My first pregnancy was rough. It started with severe pain around 5/6wks where I had to have a scan to check for ectopic pregnancy. The pain went and along came the nausea. I had this for 27wks. I remember beginning to swell in my feet/ankles quite early on in the second trimester. It progressed to swelling in my hands resulting in severe carpal tunnel.

At 30wks I would get occasional flashing lights and dizzyness in my vision. I also had pain under my right rib which I put down to baby kicks. My BP was normal so I was monitored closely. At around 33wks I could tell something wasn't right. I had severe swelling in my feet, legs, hands, and face. My nausea had returned and I had shortness of breath. I thought it was just 3rd trimester things and not to complain so I rested. I went for my check up at 34wks, my midwife did her checks and told me I needed to get urgent bloods done. Bloods came back showing deterioration in my kidneys and liver function and I was admitted to hospital. I was monitored closely. Everything seemed OK with rest, my BP was OK, I was on low dose of BP medication, swelling was still terrible, but I felt OK. I was told about all the warning signs to look out for.

At 35wks it all changed significantly. I woke up the morning when I was 35+2 and I felt off. My nurse took my BP and it was 140/85. Took BP medication and it came back down into the 120's. Around lunch time that day my blood results came back and they were really bad. I was allowed to go home between blood pressure readings while I was admitted to hospital so at this stage I was at home having a sleep. I woke up around 3pm and I'd missed 2 calls from the hospital telling me to get back asap. I woke up feeling so unwell. I couldn't walk, I was struggling to breathe, I couldn't see anything, I felt like my body was poisoned. Took my BP at home and it was 150/90. My husband took me straight up to the hospital. By the time I got there I was shaking uncontrollably. I got to my room and pushed the help button. The nurse took my blood pressure it was 160/90. She pushed the emergency button and I was rushed down to delivery and started on magnesium sulfate. Catheter put in and monitored closely. My urine output was so low my kidneys basically weren't working. I was monitored closely all night, I had 2 seizure episodes where they had to increase the rate of magnesium to calm the seizures. I was so high risk for a c section that the night team didn't want to do it because they were fatigued. They were trying to get me through to 8am when the morning team started. There was also a specialist on the morning team that they were waiting for.

At 8am the next morning the morning team assessed me and I was prepped for c section. My daughter was born at 11:15am after a very scary c section. I saw her for 2mins then she was taken to NICU baby's unit. I was taken to HDU (Intensice Care) and I was there for 30hours. Then I was moved up to the ward in a room by myself right beside the nurses station as I had to be monitored very closely. I was discharged 3 days later and my daughter left NICU after 16 days. My BP came right pretty quickly but I had to take Clexane injections for 6 wks after delivery to prevent blood clots. In the end I had preeclampsia then eclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. I've never been so sick in my whole life. Im so grateful for the medical team who took care of me and my daughter.

I am currently pregnant for a second time. I am 24wks. I have noticed the swelling has started again but this time my pregnancy has been easier. I am taking baby Asprin and calcium to help prevent preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. I am being closely monitored and am also under a specialist team. I pray this pregnancy turns out better.