“I'm scared, I just want to be home with my babies and I'm nervous what will happen to me and I'm afraid that I might die.”
Mothers are used to being the nurturers and caregivers that very often we make light of what we are feeling in order to continue on with the routine. So, when I woke up 6 days after my c-section unable to catch my breath, with blurry vision and a dull headache I thought I was just tired. I had a newborn and a toddler, I didn't have time to think something was wrong with me or what I could do to fix it. My husband Rob insisted I call my OB-Gyn doctors at Penn Medicine for Women.
Hayley was my second baby. She arrived full term via scheduled c-section. Our little princess had arrived and even my son Derek, at just 26 months old, was thrilled for our family. I was released from the hospital and spent two days in that post baby honeymoon phase. When I agreed to called my OBGYN I was surprised at the stern immediacy in her voice when she insisted I get to the hospital right away.
After kissing my babies good-bye, trying to be strong but unable to hold back the tears, I headed back to Pennsylvania Hospital where I had delivered just days before.
Preeclampsia. I had heard the word, I knew it had to do with pregnancy and headaches and blood pressure (mine was 220/110)……but I wasn't pregnant!!!! There I was, a mother of two, about to immediately be hooked up to a Magnesium IV to prevent a seizure or stroke due to preeclampsia and I had NEVER even heard of having preeclampsia postpartum!
A very sweet nurse sat down next to me and grabbed my hand firmly. She asked me to tell her what I was thinking. I told her, "I'm scared, I just want to be home with my babies and I'm nervous what will happen to me and I'm afraid that I might die". That was the honest truth, I was petrified.
Magnesium was not my friend. I felt terrible, I wore oxygen. I was pumping every two hours and unable to get out of bed. It was then that I realized just how serious this was. I knew this feeling was the way to get better and I trusted my team at Penn. Three hellish days later, the Magnesium was stopped and though my blood pressure (BP) was still high, I could be monitored closely on an outpatient basis.
It took a few weeks for my BP and me to get back to normal. But they did. I was lucky. My preeclampsia story involved only myself and Hayley was unaffected by it. This is not the case for most as preeclampsia is the leading known cause of prematurity.
According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, thousands of women and babies die or get very sick each year from this dangerous condition called preeclampsia. It is a life-threatening disorder that occurs in up to 1 in 12 women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Preeclampsia and related disorders such as HELLP syndrome and eclampsia are most often characterized by the presence of protein in the urine and a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to seizure, stroke, multiple organ failure and death of the mother and/or baby. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms of preeclampsia; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms. My OB-Gyn knew right away as I described what I was feeling and I feel lucky to have been advised to go right to the hospital.
Typically, preeclampsia occurs after 20 weeks gestation (in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters or middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier and up to 6 weeks postpartum. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. In my case, preeclampsia occurred after delivery and so I am thankful to have had Penn Medicine doctors that are up to date on the latest research and information and were therefore able to diagnose me quickly.
I am included in a group of U.S. women who are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease or a stroke within 5–15 years of their preeclampsia diagnosis. Now more than ever I need to be vigilant about my heart health and my lifestyle.
Sarah is a volunteer walk coordinator for the Preeclampsia Foundation and a Shot@Life Champion. A mother of two, she spends her days working at a University and playing with her children.
Follow Penn Heart and Vascular on Facebook for more patient stories.