About three years ago I almost lost my life. I don't say that loosely either. As Black Maternal Health Week comes to a close, I thought I share my story. A story that unfortunately is more likely to happen than not happen to black women. I was diagnosed with Preeclampsia at 33 weeks. My husband, Christian, and I were headed on a babymoon in the days after our beautiful baby shower. We were super excited about a break but also sand and one last time together before our little one was to arrive. My doctor was not super comfortable about me going so late in pregnancy but she thought it would be okay since my pregnancy had been pretty routine. She did have one caveat, I would have to come and get checked the day before I left to make sure I was still healthy enough to travel. I agreed and the day before our vacation I headed into her office. I gave my routine urine sample and sat to get my blood pressure checked. As the nurse took my blood pressure, she looked strangely. She said I'm going to take it again, sometimes the reading is off. The nurse took the blood pressure again, and again and again. I thought it was strange but I didn't question it. She said I'm going to get to the doctor, she will be right with you. Within 1 minute, my doctor's partner flung into the room. She first let me know that my doctor was on vacation and that she would be taking care of me. She then let into a flurry of questions about how I was feeling and started to look at my ligaments. She asked was my stomach of any pain, did I have a headache. Then the doctor pointed out my feet were super swollen. I told her, well yes I had a really bad headache over the weekend that woke me up out of my sleep and that yes my feet have been swollen for weeks, I just assumed it was pregnancy weight creeping in. She said so this headache you had, you did pain reliever cure it, I said no actually it didn't. She said, okay I don't want to diagnose you right now but I am really concerned as your blood pressure is 163/125, and that's not normal as you have always been around 118/80. The doctor said I want you to go right to the hospital, they will be expecting you. I said to her can I go after work, as I was headed there, she took one look at me and said, if you are not at the hospital in 30 minutes, you might die. I looked bewildered but also saw her seriousness and got in a cab to go to the hospital.
I arrived at the ER To find a room full of pregnant women waiting. Some in labor and others with complications. I came to the desk and instead of having me wait alongside the other pregnant ladies, the triage nurse said, “here is some paperwork, fill it out when you get to your room but in the meantime can I have your insurance card and I’ll get the paperwork from you later”. I thought okay that’s weird. What makes me so special I skip the line.
I got to the room and a doctor came in within 2 or 3 minutes, I was still getting the gown. She came to my side and said we are going to figure out what is going on. She then hooked me up to a few machines which constantly checked my blood pressure. It was still really high. The doctor instructed me to try to relax and breathe normally. She asked the same questions as the doctors and came to the conclusion I had only had high blood pressure for a few days as I had just had a 32-week appointment which my pressure was fine and there was no protein in my urine. Three other doctors came in. They asked if I had a partner and suggested they get there immediately as they may have to induce. This is the first time I called Christian. I had texted him earlier in the cab to say I was going to the hospital but I’m sure it didn’t seem so urgent. I was sobbing, unsure of what all of this meant but knew it was serious.
After a long tearful experience in the emergency maternal unit, the doctors urged me to relax and calm down to bring my blood pressure down. If are you already annoyed by that suggestion, imagine how I felt. It was something I heard over and over for the rest of the week. Through blood pressure medication, they were able to temporarily get my blood pressure down. The doctors came in along with my husband who was worried sick to tell me that they had officially diagnosed me with Pre-Eclampsia and that they would be holding me for observation to see how things go but that I might have to deliver that evening. After begging and pleading with the doctors that I was not ready to deliver and that my baby nor I was ready. We had hired a doula and she stepped in to give her advice, which we are still to this day grateful for. She thought, listen this isn't ideal but if they keep you then perhaps we can work on bringing down your blood pressure homeopathically and through acupuncture. At this point, I didn't really think about a preterm birth or a premature baby and its implications. I was just thinking, I am not ready. Super selfish I know.
Part Two here....
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