Regina's story

Hi Everyone...

I'm a three time survivor of PE. I made it fullterm with my first two Children. Thomas and Michealla. With Michealla it was a bit milder. With Thomas I developed it pretty early but had no clue what was happening to me, I was never told till after I had been hospitalised 4 times. I was on so much medication for BP and seizures...most of that Pregnancy is a blur....I nearly Died.

With Michealla... I developed it late towards the Eight month... it was milder that time.But the placenta had crystalized...she had no fluid around her. I was Induced both times.

I also suffered a Miscarriage between those two... I had all the swelling and protien in my urine very early on...and my Baby just never developed fully{I was right around the 5 month mark} My Ob then Suspected PE...but said it was very early to be having it...so I wasn't given any Definite answers.

I divorced two years ago and now I am remarried. I recently gave birth to Nolan....he was born premature and with IUGR. He has a different father{my new husband}.

The PE this time was about the worst bout..the first time comes pretty close though. Right off the bat I had bleeding. It started at 7 weeks into the pregnancy. I started swelling, BP was 160 /100 and had protien in my urine around 4 months...when I went in to see my OB this time I was scared...I knew what was coming....and I kept thinking to myself here we go again. Thank god this Ob knew what to look for and what to expect. I again was on BP meds which kept increasing as my BP went up....up....up.

By the time I was 28 weeks I had 5 hospital stays....I was so swollen the bags under my eyes were puffing out over my face...my shoes no longer fit....protien was 6+....so I was shipped off to a high risk hospital an hour and a half from home. At first my OB had set a goal of 36 weeks...now it was down to days.....just getting through one at a time.

33 weeks hit and protien was 11+.....BP was 175/129.....and swelling so big they had to get a bigger BP cuff. My chest was hurting so bad.....It didn't feel like heartburn but more like constant pressure ....especially my upper right side......I felt like I was going blind, I had some blurry vision, but now I was having floaters/white spots. I'm not sure what all as far as meds I was on....but there were seven, I think, different bags of stuff hanging from my IVs. At this point the highrisk doctor said it was time for an amnio....he
wanted to induce if the baby was ready. I already had received the steroids shots, and they wanted to make sure his lungs were mature.

Not long after having the amnio.....contractions started coming....I had them all night long...5 mins apart. The results came in and they came back inconclusive.My BP was climbing even higher.....they wouldn't tell me what it was at this point. But the Doctors decided it was time to deliver.....the baby had been breach but was now flipped back around...so it was time to induce. Because I was already contracting they decided to use the cytotec pill{not sure how its spelled} instead of pitocin.

24 hours of contractions my cervix had not softened or dialated...and they were right on top of each other and the babys heart rate was slowing just a bit.....so they gave me something to slow down the contractions.I asked for an epidural....they were really starting to hurt.When the anestesthiologist had me sitting up to get
the epidural in....I started to go out....I heard the nurses telling me to hang in there....and then the scariest thing yet....the Baby heart rate bottomed out. The room filled up with so many people.....and out I went. When I came to they were massaging my tummy trying to get my babys heart rate back up....it was very week. They kept telling me it was going to be ok.....they got the Baby back...but they had to do a c-section.

I remember being wheeled in the other room...crying to my husband I was scared...and Out I went again. 36
hours of labor and a c-section ......Little Nolan was born, 3 lbs 10 oz..17 inches long....I finally got to see him two days later. I didn't care how sick or sore I was ...I just wanted to see my Baby. He spent 2 1/2 weeks in the NICU .He did great.....he's got few minor problems..but nothing to much to worry about.

My older 2 have learning disabilities.....I credit that to the PE...no proof though. And it will be awhile before I know if Nolan has any. But they are all wonderful And I love them very MUCH.

Anyway...I hope maybe my story will help someone......always be watchful and trust your instincts..

Regina