I am a two-time survivor of severe preeclampsia.
When I was pregnant with my son, Dean, severe preeclampsia happened suddenly and without warning. At 34 weeks pregnant, my blood pressure reached the 200/100 range, and my organs were being affected. An emergency induction, magnesium drip, and delivery were necessary to save both of our lives. Dean spent a week in the NICU, and suddenly we were navigating parenthood with a premature baby.
Four years later, we were incredibly lucky to become pregnant again, this time with our daughter, Marcie. My blood pressure was elevated throughout much of the pregnancy, and gestational hypertension ultimately led to an urgent C-section at 37 weeks.
This pregnancy was also filled with fear. I experienced panic attacks and anything related to blood pressure—or anything that reminded me of my pregnancy and delivery with Dean—could trigger intense post-traumatic stress.
Five days after Marcie was born, I knew something wasn’t right. My chest hurt, I was exhausted, and I had pain in my upper right abdomen. I was hospitalized for five days with postpartum preeclampsia.
Even though I kind of knew what to expect, I was terrified. I couldn’t be left alone with my newborn daughter in the hospital. I received another magnesium drip, and for days, my care team struggled to control my labile blood pressures. At one point, I looked at Dan and said, “I’m scared I’m going to die.”
Thankfully, my care team eventually found the right combination of medications to bring my blood pressure under control, and I was able to go home to my family.
Another pregnancy could put my life at risk and increase my risk for heart complications later in life. That is a difficult reality to carry.
I walk because preeclampsia has shaped our family in ways I never could have imagined. I walk because I have survived it twice.
And I walk for my sisters, my friends, and my own children—for the hope that one day, none of them will have to experience what my family and I have experienced.
If you are able to donate, share my story, or simply walk alongside me, thank you. Every step brings us closer to a future where preeclampsia is better understood, better treated, and no family has to face the fear of losing a mother or child.
