Creating an Awareness About Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome

My Hope JarPreeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, Remembering Holdon

With the anniversary of Holdon’s death last weekend, I have been thinking a lot about my first pregnancy and the events leading up to my emergency c-section at 28 weeks. I was told I had a variant of Preeclampsia, called HELLP Syndrome and that I needed to deliver immediately or I could die. I had very little warning that I had this serious pregnancy complication. My only early symptom was upper abdominal pain, which I mistook for heartburn for weeks before finding out at a doctor’s appointment that I was seriously ill and had to deliver right away. Holdon was born, 3 months early and due to severe growth restriction as a result of a problem with the placenta, he was only the size of a 24-week-old baby, measuring only 1 lb 8 oz at birth. Holdon fought incredibly hard for 3 ½ months in the NICU but in the end it was too much for him. The official report from the doctor on his death certificate, said the cause was Cardiorespiratory Arrest, Multiple Systems Failure, Sepsis, and all a result of Prematurity.  My doctor also believed the problem with the placenta is likely the cause of my Preeclampsia. We won’t ever know for certain but I can’t help wondering if I had known I had Preeclampsia sooner, then perhaps we would have caught it sooner and I would have been able to carry Holdon longer and given him a better chance at life. In the months after his death, I saw a grief counselor and she asked me what I wanted Holdon’s legacy to be. I initially just wanted the world to know he lived. I wanted the world to know that for a short time, we had been blessed with the gift of this amazing, beautiful baby boy, who changed our lives forever. Now I think his true legacy is to be a symbol of awareness to others of this serious pregnancy complication.

When I read about Preeclampsia in the pregnancy literature during my first pregnancy, the symptoms were described as high blood pressure, severe swelling, headaches, and being at higher risk if you are overweight. I didn’t have these symptoms and I am not overweight so it didn’t even occur to me that this is what I had. The only symptom I had originally was the upper abdominal pain. On the day I delivered, I also had elevated blood pressure and protein in my urine, but these symptoms came on quickly and are things I didn’t know I had until I went to the doctor. So you can see how important it is to know all the symptoms as you may only have one but it might be enough to indicate that there is a serious problem.

To read the complete details of my first pregnancy and my experience with Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, please go to “My First Pregnancy” link.

For complete information about Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome, please visit the Preeclampsia Foundation Website at www.preeclampsia.org

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3 thoughts on “Creating an Awareness About Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome”

  1. Pingback: Implementing our own one child policy……… | kiwiincanberra

    1. Dear Lanie,
      Thank you for your heartfelt words. I have just read your posts about your 2 angels and I cannot stop the flow of tears as I write this. I was deeply moved by your stories and tribute to all your children and I was especially moved when you said you do not want Jake and Sawyer to be forgotten and that is why you write. I feel the same way,and I believe your quest to provide comfort and knowledge to others has already been answered as you have definitely inspired me and have reinforce my own quest to share my stories and never let Holdon be forgotten, and I’m sure you have inspired so many others. Sending you hope and hugs back.

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