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My friend almost died in childbirth yesterday...


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...but she's ok now.

 

I just can't stop thinking about it and just have to post to get the nervous feeling out of me. I'm just all antsy and can't stop thinking about it, so I'm turning to the hive to vent.

 

She had placenta previa which means the placenta was covering the opening to the cervix. If a person has contractions with the placenta covering the cervix, it can start an uncontrollable bleeding.

 

That's what happened to her. She started having contractions weeks and weeks before the baby is due (due at the end of Jan.) They rushed her to the hospital and as she walked across a hall into a room, blood started gushing from her. They took the baby out by c-section in under 6 minutes.

 

The doctors came out and told her dh that the baby was ok for now (4 pounds 10 oz), but that they were doing all they could for his wife. They were covered in blood.

 

For the next two hours, he said they were working on saving his wife's life. He saw people running (running; not just walking fast; running) in and out of her room. At one point he heard the beep-beep-beep of the monitors turn to the long beeeeep. He heard them talking about resuscitation.

 

Right now, everyone is ok, but my friend doesn't have a drop of her own blood in her body. It all bled out. Her poor dh says he thinks he lost 2 years of his life during those 2 hours watching them run in and out covered in blood and hearing those monitors. He says he's cried so much that there are no tears left in him.

 

I'm just posting because I'm still feeling shaky about it, even though everything is ok. I've been friends with this woman for 31 years, since I was 6 years old. Just the idea of her being gone is so distressing. I'm just SO THANKFUL she's ok! We've been praying for her every day for months (because she was so high risk for complications.) I'm so thankful that God has honored our prayers.

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I certainly will keep your friend in my thoughts. I had placenta previa with one of mine and it ruptured when I checked into the hospital and the labor nurse was checking me. Those were the longest, scariest minutes of my life waiting for the doctors to arrive to do an emergency C-section.

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I had placenta previa with dd17 and gushed blood all over our kitchen floor - about 2 liters according to the doctor. It was an extremely weird sensation to be bleeding profusely and uncontrollably - very scary - the only time I've seen dh cry. I'm so glad your friend is ok - it is an extremely emotional, terrifying event. I'll be keeping them in my prayers.:grouphug:

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:grouphug: It is so scary.

 

My sil lost a lot of blood due to a retained placenta a few months ago. She needed two surgeries to get the bleeding under control along with meds and transfusions. She almost had an emergency hysterectomy. We were so afraid.

 

Even though I'm a homebirther and midwife advocate....there are times when OBs are needed. I'm thankful we have their skill these days.

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:grouphug:

 

My son and I almost died from HELLP syndrome 8 years ago. I know it took many years off my husband's life.

I admire anyone that has a home birth, but knowing how quickly my pregnancy went downhill - they scare the daylights out of me!

 

Praying for your friend's recovery and for her family.

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...but she's ok now.

 

I just can't stop thinking about it and just have to post to get the nervous feeling out of me. I'm just all antsy and can't stop thinking about it, so I'm turning to the hive to vent.

 

She had placenta previa which means the placenta was covering the opening to the cervix. If a person has contractions with the placenta covering the cervix, it can start an uncontrollable bleeding.

 

That's what happened to her. She started having contractions weeks and weeks before the baby is due (due at the end of Jan.) They rushed her to the hospital and as she walked across a hall into a room, blood started gushing from her. They took the baby out by c-section in under 6 minutes.

 

The doctors came out and told her dh that the baby was ok for now (4 pounds 10 oz), but that they were doing all they could for his wife. They were covered in blood.

 

For the next two hours, he said they were working on saving his wife's life. He saw people running (running; not just walking fast; running) in and out of her room. At one point he heard the beep-beep-beep of the monitors turn to the long beeeeep. He heard them talking about resuscitation.

 

Right now, everyone is ok, but my friend doesn't have a drop of her own blood in her body. It all bled out. Her poor dh says he thinks he lost 2 years of his life during those 2 hours watching them run in and out covered in blood and hearing those monitors. He says he's cried so much that there are no tears left in him.

 

I'm just posting because I'm still feeling shaky about it, even though everything is ok. I've been friends with this woman for 31 years, since I was 6 years old. Just the idea of her being gone is so distressing. I'm just SO THANKFUL she's ok! We've been praying for her every day for months (because she was so high risk for complications.) I'm so thankful that God has honored our prayers.

 

This is what happened to me with my first baby. Then again with # 6 (who is with the Lord.) It was horrible and took me a long time to heal. Sometimes I think I am still getting my energy back.

 

I will keep your friend,you, their baby and her dh in my prayers.

 

~~Faithe

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I'm glad she's OK! If she has other children, you might help by giving them some space to talk if they need it.

 

I had a complete placenta previa with ds3, had a bleed (and yes, it's LOTS of blood) at 36.5 weeks, we rushed to hospital (no reliable ambulance service). They were not sure if they could stop the bleeding (lost 2 units eventually, which is a 3rd of what you have, so not nearly as serious as your friend), and were asking me if it was OK to do a hysterectomy. I had just had dinner, so they couldn't do a general anesthetic, so I was awake throughout this.

 

But my point - dd, then 7, was dragged out of bed and to hospital, and waited alone in my room while dh sat next to the operating room in case they needed his consent for a hysterectomy (not needed). Days afterwards I made some comment about my hands shaking during the C-section, and she interjected: "My whole body was shaking!". We'd been so wrapped up in me, we'd forgotten the trauma she went through. She was solidly comitted to only adopting babies for some time after that, poor girl.

 

So check that any other kids haven't been "forgotten" in the chaos and panic.

 

I hope your friend recovers soon.

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But my point - dd, then 7, was dragged out of bed and to hospital, and waited alone in my room while dh sat next to the operating room in case they needed his consent for a hysterectomy (not needed). Days afterwards I made some comment about my hands shaking during the C-section, and she interjected: "My whole body was shaking!". We'd been so wrapped up in me, we'd forgotten the trauma she went through. She was solidly comitted to only adopting babies for some time after that, poor girl.

 

So check that any other kids haven't been "forgotten" in the chaos and panic.

 

I hope your friend recovers soon.

 

She has 3 other children, aged 6 and under. The kids weren't told the details. It all started in the wee hours of the morning. They called an ambulance and my friend's mom made it there in time to watch the kids while my friend and her dh went to the hospital. She was in one hospital and transported to another an hour and a half away before things got really bad.

 

The kids were just told that mommy went to the hospital to see the doctor, and then she had the baby. So, at this point they don't know how serious it was. They just know that mommy had the baby and everyone is ok. They're too young to have to know all the details right now.

 

She did have to have a hysterectomy. My friend knew it was a possibility, so she's had a bit of time to mentally prepare for that. She has wanted 4 children her whole life, so at least she was able to have all four of them before having a hysterectomy.

 

I'll call her mom and ask how everything is this evening. I don't want to bug my friend in the hospital or her dh (he drove home to sleep) because they're trying to rest.

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I am crying now. I had a low placenta with my last babe. It resolved, but when I went into labor, I started bleeding very lightly. I had planned a homebirth but went immediately to the hospital. Everything went fine, but it scared me terribly. I am so glad your friend is ok.

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The kids were just told that mommy went to the hospital to see the doctor, and then she had the baby. So, at this point they don't know how serious it was. They just know that mommy had the baby and everyone is ok. They're too young to have to know all the details right now.

 

I'm glad about that! My dd has definitely been exposed to far too much, and I feel sad for her (also a miscarriage I suffered when we were alone together and traveling).

 

Again, I hope your friend recovers well, and I am so sorry to hear she needed to have a hysterectomy.

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