At 23 weeks my world began unravelling. My blood pressures were reaching dangerous levels and I was put on mandatory bed rest to prevent pre term labor. Fast forward to the week of March 1st and my protein levels went from 120 to 1200, and on March 3rd, I was rushed by ambulance to UAMS in Little Rock,where I would find out that I had developed HELLP Syndrome. I received steroid shots, and was on continuous blood pressure meds and magnesium to try and treat my condition, but to no avail. Sunday afternoon, March 6th, my liver enzymes began tripling, my platelets went to the 50's and my pressures were out of control, the doctors gave me no choice but to deliver via emergency ceserean. (I'm told by my mother that by this point I was actually 'ok' with delivering I was hurting so bad, I'm sure it was the appeal of the drugs.I delivered a 2 lb 13 oz., 19 inch, fighter with a head full of black hair at 28 weeks and five days.*Those last five days were some of the worst of my life so I'm always sure to count them.)
HELLP Syndrome is often under diagnosed, and can be life threatening to not only the mother but also the unborn baby. The only way to cure the disease is to deliver and unfortunately that often leads to a premature baby.