Candy's story

I was never given very much information about toxemia (pre-eclampsia) etc.

I got toxemic with my first daughter at the very end of the pregnancy (she was actually a week late) and they induced labor. Everything went fine and she and I were healthy (other than a little jaundice on her part and me being very sore)

I was pregnant again but actually had a blighted ovuum (sorry when you tell me I am pregnant I am pregnant whether things developed or not)

When I got pregnant with my son, I asked about getting toxemia again and the Dr. didn't think it would happen again - he mentioned that some people take aspirin but that has a risk in itself.

At around 7 months, things were going ok - I just got to the point where my visits were going to be 2 weeks apart. I did have "play-dough" legs but I tend to retain water anyway. My last Dr visit my blood pressure was up a bit but when I laid on my left side, it returned to normal. Just about a week after that, I thought I was having a really bad case of indigestion. My chest hurt so bad that I could not sleep - I had to practically stand up to get any relief. I did drive myself to work later - I was supposed to go on a business trip the next day and remember thinking to myself - I wouldn't be able to drive.

I called the dr.s office and left a message and waited for him to call me back. Then I thought I was starting to have contractions - sounds silly to "think" but since my labor had been induced before, I didn't really know how they "normally" started out. I called the dr's office again and this time he called back. He said I would know if I was having contractions and it was probably just my bowel or something acting up and to go home, put my feet up and take it easy. The "contractions" did stop so I thought he must have been right.

Not. About 2:00 am, my water broke. It took me a while to decide that I was in labor but I then woke my husband and we called the Dr. His partner called back and said to go to the hospital and that I may have to stay there until my due date. I was only 33 weeks pregnant so this did not thrill me.

Well, turns out that things weren't that easy. First they gave me something to slow my labor until they decided I had protein in my urine (since my water had broken, they had to use a catheter to decide this) and when they found out I did, they started me on something to speed up the labor. The doctor said the baby was small for the gestational age but we had to deliver.

So we did. I knew my blood pressure was high. (my normal bp is always great) Actually things work out for a reason. When I delivered Max, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he was turning blue. He was held up for my husband and I to "see" (I wear glasses so they could have told me he was a girl and I wouldn't have know the difference), then he was whisked off to the NICU. Instead of getting better with the delivery, I developed HELLP syndrome and people started worrying about me.

I wasn't told much other than my blood pressure was too high - I was taken to a private room with a padded bed and a crash cart near by. My "indigestion" acted up again and that's when I needed pain medication - I also had to sit up straight in bed to get relief - then they told me that it was my liver acting up (it felt like it was goingto come out of my chest).

I was unable to see my baby for three days (because of me, not so much him) and yet they wanted my blood pressure down - yeah right. I finally recovered - Max did well although he did spend a month in NICU (he was only 3lbs). At one point the doctor told me my condition was "touch and go" (very reassuring) He also said my platelets were under 10,000. Of course this did'nt mean much to me. Later my aunt who is a nurse said while everyone was worried about the baby, she was worried about me.

I was told that I really shouldn't have any more children because of the developing pattern and although we wanted a big family, agreed we couldn't take that chance.

I did feel weird because I didn't really know what went on with me. I was lucky that Max is ok and that I am ok. I think it really scared the dr. You never think something like that will happen to you do you?

Candy