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Lori's Story I am 27 years old, and have been with my husband for four years, but we recently got married in September. We became pregnant while on the pill, but ofcourse were still very excited about the thought of becoming parents. I think I was definitely ready to become a mother. I had even told him that I was hoping we could try soon after the wedding. He said that would be fine, since he too was very excited about being a daddy. So, we broke the news to friends and family at about twelve weeks into the pregnancy. I was feeling great, and wanted so much to share the news. Of course the wedding plans changed a bit, but we still went forward and decided to still get married. We had a perfect wedding, and our little angel was with us on that day, four months into his life. We found out at about six months that we were having a boy, and we were so excited. We both cried at the ultrasound, you hate to admit you have a preference because of course a healthy baby was the most important thing to us, but I think we were so happy we were having a boy. Everyhting with the pregnancy was going ok. The only that came up was that on my AFP test my HCG levels were slightly elevated. They told me that all this meant was that at 37 weeks they would monitor me closely to make sure my placenta would be ok to make it full term. I also was overweight at the beginning of my pregnancy, not saying ofcourse that caused the PE or anything but I think my weight concerned me at times. Well, my guess is that at about 71/2 months is when I started to swell. I brought it up with my doctor, but she said she felt it was normal. I also started showing raised blood pressures, but they would lay me on my side for fifteen minutes, and they would drop down a bit, and they would send me off. Meanwhile I am a teacher who is on my feet all day long, and it made no sense to me that she didn't consider bedrest. Well, just before the holidays I had my 30 week appointment. For the first time I had a plus one in my urine, and still had elevated blood pressure. My doctor decided to have me do a 24 hour urine test, and bloodwork. She told me to just go home, relax (not bedrest) and we'll see where things will be in 2 weeks. Well, at my 32, week appointment (Jan.2) things really started. I had a plus three in my urine, high BP, and very swollen so she decided to send me to L&D. Luckily my husband was with me. We were so scared, but we tried to hang in there. We got to there and they immediately put me on Magnesium sulfate, catheter, fetal monitor, and of course bedrest. For about the next 36 hours I stayed in bed, and they did a 24 hour urine and gave me steroids for the baby. They also did an ultrasound, which showed the baby weighing 2 pounds 9 ounces, quite small I thought. I asked about it, and they said placenta, amniotic fluid, and his measurements looked good, so since I was a small baby maybe he was just going to be small for his age. ( still major concern) My dip sticks all were under plus one, and the first doctor even let me have lunch on the second day, so I thought things were going ok, I thought I may just have to stay there a while. Sure enough a new doctor comes in and tells me the urine level was 3,000 and they thought I should deliver, preferably by c-section for my health, and the babies. Of course I thought he knew best so we went with that. I had my son on January 3,2002 at 7:45pm. He was perfect from the start, but tiny. He was 2 pounds 11.7 ounces, and he recieved 9.9 on his apgar. He didn't need a ventilator, and was only on oxygen a short time. He went to the NICU and had a perfect twelve days. He made every step they hoped for. Off the bellyrubin lights, started eating breast milk, went from 3ccs to 24ccs, and was gaining weight. He was up to 2 pounds 14 ounces. On the early morning of January 15th, he started to show signs of infection in his intestine. He had a residual on his 3 am feeding. Let me not spend a long time on this difficult part of my story. Our little prince, Dylan Thomas Simanek passed away at 3:56 pm on the 15th. He died from something that is called NEC. It is fairly common, but from what we were told doesn't usually get so severe so quickly. It can often be treated by antibiotics or surgery. Our son's intestine perforated, and he died very quickly. It is has been a very devestating experience that I think we have yet to even come close to understanding. He was doing soo well, and we just still can't belive he is gone. We are thankful though, for the twelve glorious days he spent touching our lives, and our family, friends, and his nurses. He had some amazing nurses who took very good care of him, and had a close bond with him. They all use to tell us how they would fight over who would get to take care of him.. His smiled lit up the room, and his strength amazed everyone. WE WILL LOVE HIM FOREVER!
Thank-you for listening! Lori Simanek
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