day I was sent by ambulance to a hospital an hour away that had a NICU. I spent a week there waiting every day for news as to what was going on. My BP stayed elevated but baby was not in distress. At 34 weeks 0 days it was decided to do a c-section. Baby was born without serious complications, it was decided not to give me magnesium and I was sent home 2 days later while my baby stayed in NICU. 3 days later I saw my OB for BP check & was sent back to the ER. I was admitted and started on magnesium, BP meds, and a diuretic. 72 hours later I was sent on to monitor my BP on my own. My baby spent 23 days in the NICU. Healing from a c-section, not holding my baby for hours after delivery, living an hour from the NICU, readmission to the hospital, none of this was how I pictured my pregnancy.

The uncertainty while sitting in a hospital for a week praying my baby is ok, praying I will be ok, seeing the fear in my husband who was trying to stay brave, was all a lot to handle. There was so much back and forth on whether I had preeclampsia during pregnancy or postpartum.