1st pregnancy was at 30 2/7 weeks. We flew, they were treating the breathing (they called it asthma)with a inhaler, and they said maybe pre-eclampsia. They had me go into the hospital for observation. BP was 180/110 and harder time breathing, with the spins. I stayed in the bed for almost 24 hours. The bp was almost normal and I felt a little better. They released me in the morning. I went home, started having more problems. I called the doctor that night and the breathing was worse. Went into the ob office at 10 am. I was seeing him and the breathing was worse. BP was 210/120. Doctor said go to ER, literally, 5 floors elevator, walk to to the sidewalk, cross 2 lane street, then walk maybe 30 seconds into ER. As I left the room of the office, I started telling my husband, I got to pee, they called for a stretcher, I got up from the toilet, and felt like I had to pee again. I was so afraid to leave because I felt like I was gonna pee my pants. The stretcher came, and I tried to get on it and I started panicking more. They got a wheel chair and could not find the mask for an oxygen tank. The nurses and office staff, were freaking out also. They wheeled me down the elevator, and I started freaking bad. I got in the ER and in the room, got on the stretcher. Mrs. Shelden, some one in my face, can you wake up, we need to do this, then again someone in my face, Ms. Shelden, we need to do this. I think that happened 4 times before having a dream about a bird in a cage that would tweet every time there was no oxygen in the cave. Also, I opened my eyes and saw multi-colors all over the room. Like a disco. Then I remember waking up, seeing my hubby, and him telling me that Charles is fine. He is good , I have a tube in my throat. And then opening my eyes again to the disco. Opened my eyes again, and my husband was sitting there, and he said Charles is good, showed me a picture, I do not remember seeing it, and they were telling me some stuff. Then I panicked, and then next time I opened my eyes, I had to wait a little while to have the tube out. This was 7 days later. It took about 8 hours later, for them to get a oxygen/hydrogen mix so I could start breathing on my own. I was able to go to my new room the next day, had to let my muscles come back to life, and was able to see Charles that day. I lost 27 pounds in that 7 days, and was released from the hospital about 3 days later.
Now with Arianna, we were still deciding if we wanted to have my tubes tied. I was doing really well, losing weight, and very active. We were told, my heart was completely normal, no damage. They tested me to see if I was healthy to get pregnant again. We had wonderful insurance at the time, and the doctor told us with that insurance, I could be treated with the best care and attention. So, not planning we found out I was pregnant that next year, we found out I was pregnant. This time I was on nausea meds so I could eat. I was on light pain meds for kidney stone pain, bp meds. The pregnancy was better this time. My bp went back up to 180/110 and they kept telling me I was going to go in for bed rest when I was ready. Due to my father in law dying, I waited an extra 5 days to go in so hubby could fly home for the funeral. My sister drove from Las Vegas, to Portland, OR so she could stay with me while he was not there. He got back and we gave him one day to rest from the trip before I went in. I went in at 32 weeks and they put me on strict bed rest and we wanted to go to 37 weeks. BP was 120/70 the whole time. I was having serious kidney pain when I laid on my side, only way they could get a bp. I would actually pass out because she was cutting the kidney off. (Floating kidney) We did the c-section, and I did great. I had to have them take her to the nursery every night because I was so tired and could not stay awake to deal with her. So then, they released me from the hospital a week later.
I went to the car, and we went to the grocery store for pads, rode in a powered chair, and then went home. I literally remember looking up the stairs. And that is it. I woke up in the hospital after 3 days.
Now, this is what I was told and read.
I called some people, talking weird, fixed dinner, and went to bed. Hubby said I sat up in the bed and said take me to the ER. I walked into the ER (hubby stayed in the van with the kids) I talked to the doctor. Told the doctor it was happening again. Stood up for chest xray. Doctor talked to me and decided that they were going to give me a breathing treatment for pneumonia. Started the treatment and they lost my pulse. They did CPR and shocked me once. My husband got a call to come in, and when he walked in they were working on me. I was on a vent for 2 days before waking up. This time it was diagnosed as PPCM.
My Details
- Date Diagnosed: 17/06/2009
- Child: 2
- Initial EF: 30 - 35%
- Current EF: 55%
Story By Tina Shelden