Perhaps your amniotic fluid is low or you are loosing fluid. Check it out
Thursday 30 January 2014
Loosing amniotic fluid
Today I would have been 30 weeks. Something I thought of today. If you see you tummy getting smaller instead of bigger, there's a problem.
Tuesday 28 January 2014
6 week check up after hysterectomy
Friday 24th January 2014 was my 6 week check up after my nightmare or loosing my son. Just over 6 weeks ago I was still pregnant. 6 weeks later, trying to understand the loss of my son and my uterus.
Anyway, my doctor at Flora clinic reiterated how my complete placenta previa was one of the worst if not the worst case he has seen in his long career. Now as much as it reminds me of Greys Anatomy and how doctors use new cases to experiment and gain experience in the condition of that patient, my doctor should have sent me to a high risk doctor. This is my life, not a series on TV. Someone who specializes in problem pregnancies. He should have even had a professor see me. Not me struggling from 5 weeks to 20 weeks to look for a professor myself.
Another thing he mentioned after the fact was that he has another patient with previa. He said she is definitely not as bad as me and not complete previa. But he said she is 34 weeks and he put in a stitch. I wanted to scream at him "why didn't you put a stitch in for me!!! Maybe I would have lasted to 34 weeks too!" But I didn't. I didn't want to break down in front of him. I didn't have the strength. So I guess in my loss, my doctor is more aware of the case and maybe my case has saved this woman and her baby.
So my advice, ask you doctor about the stitch. Early enough. As soon as you are diagnosed with placenta previa.
Monday 20 January 2014
Thursday 16 January 2014
23 week nightmare called complete plaventa previa
Sitting here, staring out my window, fingers tapping on my laptop, I actually don't know where to begin. Im not much of a writer, but I need to tell my story. I hope it will somehow help women who are going through the same thing I did.
In July 2013, I found out I was pregnant. I was about 2-3 weeks. It was a surprise as this was now number 3. It want long after though that I started bleeding in a restaurant toilet and my husband took me to the closest hospital. It was determined that I may be having a miscarriage. However, my cervix remained closed. The doctor on call sent me home and said to make an appointment with a gynaecologist.
On the 19 August 2013, I seen the first doctor at 6w2d. I went to her because my doctor was away. She seen a blood clot next to my baby. It was a concern as she said either the clot will flush out, or be absorbed into the uterus. But as it flushes, it may take the baby out with it too. However, the baby remained and was growing normally
I went to see my own gynaecologist on the 28 August 2013. The baby was now 7w6d. My doctor was worried and said that the condition is most probably Placenta Previa. This was all new to me. He explained it is when the embryo attaches itself to the wrong part of the uterus and starts developing lower than it should. I went home I went on the net to hear what other women said. Mostly it was determined that Placenta Previa can only really be diagnosed after about 20 weeks. However, I started bleeding again on the 5th September 2013. It was quite significant and I was once again in hospital. I was given a drip and monitored for the bleed in the femina ward at Flora Clinic, Johannesburg. The next day it was subsiding, however, baby was still fine and growing well. However my gynae was worried still and now convinced it was Placenta Previa. I was released. However, a few hours after he did an internal exam I bled so much and I was passing huge clots. They were the sizes or golf balls to base balls. But when I called my gynae, he said this would happen, I shouldn't worry, however to call him if the bleeding gets life threatening. How would I know what life threatening is? For me soiling half of my pants and having huge clots pass was life threatening. However, it started subsiding again over the next few days. By that stage I was 9w2d.
This was becoming hard to absorb. I remember crying wondering why this was happening, and also so close to my birthday. My family advised I see a second opinion. I researched some Johannesburg doctors who I believe knew about Placenta Previa. It was hard to find though. The best I could do was look for anyone who was interviewed, or wrote some sort of article on the subject. I landed up with a gynae at Olivedale Clinic.
11 September 2013- 9w6d He was adamant that a gynae cannot make a Placenta Previa diagnosis that soon in any pregnancy. He said that in that case every pregnant woman would have that as the sac and the baby is so small, you cannot determine until the baby is big enough to see where the foetus has attached itself. I was surprised to get a total opposite diagnosis of bleeding blood vessels. But now my problem was I has 2 diagnosis. I decided to ride it out and see 2 gynaecologists. It was expensive but my life and my baby's was at stake. I seen him again on 25 September 2013- 11w3d. His diagnosis didn't cange though.
