In February of 2022, I was a young, healthy newlywed. I worked long days as an ER nurse and was around 37 weeks pregnant. I began having severe swelling and was reassured by my doctor that it was a result of working 12 hour shifts. I went in for my regular appointment and my blood pressure was 190/100; this was 4 days after I complained of severe swelling. I was sent to labor and delivery, my protein creatinine ratio was 5 times the normal limit. I went on to be induced, have a placental abruption, and found our baby had been growth restricted. This experienced changed me and I went on to become a labor and delivery nurse.

I unexpectedly found out I was pregnant in June of 2023. I immediately changed my diet, started a baby aspirin and stayed active. I was determined to not have preeclampsia again. To my surprise I ended up developing gestational diabetes and was diagnosed with severe fetal growth restriction at 29 weeks. The high risk doctor informed me I was likely in the early stages of preeclampsia which was affecting my babies growth. By 30 weeks I was having intermittent mild range blood pressures (130/90). By 32 weeks, I had mild continuous headaches unrelieved by Tylenol, right upper quadrant tenderness, visual changes and intermittent severe range blood pressures ( >160/100). I knew I was preeclamptic but my blood pressures were fluctuating and once again I was informed by a doctor that I wasn’t sick enough to warrant any action. I went into the hospital 3 times, my symptoms and moderate range blood pressures were dismissed. On January 14th, I woke up from a dead sleep with a severe headache and extreme visual disturbances and immediately began vomiting. I checked my blood pressure, 180/99. As a nurse, I should’ve drove to the hospital then, but I had just been in the hospital the night prior with a blood pressure of 170/99 and was sent home, what’s so different this time? I was too embarrassed to go back. I curled up next to my 23 month old son, I held him tight, I sang him a song, the impending doom set in. I knew these precious moments with my sweet boy would be the last, my whole world, my son, would never remember his mom. I held him and I sobbed, my son would grow up without his mother. My sister came over and saw the state I was in and called my family. My mother drove me to my doctor in a blizzard, my blood pressure was once again 170/100, I was sent to the hospital for a further work up. At the hospital my blood pressure was 150/80, down from the severe range, once again they tried to send me home. This was my last attempt to survive, this was my only chance, I begged for a transfer to a higher level of care or I was going to sign out and drive. They consulted a higher level hospital where they recommended immediate transfer and magnesium initiation. The doctor who took me on saved me, she saved my baby, she saved my family. Upon transfer my liver enzymes began increasing, I was developing HELLP. The doctors were baffled at the management of my condition, they said it was a miracle I didn’t die or have a stillborn. If I wasn’t a labor and delivery nurse and knew the dire state of my condition, I wouldn’t be writing this to you today. As healthcare providers we MUST do better, so that not one more child has to grow up without their mother and so that not one more mother has to bury their child.