At 37 weeks, I left work feeling nauseated and had a bad headache. I knew the signs of preeclampsia because my sister suffered from it 6 months before I gave birth. Seeing what she went through I was terrified to have it. I took my blood pressure at home and it was elevated so I called my doctor and they wanted me seen asap. After my doctor appointment they sent me to the maternity ER. After getting checked at the ER they told my blood pressure was good, my urine was fine and after blood work gets back I can go home. 10 Minutes later the doctor came into my room and said “I’m really glad you came” “You are having this baby”. My heart dropped. Levels in my blood testing indicated I had Preeclampsia. After being induced and having my baby, the doctor put me on magnesium drip for 24hrs to reduce the risk of me having a stroke or seizure because my blood levels were still bad. After 2 days I was sent home. They never mentioned much about preeclampsia anymore and I thought I was fine. The evening I was sent home I got this bad headache and was extremely anxious. I took my blood pressure and it was the highest I have seen it so far. Went back to the ER as they directed me and doctors and nurses told me “It is your anxiety causing your blood pressure to be high, you should stop taking your blood pressure at home”. I had multiple doctors and nurses from the clinic and ER tell me that. They told me I didn’t have preeclampsia anymore. I went home after they put me on some anxiety medication and did as I was advised.

Everyday for 2 weeks post partum I would get this raging pressure headache that felt like someone was squeezing my head. I wanted to check my blood pressure so bad but I was convinced it was only my anxiety making it high. I was scared everyday that something terrible would happen to me. I knew when I got those headaches my body was trying to tell me something. Finally after 3 week of having these headaches I took my blood pressure and it was 180/110. Extremely high. I went back to the ER. It wouldn’t go down when I got there so they rushed around, gave me medicine and told me they need to admit me for post partum preeclampsia and put me back on magnesium drip for 24hrs. I was terrified, I thought I was going to die. I remember saying to my nurse while sobbing “Am I going to die”? No one had any answers. I would ask what causes preeclampsia and they would say “ We don’t know the exact cause”. They told me they have never seen more women with preeclampsia and the number just keep rising. The night I was admitted they has 11 other post partum preeclampsia patients on my floor. Truly it was the most terrifying thing.