In all these visits, my baby was growing well. Eventually I stopped seeing both doctors as having 2 different opinions wasn't helping me. I returned to the gynae who was convinced on Placenta previa.
It was by about 12 weeks or so I decided to see a very popular Homeopath. He gave me homeopathic tabkets to assist in preventing miscarriage and strengthen the uterine lining. My bleeding stopped when I went to him
At my 16 week check up, I cannot remember the exact date, my gynae told me not to put my hopes in this pregnancy. It was troubling. I didn't know how I felt about it. However, he was so negative all the time. So I laughed him off. Downplaying the situation. He also told me I had the worst Placenta Previa he had ever seen. It is called Placenta Previa Complete. What this means is that The Placenta totally covers the cervix. On top of that I had Placenta Accreta. This is a condition where the Placenta starts attaching itself to the uterus and perhaps other organs. You can have posterior or anterior accreta depending where the placenta attaches. This is even worse now as it may cause postpartum haemorrhage
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Committee Opinion( see http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Obstetric_Practice/Placenta_Accreta
Placenta accreta is a potentially life-threatening obstetric condition that requires a multidisciplinary approach to management. The incidence of placenta accreta has increased and seems to parallel the increasing caesarean delivery rate. Women at greatest risk of placenta accreta are those who have myometrial damage caused by a previous caesarean delivery with either an anterior or posterior placenta previa overlying the uterine scar.
So now Im told I have a life threatening pregnancy. I also learn that I may need a hysterectomy. This was a lot to absorb. But baby was healthy and growing above average.
I had been trying to get an appointment with a Professor of gynaecology for such a long time, and I was blessed to get a cancellation for my 20 week appointment. However, a friend who worked at a general practitioner also assisted in getting me another gynae at Parklane clinic to have a look too.
I was getting tired, and money was just going, but I had to press on. I went to see the doctor at Parklane on the 18th November 2013- 19w5 days I think. He confirmed my condition was bad. he said it was complete placenta previa. He also picked up a positive blood result for spina bifida. Spina, bifida? Why didn't my own doctor call me when he received those blood results weeks before? They said he would call me if there was any problems.
Anyway, he advised me to stay with my own gynae as I needed to be as close to a hospital as possible and Flora was closest. He determined that if I started bleeding I could haemorrhage or the baby could also be distressed or bleed and die. He told me to keep my Professor appointment to determine the spina bifida. I advised him that even though I wasn't really bleeding, it was more of a watery discharge on my pad and a slimy discharge when I urinate. But he didn't check. As long as there was no bleeding.
2 days later Im at the Professor. The Professor is senior to gynaecologists and are able to see more on the babies wellbeing. So the professor tells me my bloods were a false positive, no spina bifida. My baby is growing well. The amniotic fluid is good. The kidneys, heart, lungs, hands, feet, all growing well. There is no cleft lip and downs. Nose bone fine and brain is good. The false positive they attributed to the homeopathic remedy or the on going bleeding. The Professor at this stage advises me of the severity of this condition I have and puts me on Bed rest. I will not forget what he said to me. He told me that if I were a Baragwaneth Patient( Publice hospital), I would be put in hospital my whole pregnancy, as they don't have a good means of transport and would walk to the hospital or require taxi etc. But since I was a private patient close to the hospital, I could drive myself or let someone drive me if I start bleeding. So I had to go straight to bed rest. He advised that this was a serious condition and risky for haemorrhaging. He said Placenta Previa complete is a very high risk pregnancy. I advised him that even though I wasn't really bleeding, it was more of a watery discharge on my pad and a slimy discharge when I urinate. But he didn't check. As long as there was no bleeding. Also the Amniotic fluid at the time was normal.
The professor sent my gynae his report. I will blog the report at a later stage. But it basically said foetus was healthy, no sign of abnormalities etc. He advised my gynae of the bed rest and that he should perform a C-section with blood on stand by and perhaps a hysterectomy.
So 2 days later, I was back at my own gynae. Friday, 22 November 2013.I was now exactly 20w0d. He then advised me he knew it was a false positive on spina bifida. I don't believe him as I think every result showing abnormality needs to be re tested and advise the patient. I truly believe the results slipped and perhaps were not given to him.
