It took me six years to get pregnant, and I was so thankful for a fairly normal pregnancy. But just six days after giving birth, everything changed.
I started feeling off — dizzy, lightheaded, intense chest pressure, and swelling so bad I couldn’t walk or wear shoes. I began checking my blood pressure at home, and when the numbers kept climbing, I trusted my gut and went to my doctor. She admitted me to the hospital on the spot.
Once there, my blood pressure spiked to 210/180. I remember looking at the nurse and asking, “Am I going to die?” That moment, being away from my newborn baby, terrified and unsure if I’d make it, was the scariest of my life.
I was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia and put on a magnesium drip for 24 hours to prevent seizures. It felt like fire in my veins. I spent three days in the hospital, alone and separated from my baby. As a brand new mom, that was absolutely agonizing.
I spent seven months on blood pressure medication and just recently came off them. To this day, anything related to blood pressure still triggers fear and anxiety.
I know I’m one of the lucky ones. So many women and babies don’t survive preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome because symptoms are missed or dismissed. That’s why I’m walking — to raise awareness, to help others recognize the signs, and to make sure more women can advocate for their lives.
Postpartum preeclampsia is real. It’s dangerous. And it doesn’t end when the baby is born.
Thank you for supporting this cause. You’re helping save lives.
