May is preeclampsia awareness month. Did you know that preeclampsia affects approximately 5-8% of all pregnancies worldwide? I am apart of that small percentage. severe preeclampsia changed my life in my ways, and it ruined my idea of what i expected my pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum to be like. I ended my last trimester in an ambulance being taken where I was stuck on bed rest in the hospital for two months. What I thought were normal pregnancy symptoms were in fact that complete opposite.

I ended up having BP’s of 178/118, seeing spots, felt dizzy or like I was going to black out, a burning/stabbing sensation in my rib on the right side, extreme swelling in my hands, feet, and face, and I gained over 100 pounds as well. I put a majority of it on after the preeclampsia during the pregnancy, and I am now struggling with accepting my new body. I was stuck in the same room, ate the same meal everyday, had a routine of being monitored, BP checks, bloodwork, and medications being given daily. I had bags and bags of magnesium being pumped through my body and veins. (which made me feel like i was burning from the inside, out.) It was also the reason my son had to be born 6 weeks early, at 34 weeks. The reason he had to be in the NICU for 3 weeks.

i didn’t get to experience my first baby shower pregnant, my first night with my baby in the hospital, to pack my hospital bags, to nest and prepare, to try and breastfeed after birth, to naturally go in labor, or to even bring my baby home with me after all i went through. I am forever thankful for my friends and family who visited, and brought me goodies during one of the hardest and scariest moments of my life. i wouldn’t have made it through this tough time without my fiancé either. I thought once he was born things would go back to normal, but I am almost 5 months postpartum and am currently struggling with high BP’s and heart issues. I have to see a cardiologist now too. I will always raise awareness, because I am lucky to be alive, and so is my son. so, PLEASE, if you’re pregnant and you feel something is off advocate for yourself always. I’m forever grateful I did, and to say I am a severe preeclampsia survivor!