But back on the issues at hand. This session was a serious one on my side as I had lots of questions to ask him and wanted my life spared should something happen. That I had 2 girls at home needing their mom. We discussed how the blood would be transfused. What he would do etc. He advised me that it would be less blood loss and more controllable if he took the uterus out, but we would see. I did however advise that since I would now have 3 kids, if that's what it took, we should do the hysterectomy. He said he would get me through this and not to worry. My baby was thriving in my womb, growing well and a boy...I advised him that even though I wasn't really bleeding, it was more of a watery discharge on my pad and a slimy discharge when I urinate. But he didn't check. As long as there was no bleeding. In fact he was waiting for the bleeding to be life threatening... Whatever that means.
3 weeks pass and on the early morning of Thursday12 December 2013 I wake up to heavy bleeding. Clots are coming out. I felt like it was over a litre of blood. My husband rushes me to Flora Clinic where I go to the femina ward. Now in the femina ward, they have no machines to check the foetus is fine inside or to monitor the babies heartbeat. I guess you only go to maternity ward after 24 weeks. So now already at the hospital the bleeding is less. But Im put on a drip. Also, Im given a blood transfusion just in case. The nurse advises that my gynae wants to do a stitch. However, about 2 times before he contemplated a stitch, but changed his mind, saying the cervix was closed.
My doctor comes by to see me later that morning, he tells me that at this stage of Placenta Previa, the bleeding will be more often so I should expect it, and I will be monitored overnight and probably be discharged. So he changed his mind on the stitch again.I ask him to check the baby too. But I know he does C-sections and hysterectomy's etc on Thursday and I see he wants to rush off. He tells me that he will check Friday morning. The next day. 24 hours later!! So that day I feel good. I'm optimistic as I had been my whole pregnancy. I advise him again about the watery discharge. In fact I told him on numerous occasions including on a phone conversation we had a fews days earlier.
However, the evening of the 12th, I cant say it was this or what. But I felt so sweaty on my pants. I felt like Im getting hot. But I couldn't understand. Like I don't feel that hot, why is my pants feeling like Im sweating. Later that night, I feel really tired. I see the nurse take my blood pressure and its lower than usual. Its 80 over something. She checks later, I see through my sleepy eyes 86 over something. Im tired. I just shut my eyes and return to sleep. My gynae comes to see me Friday morning. He is pretty happy as the bleeding has stopped. I advised him that just before he came, as I pulled my pants down to urinate, a slimy discharge ran down my pad to the floor. It looked as if I was looking at organisms under a microscope. A slimy circle with tiny squiggly lines in it.
A porter then took me to the gynaes rooms so that he could do a sonar on the baby to check the status of my baby.Just before he does the scan, I ask" Doctor, why does it look like my stomach isn't getting bigger?" He starts the scan, puts his hand on his head... He tells me Oh no, this is bad. The Amniotic Fluid around the baby is totally out. There is none left. This baby is going to die. He checks his heartbeat though and my sons heartbeat was 100% normal. He tells me I need to go to the Maternity Ward and wait for the baby to die or something to happen, like going into labour. He explains My Membranes Ruptured.
My husband and I were shocked. We did not expect through this whole roller-coaster ride that this would be the final outcome. I do nt know what to do but pray. We sit there, totally bewildered. The nurse comes to check my sons heartbeat and its still 100%. The gynae comes in, he advises that seeking advice from his colleague he believes the best thing to do would be to plan the hysterectomy now so that they can control the circumstance and do their best to try to save me. he is adamant that the baby would die. My mom asks is there nothing that can be done to replenish the amniotic fluid. He advises that there is absolutely nothing that works. I advise this doctor that I need time to think. This is too much. He advises that he will give me some time. I thought I would have a few days at least.
Just a bit later I start bleeding again and call the nurse showing her the clots. The nurse says, oh well doctor says you will probably go to theatre. Then she just left. What time did I have if they sealed my fate already. No drip or medication was administered to assist to stop the bleeding. No help. No one even came to check the baby's heartbeat again, and as per the doctor, they had to check all the time.
I read up on
Amnioinfusion--instilling a special fluid into the amniotic sac to replace lost or low levels of amniotic fluid. Amnioinfusion may be given in a woman in labor whose membranes have ruptured. Amnioinfusion will not be given if the woman is not in labor.
Drinking lots of water
Putting you on a Saline drip.
I called my doctor, he shut it down saying nothing works.
