I never imagined my third pregnancy would turn into the most traumatic experience of my life. At 31 weeks pregnant, I was rushed to the hospital after a dental procedure left me feeling off—but what I thought might be routine anxiety turned out to be preeclampsia with severe features. My blood pressure had spiked to 188/128, then soared to 190/110. I was admitted immediately and placed on a magnesium drip. It was terrifying. I felt like my body was shutting down, and I worried every minute about my baby.

The hospital stay blurred into a whirlwind of blood pressure checks, labs, and monitoring. Every beep from the machines made my heart race. I remember staring at the ceiling, bargaining with God to let my son come out healthy. Within hours, the doctors made the call that it was too dangerous for him to stay inside me any longer. At just 31 weeks, I delivered my son.

He was so small—fragile but fighting. Hearing his faint cry gave me the strength I didn’t know I had left. I didn’t get to hold him right away. He was whisked away to the NICU while I lay there recovering from surgery, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

The NICU became our home for weeks. I learned to read monitors, listen to doctors’ every word, and celebrate tiny victories—like gaining an ounce or breathing without help for a few hours. It was emotionally exhausting and physically draining. I’d never felt so helpless, yet so determined.

There were nights I’d cry in the NICU chair, watching his tiny chest rise and fall, praying he’d keep going. There were moments I doubted myself—was there something I could’ve done to prevent this? But over time, I realized this wasn’t my fault. Preeclampsia doesn’t care how strong or healthy you are. It comes suddenly, and it changes everything.

Now, my son is home, thriving, and growing into the little fighter I always believed he was. I still carry the emotional weight of that experience, and I always will. But I also carry pride—for enduring it, for advocating for my son and myself, and for surviving one of the scariest moments of my life.

I’m sharing my story to help other women feel less alone. If you suspect something is off in your pregnancy—speak up. Advocate for yourself. Trust your body. Preeclampsia can escalate quickly, but with awareness, support, and swift care, lives can be saved.