I can’t see the light, but I have an unsettling feeling that my time is running out. It’s a Friday night, and I find myself in a hospital bed in the ICU after welcoming my twins into the world at 35 weeks and 3 days. My blood pressure is soaring at 240 over 120, and my body trembles uncontrollably. I can’t even respond when the doctor inquires if I can hear him. Suddenly, three other doctors rush in and insert a second IV into my other arm, flooding my system with medication in a desperate bid to stabilize my dangerously high blood pressure. I know I’m on the brink of something terrible, but I can’t see the bright light everyone talks about.
Flashback to the Beginning
Flashback eight months: My husband and I were eager to expand our family. We already had a delightful 1½-year-old daughter and wanted her to have a sibling. After taking a pregnancy test that came back positive, we did several more just to be sure. When we finally had our first ultrasound, the technician smiled and said, “Congratulations! How many congratulations would you like?” We both chimed in, “One!”
“Actually, it’s two,” he replied. I erupted into laughter while my husband stood frozen in disbelief. After a moment, he solemnly said, “I need to find a second job.”
I won’t bore you with the pregnancy details, but I can assure you that carrying twins wasn’t easy. By week 12, I was already enormous, and I endured relentless morning, afternoon, and evening sickness until week 26. Finding names for two babies was another challenge entirely!
The Diagnosis
The real shock hit during a routine checkup at 28 weeks. Running late, I sat down for my blood pressure check, expecting it to be high due to the rush. The nurse asked me to wait a bit for a second reading, and I thought she was just being overly cautious. But when that reading was even worse, concern etched on her face, she asked, “Is your eyesight blurry?” That question immediately sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. After a urine sample, I heard the terrifying word “preeclampsia” for the first time.
Preeclampsia is a severe condition where high blood pressure can lead to organ failure, strokes, and other life-threatening complications for both mother and baby. I was admitted to the hospital that day, where I remained for the next two months. Daily, medical professionals would inform me that I might need to deliver within the next 24 hours. That was not what I wanted to hear! I knew the twins were still tiny and would require extensive care in the NICU if born prematurely.
Determined to stay positive, I immersed myself in uplifting stories from social media groups, read extensively about my condition to better understand my body’s response, and kept hydrating—convinced it was helping cleanse me. I focused on my babies, visualizing reaching week 35 as my goal.
Meanwhile, my eldest daughter, Mia, was at home without me, which was heartbreaking. I could endure the hospital’s discomfort for the sake of my twins, but being away from Mia was incredibly tough. In my darkest moments, I longed for the twins to arrive so I could return to her. But against all odds, I managed to hold on for nearly two months, meeting incredible women along the way who inspired me with their strength.
The Birth
Finally, at 35 weeks, I told the doctors, “Let’s do this!” The C-section was scheduled, and I was ecstatic to meet my little ones. When I first laid eyes on them, tears streamed down my face. They were so small—Dylan weighed 4 lbs. 6 oz., while Ava was even lighter at 4 lbs. 3 oz. Despite her tiny size, I loved her fiercely. The ordeal was finally over.
The ICU Experience
However, that night in ICU, I awoke sensing something was very wrong. I called the nurse, who confirmed my blood pressure was alarmingly high and escalating by the second. My husband, sleeping on a chair beside me, was startled by the commotion. Within moments, I was surrounded by doctors as I realized I was sliding into eclampsia—a condition marked by convulsions, potential coma, and sometimes death. My body began to shake uncontrollably, and panic set in. How could I leave my three girls with a husband who seemed oblivious to the gravity of the situation?
In that moment of fear, I decided to escape mentally. I closed my eyes and imagined myself on a beach with a piña colada in hand, followed by a margarita. I could hear the doctor asking if I was okay, but in my mind, I was savoring cheeses in Paris, envisioning my daughters and the love surrounding me. I felt at peace, even as chaos ensued around me. Gradually, my blood pressure began to stabilize, and my body calmed. I opened my eyes, relieved to find I was still alive.
Gratitude flooded through me for the dedicated professionals around me and for my husband, who finally grasped how close he had come to losing me. That long night marked a turning point, and although the worst seemed over, I knew the challenges of parenthood with three children were just beginning. From that moment forward, I resolved to embrace humor as my secret weapon and positive thinking as my shield.
Resources for Further Reading
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Summary
Ava Thompson shares her harrowing experience with eclampsia following the birth of her twins, detailing the challenges of her pregnancy journey, the emotional turmoil of being away from her eldest daughter, and her ultimate resolve to embrace humor and positivity as she navigates the complexities of motherhood.