I asked why did God put me in the situation where I would have to decide whether or not to do this operation as my baby was healthy and heart still beating 100%
My cousin got me a gynae to see me, that maybe I would have some hope somewhere else.I advised my doctor I needed to go see another doctor as this was a hard decision to make. I rushed to Sandton Mediclinc. It was already evening by now. That gynae said the same thing. He said theres no amniotic fluid. There was bad Placenta Accreta. He sent me out to discuss with my doctor. I couldn't understand how I couldn't hear as well. He returned to me and advised that I should listen to my doctor. hat I should try to save my life for my 2 kids I have at home. He said eventually the baby would want to come out & I would go into labour. That if an operation was scheduled , they could control it and I would have a better chance.
I left there in tears.I drove back to Flora Clinic and on my arrival, the nurse said my gynae wants to do the operation 11am the next day. My husband and I by now were so much in shock and we could do no more. We agreed. We didn't know what more we could do. My husband was worried about my life.
I started bleeding again early the next morning and the nurse called the doctor. He decided that I should go in asap. He didn't want to wait. I was still half sleeping due to a sleeping aid I had been given. I turned to the nurse as I was being wheeled out, and asked her if they couldn't please give my baby steroids to boost his lungs and other organs. She said no, they only do it at 28 weeks. She turned and confirmed with another nurse.
There was nothing I could do now. The funniest thing is through all this time, from the very start of my journey, I felt no pain at all. Through the whole pregnancy, no pain. Even when my membranes had ruptured there were no labour pains or anything.
As they wheeled me in I started praying Psalm 91. It was in Gods hands now. At that stage my son was 23w2d.
I woke up in pain in the ICU. My son was not resuscitated due to his age. My son died. My womb was removed with the cervix. My report said Complete Hysterectomy. That includes the uterus and cervix. They had also done a laparotomy and operated on my bladder. My son was brought to me, layed on my lap. He was beautiful. His hands in fists under his chin, his legs bent as if he were praying. I couldn't understand how this healthy baby boy was not given a chance to survive. Or how we could not have just somehow reached a better stage where more would be done to save him. The head nurse who brought my son called another nurse to show her how big he was for 23 weeks.
Its one month later. I have no son and no uterus. I feel like I have somehow been robbed. I truly feel as if in 2 days everything went so fast that I didn't have a choice. I am truly grateful to be alive. I thank God for that. But to have your world changed in an instant... I cannot explain.
My aim this of this blog is to somehow help others out there. Since I have experienced it, perhaps there is something that can be done better for someone out there to save their baby or their womb or both.
Some things I think about:
Today I would have been 28w0d. Today the doctors would have given my son a fair chance to live. They would have given him the steroids he needed to boost his lungs. Today, if I could've reached 28 weeks, I would not feel as empty as I do now. I may not have had my uterus, but I would have had my son. Now I don't have any.
In July 2013, I found out I was pregnant. I was about 2-3 weeks. It was a surprise as this was now number 3. It want long after though that I started bleeding in a restaurant toilet and my husband took me to the closest hospital. It was determined that I may be having a miscarriage. However, my cervix remained closed. The doctor on call sent me home and said to make an appointment with a gynaecologist.
On the 19 August 2013, I seen the first doctor at 6w2d. I went to her because my doctor was away. She seen a blood clot next to my baby. It was a concern as she said either the clot will flush out, or be absorbed into the uterus. But as it flushes, it may take the baby out with it too. However, the baby remained and was growing normally
I went to see my own gynaecologist on the 28 August 2013. The baby was now 7w6d. My doctor was worried and said that the condition is most probably Placenta Previa. This was all new to me. He explained it is when the embryo attaches itself to the wrong part of the uterus and starts developing lower than it should. I went home I went on the net to hear what other women said. Mostly it was determined that Placenta Previa can only really be diagnosed after about 20 weeks. However, I started bleeding again on the 5th September 2013. It was quite significant and I was once again in hospital. I was given a drip and monitored for the bleed in the femina ward at Flora Clinic, Johannesburg. The next day it was subsiding, however, baby was still fine and growing well. However my gynae was worried still and now convinced it was Placenta Previa. I was released. However, a few hours after he did an internal exam I bled so much and I was passing huge clots. They were the sizes or golf balls to base balls. But when I called my gynae, he said this would happen, I shouldn't worry, however to call him if the bleeding gets life threatening. How would I know what life threatening is? For me soiling half of my pants and having huge clots pass was life threatening. However, it started subsiding again over the next few days. By that stage I was 9w2d.
