I had a pretty normal pregnancy for the most part. I didn't have many struggles pass being nauseous my entire first trimester. When I was about 31 weeks pregnant, I started feeling sick. All I could do was sleep. It was so bad that I quit my job. I remember asking my OB if that was normal. She said being tired in your third trimester was pretty normal, she also said that my blood pressure was a little high, so they wanted to check it again at my appointment the following week. Each week following that, my blood pressure was continually climbing until I was just over 34 weeks pregnant. On Thanksgiving, I was at my mom's house to help with all of the grandkids while she cooked. I was eating lunch at her table when my vision started going spotty. I excused myself to go lay down. After 30 minutes, I couldn't see my phone to call my husband to tell him I was going to the hospital. The hospital checked me in, did tests, and found protein in my urine. They gave me a steroid shot to help my baby's lungs develop and gave me the task to come back in 24 hrs for the second shot. I rested religiously after that, just trying to take care of myself and the baby.

On November 30, 2025, I found myself in the ER complaining that I couldn't breathe and that I hadn't slept the 2 or 3 nights prior because no matter how I laid down, it felt like I was suffocating. The ER Doctor ordered imaging and found fluid in my lungs and evidence that I was indeed struggling with pre-eclampsia. The ER Doctor actually looked at my husband and I and said "We're transporting you to Tucson and you're most likely not leaving Tucson without a baby." My husband went home, packed a bag for himself and grabbed my go bag and followed me while I was flown fix-winged to Tucson. I very quickly was subjected to several blood draws and placed on Magnesium Sulfate to protect me neurologically from my existing condition of preeclampsia. The magnesium sulfate was the worst, all I could do was sleep.

I actually don't remember most of my time spent in labor. I know they allowed me to try a natural delivery and I labored for 12 hours after receiving 12 hrs of doses of magnesium sulfate. I ended up having a C-section and I remember me forcing myself to stay awake so I could meet my baby. "Just stay awake, she'll be here in a minute." My baby was born 4 lbs 8 oz on December 2nd, 2025. She came out grey, but screaming and otherwise well. She dodged the NICU by half an ounce. She stayed in the Hospital room for the next 5 days with me and my husband. I continued to sleep continuously for 3 out of those 5 days while my husband cared for me and our baby. For weeks after delivery, I had nystagmus as a result of the continued high blood pressure. My blood pressure stayed 145/110 consistently for 4 weeks after delivery. At my 6 week appointment my blood pressure had returned to normal and my vision had mostly returned to normal. Now my baby is 5 months old and we're both doing well, but I do feel a strong need to really bring awareness to how serious preeclampsia is.