Heather's story

My name is Heather, I am 24 years old. My, husband and I have been married now for almost 2 years. We have actually been a couple for 9 years. We met in highschool and have been inseperable ever since. During those years we had our share of ups and downs but nothing could have prepared us for what we went through this past year.

We were married on May 15, 1999. By October we were pregnant. We were so happy! My husband wanted to be involved in the whole process so we went together to every appointment. At five months we were thrilled to find out that we were having a little girl. Everything looked great. My weight was fine and so was my blood pressure. My blood pressure had always been great. I was feeling pretty lucky to be having such an easy pregnancy. Ha! Ha!

At around 33 weeks I was starting to notice some swelling in my ankles and fingers but my doctor said that since I was carrying through the summer it was very common to see some swelling. Just to be sure she checked my blood pressure and it too was fine. As the days went on I continued to swell. We went to my parent's house for a July 4th barbeque, and my feet were so swollen that it hurt to walk. Everyone there thought it was so funny that I was starting to lnflate like a balloon. I was so uncomfortable and so embarrassed!

By this point I was going to the doctor every week so at 34 weeks we were back at our next check-up. As soon as the doctor walked through the door I could see by the expression on her face that she didn't like what she saw. The first thing she did was weigh me. She told me that I had gained 8 pounds of fluid in one week! She also said that my blood pressure was high. The next thing she said to us was to go to the hospital and take a stress test to make sure that the baby was ok.

We took the test and everything looked fine. They told us that we could go home but that we would have to come back on Monday and they would check my blood pressure again. I remember on the ride home, there were so many different emotions racing through me. I was excited that I was finally going to meet my little girl but at the same time I was confused as to what was really going on. Nobody had really explained anything to us. One minute everything is fine and the next they are talking about enducing labor.

We went back for another test on Monday as instructed and they said they wanted to keep me overnight for observation. They said that I was showing signs of pre-eclampsia, a term which we had never heard of before. They really got our attention when they said, possible seizures, brain damage, coma or even death! Well, I stayed overnight and to my surprise in the morning, they sent me home. That same day my mom came over to make me some lunch because I still wasn't feeling right. I felt like I had a touch of the flu. In between frequent trips to the bathroom I started to get a sharp pain that traveled up the back of my neck and over the top of my head. My mom thought it might be my blood pressure so she called the doctor. They told her to come in right away!

By the time we got to the doctor's(45min) I was in excruciating pain! I told them I couldn't breath, it felt like I was water logged. They told me that my blood pressure was extremely high and to go to labor and delivery where they would induce me. They told us that the only cure for this disease is to deliver the baby. I was in labor for two days with little progress. Finally my water broke. When they checked me they found that the baby was coming out arm first with the cord under her arm. Every time I would have a contraction she pushed on the cord and her heart rate would go down. They decided to do an emergency c-section.

I was so scared! What had happened to this beautiful delivery that we had been so excited about? All I can remember is just crying hysterically. My husband couldn't even be in the operating room with me. They layed me on the operating table and I just layed there crying and shivering. They put me to sleep and when I woke up I was lying in a dark room with my husband by my side. His first words to me were, "Do you remember what happened?". He told me that a couple of hours after they delivered the baby I had a seizure.

They had me on Magnessium Sulfate so when I woke up I couldn't feel my legs and I could barely see. I didn't actually see my daughter for about three days. My arms were so black and blue that they could barely see to take anymore blood. On a good note our beautiful daughter Madison at just 4lb 14oz was doing just fine! Even though I gave birth at only 36 weeks they didn't consider her premature because her lungs were fully developed. She was perfect!

We ended up staying in the hospital for a total of nine long days. I finally broke down and cried to one of the nurses to please let me go home! Silly me, I thought that once I got home everything would go back to normal. I quickly found out that after something like this happens to you, nothing is the same. I found myself to be very disconnected from everything, including my daughter. I just wasn't being the mom I knew I should be. I also wasn't being a good wife to my husband. People tried to tell me that what I was going through was normal and that they understood but unless you have been through this you can't understand! I felt and still feel that I was robbed of something that I had looked forward to since I was a little girl.

I decided to see my doctor and tell her how I was feeling. She decided to put me on Zoloft(an anti-depressant) and since then I have been feeling a lot more balanced. I am totally in love with my daughter and I feel blessed to be her mom! We do want at least one more baby but we are going to wait until she is two before we try again. Just some advice, you will never forget an experience like this but with each day it will sink a little deeper into your memory. Also, it really helps to talk to someone who has been through it. Good luck to all of you!

Heather LaRocca mom to Madison 8 1/2 mo.