This was becoming hard to absorb. I remember crying wondering why this was happening, and also so close to my birthday. My family advised I see a second opinion. I researched some Johannesburg doctors who I believe knew about Placenta Previa. It was hard to find though. The best I could do was look for anyone who was interviewed, or wrote some sort of article on the subject. I landed up with a gynae at Olivedale Clinic.
11 September 2013- 9w6d He was adamant that a gynae cannot make a Placenta Previa diagnosis that soon in any pregnancy. He said that in that case every pregnant woman would have that as the sac and the baby is so small, you cannot determine until the baby is big enough to see where the foetus has attached itself. I was surprised to get a total opposite diagnosis of bleeding blood vessels. But now my problem was I has 2 diagnosis. I decided to ride it out and see 2 gynaecologists. It was expensive but my life and my baby's was at stake. I seen him again on 25 September 2013- 11w3d. His diagnosis didn't cange though.
In all these visits, my baby was growing well. Eventually I stopped seeing both doctors as having 2 different opinions wasn't helping me. I returned to the gynae who was convinced on Placenta previa.
It was by about 12 weeks or so I decided to see a very popular Homeopath. He gave me homeopathic tabkets to assist in preventing miscarriage and strengthen the uterine lining. My bleeding stopped when I went to him
At my 16 week check up, I cannot remember the exact date, my gynae told me not to put my hopes in this pregnancy. It was troubling. I didn't know how I felt about it. However, he was so negative all the time. So I laughed him off. Downplaying the situation. He also told me I had the worst Placenta Previa he had ever seen. It is called Placenta Previa Complete. What this means is that The Placenta totally covers the cervix. On top of that I had Placenta Accreta. This is a condition where the Placenta starts attaching itself to the uterus and perhaps other organs. You can have posterior or anterior accreta depending where the placenta attaches. This is even worse now as it may cause postpartum haemorrhage
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Committee Opinion( see http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Obstetric_Practice/Placenta_Accreta
Placenta accreta is a potentially life-threatening obstetric condition that requires a multidisciplinary approach to management. The incidence of placenta accreta has increased and seems to parallel the increasing caesarean delivery rate. Women at greatest risk of placenta accreta are those who have myometrial damage caused by a previous caesarean delivery with either an anterior or posterior placenta previa overlying the uterine scar.
So now Im told I have a life threatening pregnancy. I also learn that I may need a hysterectomy. This was a lot to absorb. But baby was healthy and growing above average.
I had been trying to get an appointment with a Professor of gynaecology for such a long time, and I was blessed to get a cancellation for my 20 week appointment. However, a friend who worked at a general practitioner also assisted in getting me another gynae at Parklane clinic to have a look too.
I was getting tired, and money was just going, but I had to press on. I went to see the doctor at Parklane on the 18th November 2013- 19w5 days I think. He confirmed my condition was bad. he said it was complete placenta previa. He also picked up a positive blood result for spina bifida. Spina, bifida? Why didn't my own doctor call me when he received those blood results weeks before? They said he would call me if there was any problems.
Anyway, he advised me to stay with my own gynae as I needed to be as close to a hospital as possible and Flora was closest. He determined that if I started bleeding I could haemorrhage or the baby could also be distressed or bleed and die. He told me to keep my Professor appointment to determine the spina bifida. I advised him that even though I wasn't really bleeding, it was more of a watery discharge on my pad and a slimy discharge when I urinate. But he didn't check. As long as there was no bleeding.
2 days later Im at the Professor. The Professor is senior to gynaecologists and are able to see more on the babies wellbeing. So the professor tells me my bloods were a false positive, no spina bifida. My baby is growing well. The amniotic fluid is good. The kidneys, heart, lungs, hands, feet, all growing well. There is no cleft lip and downs. Nose bone fine and brain is good. The false positive they attributed to the homeopathic remedy or the on going bleeding. The Professor at this stage advises me of the severity of this condition I have and puts me on Bed rest. I will not forget what he said to me. He told me that if I were a Baragwaneth Patient( Publice hospital), I would be put in hospital my whole pregnancy, as they don't have a good means of transport and would walk to the hospital or require taxi etc. But since I was a private patient close to the hospital, I could drive myself or let someone drive me if I start bleeding. So I had to go straight to bed rest. He advised that this was a serious condition and risky for haemorrhaging. He said Placenta Previa complete is a very high risk pregnancy. I advised him that even though I wasn't really bleeding, it was more of a watery discharge on my pad and a slimy discharge when I urinate. But he didn't check. As long as there was no bleeding. Also the Amniotic fluid at the time was normal.
