Halfway through my “normal” pregnancy I was told that we had to deliver the baby or that we would both die

As said Erica Rimlinger

In the summer of 2015 I had big news to share with my friends, family and all my hair styling customers: I was pregnant. My husband and I were so excited to meet our first child. I was 32 years old and healthy, and the pregnancy went great.

In the 18th week of my pregnancy I worked when I felt a new unknown and severe pain right under my breasts in the middle of my rib cage. I rejected the feeling as an indigestion, but as the day progressed, the pain got worse and I found it difficult to stand. I had no discomfort at all with the pregnancy. I knew that this serious pain was wrong, so I went home, called my husband and my doctor, and on the advice of the doctor we went to the hospital.

In the hospital our baby was fine, my bloodwork was fine and I was sent home with instructions to call when something changed. The pain went on and deteriorated all night and in the coming days. A trip back to the hospital yielded a diagnosis of gallstones. Because I was told that it was not safe to undergo surgery after the 20th week of a pregnancy, I was immediately operated on my gallbladder.

I woke up from the operation in the same pain where I was before. Now I now had surgical pain on top of the burning pain under my rib cage. I had a headache and fatigue and I couldn’t keep the food low, so I called my surgeon and Midwife (OB) To ask if this was normal. My gallbladder surgeon thought they sounded like normal pregnancy symptoms, but my OB didn’t. I was admitted to the hospital again.

Even when the test did not make a diagnosis after the test, my obediently sought a cause. I will always be grateful for this because I started to doubt my instincts. Because this was my first pregnancy, I thought this might just be what pregnancy is for me.

Then a blood test revealed the source of my misery: I had Hellp -SyndromeAnd I had to deliver the baby immediately, after 21 weeks of pregnancy. My husband and I were shocked, confused and had no idea what Hellp syndrome was. The doctors quickly explained that it is a rare pregnancy complication that breaks down red blood cells Liver enzyme and reduces platelets. Untreated it can be fatal for mother and baby, and the only effective treatment is the immediate delivery of the baby.

My husband tried to argue with the doctor. He pulled the doctor into the corridor and asked: “What’s going on? The baby can’t survive after 21 weeks.” The doctor clearly explained the situation. If the baby was not delivered now, the baby and I would both die. If the baby was born now, he would probably die, but I would live. There were no good choices and the clock ticked. At that moment I could have had a stroke and died at any time.

We hurried to give birth and delivery, where I was immediately induced. I was in a medicinal fog. I couldn’t believe this was real life. When the baby arrived, we called him Brixton. He never breathed.

2015

I still vividly remember that I was holding Brixton, gathered with my sister and husband. The nurses had packed his small body in a blanket. During that short hour that we had with him, I felt strong that God was with us. I had an overwhelming feeling of love, peace and gratitude for this baby who had made me a mother.

After birth my blood pressure was and I had to use medication for weeks to control it. Because I was driven out of the hospital and delivery unit of the hospital and I am jealous of the mothers who left with a baby in their arms, surrounded by smiling relatives. I was sick, medicinal, miserable and thought, “I will never do this again.”

At home we threatened the loss of our baby boy. My milk came in and I feared to go back to work and tell the terrible story all day again. I had to know, why did this happen to me?

Hellp syndrome is rare. Even rarer is one of the potential causes: called a car -immune disease Antiphosfolipide Syndrome (APS). This blood clotting disorder is often not diagnosed into a stroke or Hellp syndrome makes his presence known. I learned that I had APS and that it was in my family.

Over time, faith in God and a lot of therapy, our pain about the loss of Brixton eventually healed. We decided that we would try to get another baby now that we knew how to control my APs.

I was terrified and excited when I saw the positive pregnancy test, but the pregnancy progressed quietly, except how closely I was. I regularly saw a hematologist and a risky OB, and I had tons of ultrasound. Remembering what happened last time, we told people about the pregnancy much later.

2024

My son Elliott, now 8 years old, was a blessing of God. I didn’t have a bad test result during all my months of blood tests. I was induced after 39 weeks and Labor went as perfect as possible. Encouraged, we have decided to have another baby.

Our next son, Hunter, arrived in May 2020, during the Pandemic Lockdown. The pregnancy went smoothly again, thanks to vigilant medical care, but after 37 weeks of pregnancy I was on the couch and my vision faded. I didn’t wait. I called my doctor who told me to go directly to the hospital. There we discovered that my blood pressure was high. I was immediately induced to prevent a complete relapse of Hellp syndrome, and my son and I recovered quickly from birth.

I don’t want to scare pregnant women by sharing Brixton’s story, but I wish I knew about Hellp Syndrome when I was pregnant. Talking about pregnancy risks can be scary, but open conversations can help women become better proponents for themselves. For this reason I am happy to talk about the experience of our family. It is possible that another woman gets so sick and gets as close to death as me.

Every year on Brixton’s birthday my husband and I safely recognize our first son. I occasionally look at pictures of Brixton, and the little hat he wore when we held it up for the first and last time. Every year our memories of our rainbow baby lose a little more of their angel and are replaced by a little more joy instead. I will never stop feeling love and gratitude for my first baby and his place in our family.

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