I was 37 weeks when my midwives took me off bedrest because I could officially go into labor safely. I begged them to let me stay off work because I was so swollen I couldn't walk, and I had this paralyzing pain in my right side that would  me out of nowhere. But it was a no. I went back to work, but only part time because my body couldn't handle anything more. I had gained 60 pounds, I was swollen everywhere, but they said everything I was experiencing was normal. How would I know any different? Maybe I was just being a baby and needed to suck it up. My widwi always showed interest in the baby but nothing in me. Was what I was going through really normal? 

I was 38 weeks when I developed a cough. It's not out of the ordinary, I usually get bronchitis at least once a year. I was put on medicine and felt a ton better. What was weird is when I took my last dose about 7 days later of my medicine I felt very sick again about 12 hours later. I thought that was kind of odd but decided to go to a prompt care clinic since it was a Sunday. They didn't want to touch me with a 10 foot pole so they told me to wait until tomorrow to see my primary care doctor. So I go home. I haven't slept, my husband hasn't slept, I can't stop coughing, I can't catch a break. I was having panic attscks because I couldn't breath.I truly thought I just had bronchitis and needed more medicine. 

It was about 11pm and my husband is so sleep deprived he tells me to just try and sleep for an hour. He figured if I feel asleep I might get a few hours then. He tucked me in and I tried my very hardest to sleep. I counted sheep, I vizualized our honeymoon in Hawaii. About 30 minutes later I had enough and jump up and start screaming that I need a doctor and I couldn't wait any longer. I didn't know something was seriously wrong but my body was telling me to go. So we went.

When I arrived to the ER they took my vitals. I was immediately rushed to a room and put on oxygen. Several people fill the room uo and start getting me hooked up onto several machines and start doing tests. I was confused, but maybe they were just being cautious because I was pregnant. I didn't know what the rush was, I just needed medicine for my cough. 

I was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted into the hospital. My oxygen level was a 77 when I walked into that ER. Needless to say I was eventually transferred to ICU and they finally did a 24 hour urine collection. It came back with a ton of protein. So it wasn't pnemonia, I was preeclampsia and had pulmonary edema because it was not caught. 

I reflect often on my experience. Why didn't my doctors know I was preeclamptic? It seemed so obvious once the true diagnosis was given. With that said, my doctor assured me the next pregnancy would be handled differently. Well I would hope so considering I almost died because somehow my preeclampsia slid under the cracks. I wish I knew why, but I never will. With that said, I have a beautiful baby boy who is healthy as can be so I have no complaints.