The professor sent my gynae his report. I will blog the report at a later stage. But it basically said foetus was healthy, no sign of abnormalities etc. He advised my gynae of the bed rest and that he should perform a C-section with blood on stand by and perhaps a hysterectomy.
So 2 days later, I was back at my own gynae. Friday, 22 November 2013.I was now exactly 20w0d. He then advised me he knew it was a false positive on spina bifida. I don't believe him as I think every result showing abnormality needs to be re tested and advise the patient. I truly believe the results slipped and perhaps were not given to him.
But back on the issues at hand. This session was a serious one on my side as I had lots of questions to ask him and wanted my life spared should something happen. That I had 2 girls at home needing their mom. We discussed how the blood would be transfused. What he would do etc. He advised me that it would be less blood loss and more controllable if he took the uterus out, but we would see. I did however advise that since I would now have 3 kids, if that's what it took, we should do the hysterectomy. He said he would get me through this and not to worry. My baby was thriving in my womb, growing well and a boy...I advised him that even though I wasn't really bleeding, it was more of a watery discharge on my pad and a slimy discharge when I urinate. But he didn't check. As long as there was no bleeding. In fact he was waiting for the bleeding to be life threatening... Whatever that means.
3 weeks pass and on the early morning of Thursday12 December 2013 I wake up to heavy bleeding. Clots are coming out. I felt like it was over a litre of blood. My husband rushes me to Flora Clinic where I go to the femina ward. Now in the femina ward, they have no machines to check the foetus is fine inside or to monitor the babies heartbeat. I guess you only go to maternity ward after 24 weeks. So now already at the hospital the bleeding is less. But Im put on a drip. Also, Im given a blood transfusion just in case. The nurse advises that my gynae wants to do a stitch. However, about 2 times before he contemplated a stitch, but changed his mind, saying the cervix was closed.
My doctor comes by to see me later that morning, he tells me that at this stage of Placenta Previa, the bleeding will be more often so I should expect it, and I will be monitored overnight and probably be discharged. So he changed his mind on the stitch again.I ask him to check the baby too. But I know he does C-sections and hysterectomy's etc on Thursday and I see he wants to rush off. He tells me that he will check Friday morning. The next day. 24 hours later!! So that day I feel good. I'm optimistic as I had been my whole pregnancy. I advise him again about the watery discharge. In fact I told him on numerous occasions including on a phone conversation we had a fews days earlier.
However, the evening of the 12th, I cant say it was this or what. But I felt so sweaty on my pants. I felt like Im getting hot. But I couldn't understand. Like I don't feel that hot, why is my pants feeling like Im sweating. Later that night, I feel really tired. I see the nurse take my blood pressure and its lower than usual. Its 80 over something. She checks later, I see through my sleepy eyes 86 over something. Im tired. I just shut my eyes and return to sleep. My gynae comes to see me Friday morning. He is pretty happy as the bleeding has stopped. I advised him that just before he came, as I pulled my pants down to urinate, a slimy discharge ran down my pad to the floor. It looked as if I was looking at organisms under a microscope. A slimy circle with tiny squiggly lines in it.
A porter then took me to the gynaes rooms so that he could do a sonar on the baby to check the status of my baby.Just before he does the scan, I ask" Doctor, why does it look like my stomach isn't getting bigger?" He starts the scan, puts his hand on his head... He tells me Oh no, this is bad. The Amniotic Fluid around the baby is totally out. There is none left. This baby is going to die. He checks his heartbeat though and my sons heartbeat was 100% normal. He tells me I need to go to the Maternity Ward and wait for the baby to die or something to happen, like going into labour. He explains My Membranes Ruptured.
My husband and I were shocked. We did not expect through this whole roller-coaster ride that this would be the final outcome. I do nt know what to do but pray. We sit there, totally bewildered. The nurse comes to check my sons heartbeat and its still 100%. The gynae comes in, he advises that seeking advice from his colleague he believes the best thing to do would be to plan the hysterectomy now so that they can control the circumstance and do their best to try to save me. he is adamant that the baby would die. My mom asks is there nothing that can be done to replenish the amniotic fluid. He advises that there is absolutely nothing that works. I advise this doctor that I need time to think. This is too much. He advises that he will give me some time. I thought I would have a few days at least.
