This year, I am excited to join the 140 Over 90 fundraising team to raise awareness and funds in support of the Preeclampsia Foundation.

As some of you know, Walker and I had a rough start as he was welcomed into the world. It started when I went to my 36-week appointment. I went to the appointment with no concerns, the same for every other appointment thus far in my pregnancy. Unexpectedly, the nurse I regularly see was unavailable and another nurse stepped in to see me. The nurse took my vitals including my blood pressure. She said, “Wow, have you been dealing with high blood pressure?”. I responded confused because I have never had a blood pressure conversation with a professional in my life. To be honest, at this point, I didn’t even know what a normal BP reading was. Based on my response, she thought maybe the reading was faulty, so she grabbed another device with the same result. She left the room concerned and brought another nurse in to take my BP. That nurse was also very concerned and grabbed a doctor. The doctor came in and stated I needed to be admitted to the hospital immediately. The office was connected to the hospital, but they wouldn’t let me walk – I had to be wheeled to the hospital. This was all happening so fast, and I was surrounded by professionals that I was unfamiliar with. Nathan came up to the hospital to be with me. At this time, they ran labs and agreed if they could get my BP under control, they would send me home. They found protein in my urine, which in addition to the high BP, is another sign of preeclampsia. They were concerned for me but were hoping to get me to 37 weeks before inducing me as this would be best for the baby. They were able to reduce my BP with medication but the nurse that discharged me warned me I would likely be admitted again after I go for my follow up two days later. I went to my doctor’s office for my follow up appointment – this time with my hospital bag packed. At this appointment, they officially diagnosed me with preeclampsia and as predicted admitted me again. I was told I would need to stay hospitalized for monitoring until they inevitably induced me. My second night in the hospital my blood pressure was reading 181/96 and would not go down. They immediately started a magnesium drip IV in hopes to prevent a seizure and induced me because Walker needed to get out of there ASAP. My birth plans that I spent so much time researching as a first-time mom were thrown out the window. The magnesium drip was miserable. I was vomiting, had blurred vision, a headache and was just plain out of it. Multiple times while in labor I dozed off because of being drugged. Unfortunately, the magnesium drip is not good for the baby either. They told me they would have to immediately take Walker away to the nursery for monitoring after he is born. Fast forward to Walker Lee being the first baby in the hospital born on St. Patrick’s Day 2022! I unfortunately had to stay on the magnesium drip for 24 hours post birth. After that we moved to the labor recovery rooms and things seemed to be moving okay. Walker had jaundice which we knew was common but then he would not keep his food down either. Inevitably they decided he needed to go to the NICU until he was able to properly eat. I heartbreakingly was discharged and we had to leave our baby in the NICU returning home without him. I was only able to go home and shower before I was back in the hospital a few hours later with a fever of 104.3 and again elevated BP. On top of my preeclampsia extending to postpartum, I also developed sepsis while in the hospital. It took 10 days of being in the hospital for my BP and sepsis to get under control. Walker had a 17-day NICU stay until he was finally eating without assistance. We were finally able to come home as a family on April 3rd. This was the most frightening time of my life. There were multiple stages of not knowing what was wrong with myself or Walker and we were both in very dangerous situations for extended periods of time. I had never heard of preeclampsia before this nor did I know the extent of the danger I was in once I was diagnosed.

Preeclampsia is a life-threatening hypertensive disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The disorder is most often characterized by a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to seizure, stroke, multiple organ failure and even death of the mother and/or baby. Thousands of women and babies get very sick each year from this dangerous condition. The exact cause for preeclampsia is unknown but rates are increasing. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, “the rate of preeclampsia in the US has increased 25% in the last two decades and is a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death.”

I am participating in the 140 Over 90 Run because becoming a parent is hard enough and we deserve the tools and knowledge for our health and wellbeing. Proceeds from 140 Over 90 support the Cuff Project which provides high-risk mothers with blood pressure monitors and tools to seek help.

A donation of any size would be greatly appreciated!
You can also get involved by:

• Learning more about preeclampsia at https://www.preeclampsia.org/ 
• Watching Aftershock on Hulu for a deep, heartbreaking look into the maternal mortality crisis 
• Encouraging a pregnant or recent postpartum friend to check their blood pressure and learn about the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy