Since I was 16, there were always questions about my fertility in the future and what it may look like for me to have children. In March 2023 I found out I was pregnant and we were overjoyed! I developed chronic hypertension by 12 weeks, but was able to manage it by keeping a detailed log of blood pressures at home until 35 weeks. Then I was put on a bp medication to try to manage symptoms. By 37 weeks, my blood labs showed that I officially had preeclampsia. I was induced, and my labor was only 15 hours, which was amazing! My girl arrived healthy and strong, I was able to have a minimally medicated birth, which I was thankful for because my goal had been an unmedicated delivery before I was diagnosed with preeclampsia. This was only the beginning. 4 days after delivery, I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia because my blood pressure refused to decrease, regardless of the high doses of medication I had been given. I developed a strong headache that was unresponsive to the medications as well. I was put on a magnesium sulfate drip for 24 hours, and it was horrible. I stayed in the hospital another day after that. After 7 days in the hospital, we finally went home. It was not quite the start to motherhood that I had anticipated, but I'm here and thankful to my medical team, my family, and all the women and families who have fought before me and who are working to educate and protect mamas and babies. I am joining this fight as a survivor and want to make this better for moms and babies.