Just a bit later I start bleeding again and call the nurse showing her the clots. The nurse says, oh well doctor says you will probably go to theatre. Then she just left. What time did I have if they sealed my fate already. No drip or medication was administered to assist to stop the bleeding. No help. No one even came to check the baby's heartbeat again, and as per the doctor, they had to check all the time.
I read up on
Amnioinfusion--instilling a special fluid into the amniotic sac to replace lost or low levels of amniotic fluid. Amnioinfusion may be given in a woman in labor whose membranes have ruptured. Amnioinfusion will not be given if the woman is not in labor.
Drinking lots of water
Putting you on a Saline drip.
I called my doctor, he shut it down saying nothing works.
I asked why did God put me in the situation where I would have to decide whether or not to do this operation as my baby was healthy and heart still beating 100%
My cousin got me a gynae to see me, that maybe I would have some hope somewhere else.I advised my doctor I needed to go see another doctor as this was a hard decision to make. I rushed to Sandton Mediclinc. It was already evening by now. That gynae said the same thing. He said theres no amniotic fluid. There was bad Placenta Accreta. He sent me out to discuss with my doctor. I couldn't understand how I couldn't hear as well. He returned to me and advised that I should listen to my doctor. hat I should try to save my life for my 2 kids I have at home. He said eventually the baby would want to come out & I would go into labour. That if an operation was scheduled , they could control it and I would have a better chance.
I left there in tears.I drove back to Flora Clinic and on my arrival, the nurse said my gynae wants to do the operation 11am the next day. My husband and I by now were so much in shock and we could do no more. We agreed. We didn't know what more we could do. My husband was worried about my life.
I started bleeding again early the next morning and the nurse called the doctor. He decided that I should go in asap. He didn't want to wait. I was still half sleeping due to a sleeping aid I had been given. I turned to the nurse as I was being wheeled out, and asked her if they couldn't please give my baby steroids to boost his lungs and other organs. She said no, they only do it at 28 weeks. She turned and confirmed with another nurse.
There was nothing I could do now. The funniest thing is through all this time, from the very start of my journey, I felt no pain at all. Through the whole pregnancy, no pain. Even when my membranes had ruptured there were no labour pains or anything.
As they wheeled me in I started praying Psalm 91. It was in Gods hands now. At that stage my son was 23w2d.
I woke up in pain in the ICU. My son was not resuscitated due to his age. My son died. My womb was removed with the cervix. My report said Complete Hysterectomy. That includes the uterus and cervix. They had also done a laparotomy and operated on my bladder. My son was brought to me, layed on my lap. He was beautiful. His hands in fists under his chin, his legs bent as if he were praying. I couldn't understand how this healthy baby boy was not given a chance to survive. Or how we could not have just somehow reached a better stage where more would be done to save him. The head nurse who brought my son called another nurse to show her how big he was for 23 weeks.
Its one month later. I have no son and no uterus. I feel like I have somehow been robbed. I truly feel as if in 2 days everything went so fast that I didn't have a choice. I am truly grateful to be alive. I thank God for that. But to have your world changed in an instant... I cannot explain.
My aim this of this blog is to somehow help others out there. Since I have experienced it, perhaps there is something that can be done better for someone out there to save their baby or their womb or both.
Some things I think about:
- Why didn't the doctors check the watery substance I kept complaining about. If I had been leaking Amniotic fluid everyday, perhaps hospitalisation and monitoring would have prolonged the leaking to a point where baby could be saved
- If the situation from the start was so dangerous or that my hopes should not have been put into the pregnancy, why didn't the doctor opt to terminate. In that case, I would have been able to try again
- From a lot of cases I have read about, why wasn't I hospitalised as many other placenta previa cases around the world. Some even as long as 4 months
- Strict bed rest is strict bed rest.
- Why was I not referred to a doctor who deals with High Risk Pregnancies. essentially they are geared up far more as they mainly deal with High Risks as opposed to normal gynaes who mainly see normal patients
- Would a stitch have helped me? I wish I did it anyway
- How could I not see that I was leaking fluid. It seems so stupid now, like it was in my face and I couldn't see it.
Today I would have been 28w0d. Today the doctors would have given my son a fair chance to live. They would have given him the steroids he needed to boost his lungs. Today, if I could've reached 28 weeks, I would not feel as empty as I do now. I may not have had my uterus, but I would have had my son. Now I don't have any.
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