I kept being told everything was fine… so I believed it.
At my first appointment, I brought up symptoms and concerns. I was told it was normal.
Then it happened again…
and again…
and every time, it was brushed off.
In every space, it was dismissed.
And I knew something wasn’t right.
I kept speaking up.
And it still wasn’t enough.
After being hospitalized with stroke-level blood pressure,
I was almost prematurely discharged.
And within moments, things escalated as they were preparing to discharge me.
A headache that wouldn’t go away.
Spots in my vision.
And then… convulsions for three days.
Less than 24 hours after delivery, I woke up gasping for air.
My oxygen was 81.
I couldn’t breathe.
Nearly intubated.
This is how fast it happens.
Advocating for myself wasn’t enough. A hasty discharge followed my scheduled delivery, despite how life-threatening it had become.
It took licensed family members stepping in, along with continued pressure, to be heard.
We don’t talk about how desensitized our nation has become.
How easily we’re dismissed.
How many layers it takes to be heard.
How quickly ‘you’re fine’ can turn into something that isn’t fine at all.
This is why it matters.
Under 1% sounds small… until it’s you.
Eclampsia is rare, but the lack of awareness and the dismissal from providers shouldn’t be, especially in the U.S.
Preeclampsia doesn’t just stay preeclampsia.
When it goes undiagnosed or isn’t taken seriously, it can progress to eclampsia.
This is what I lived through.
This is what it became for me.
This is real.
The symptoms.
The escalation.
And then, in a moment, everything changes.
I didn’t get to hold my baby.
He was born early.
While I was fighting for myself… I was fighting to see him.
This matters because too many women go unheard… until it’s an emergency.
I was one of them.
It should not take reaching that point to be taken seriously.
We need to check on the women around us, during pregnancy and postpartum.
We need to listen when something doesn’t feel right.
We need to stop minimizing what could be life-threatening.
Because my severe preeclampsia went undiagnosed, it progressed to eclampsia, leading to pulmonary edema.
Honestly, I now live with PTSD from my experience.
That doesn’t mean my story ends here, and neither should yours.
By the grace of God, I’m still here.
I get to hold my son, perfectly made and healthy, and tell my story.
This isn’t just about my experience.
It’s about how far we’ve drifted from the truth… and how easily we’ve normalized what isn’t.
Why have we accepted what the world tells us?
The truth lies with God… not the world.
This isn’t about me.
It’s about the women who aren’t heard…
the ones who are dismissed…
the ones who don’t make it to this point.
We’re not called to stay quiet.
We’re called to be bold.
To speak life.
To listen.
To stand for what’s true… even when it’s uncomfortable.
In Joshua 1:9, God says, “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God goes with you.”
Open your eyes.
Speak up.
Pay attention.
This isn’t just my story.
This is happening every day.
And it shouldn’t be.