I walk because I am a survivor.
In 2024, my husband and I received our long-awaited answered prayer—the pregnancy and birth of our first child, our daughter, Shira. While the journey to motherhood came with its own complications, we were ultimately blessed with Shira’s arrival on New Year’s Eve, just one day before our second wedding anniversary. It was a moment filled with joy, gratitude, and relief.
As a nurse, I believed that once I delivered, I would finally be in the clear—that I could breathe again. But six days postpartum, my story took a terrifying turn when I developed postpartum preeclampsia.
After being discharged, I was extremely swollen. I left the hospital wearing socks because my shoes would not fit, and I could barely fit into my maternity clothes. Each day, the swelling worsened. On postpartum day six, I developed a debilitating headache. I dismissed it as sleep deprivation until my mom placed a pulse oximeter on my finger, and my heart rate appeared in the 40s. I immediately knew something was wrong. I checked my blood pressure, 140/90, and my husband and I rushed to the nearest emergency room.
Once there, my blood pressure continued to climb to dangerous levels. I told the ER doctor, “I think this is preeclampsia, and I need to be placed on a magnesium drip ASAP.” My reflexes were extremely brisk, and I began seeing visual spots. Thanks to prompt action by the medical team, I was treated with a magnesium drip and later discharged on blood pressure medication.
Experiencing preeclampsia was the scariest experience of my life. As a registered nurse and maternal health advocate, I was well aware that Black women are at a significantly higher risk of developing preeclampsia. It is one thing to know the statistics surrounding maternal morbidity and mortality; it is another to live them.
There are many reasons why I walk.
I walk to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia, especially postpartum.
I walk so that mothers feel empowered to advocate for themselves and their babies.
I walk so that no other family has to endure the trauma that mine experienced.
I walk so that no child has to grow up without a mother.
And most importantly, I walk for Shira and because I am a survivor.
