We Survived....

I was 17 when I gave birth to my daughter. At 36 weeks my doctor noticed that my blood pressure was abnormally high. So they ran some tests. When I went in for my 37 week appointment, my BP had spiked even more. At that time they determined that I had preeclampsia. They induced me within a few hours. 5 years later my husband and I tried for baby #2. From the start they watched my BP. At 30 weeks we started to see a rise in my BP. My doctors visits got longer as they kept me for observation every week. At 36 weeks my BP had gotten dangerously high (for me and the baby). Out of fear that this could possibly result in preeclampsia again, they induced. My son's heart rate began to slowly decline during delivery because of my blood pressure (which had gotten worse during delivery). Since the birth of my children, I have experienced high blood pressure and depression, both of which my doctor said could have been affected by the preeclampsia. My daughter's doctor believes she may have adhd, which potentially (but not for certain) have been caused by the preeclampsia. Both of my kids are healthy and bright, but the effects that this disease has had on me and my daughter, and will continue to have on us, could be a struggle. At last year's Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, my daughter wrote on the sidewalk "mommy and me survived"........and that we did. We are survivors.

To find out more about preeclampsia, or to find a Promise Walk in your area, visit PromiseWalk.org or Preeclampsia.org.