Well alot has happened since the last time I posted in my blog to actually say something. Of course, the most notable was the passing of Baby Meriah. She is my husband's niece, Jessica's, daughter. Let me tell you a little about Jessica. I met her 6 years ago at a family dinner. I believe it was Christmas. I am so shy when it comes to people I don't know. Ok, throw me in a situation with about 50 loud people who happen to be my new boyfriends family. I want to make a good impression and earn their respect. But this is like My Big Fat Greek Wedding shit going on! LOL But when I'm overwhelmed I shut down and hide. So I went to the couch. Now, don't get me wrong. He doesn't have a bad family. I love them all dearly, even though I'm sure there's a few who couldn't care less about me. Their loss, I still love them. Anyways... so I retreat to the couch. In comes this real pretty girl who is probably like 14, but looks 20. She sits next to me, sweet as can be and just starts chatting. Turns out we liked alot of the same things. Ok... I like this girl!! Although family gatherings continued to be intimidating to me I was always happy the few times Jessica actually was able to show up.
So imagine my surprise when 6 years later I find out she's going to have a baby of her own! Wow! If anyone can do it it's Jessica. I ended up finding her here on myspace and we emailed each other back and forth about a million times. It was so good to talk to her again. She traveled alot between Atlanta and Indianapolis so I hardly got to see her. Since my main drive in life is to be a Midwife I enjoyed talking to her about her pregnancy and reassuring her that "cesarean's are a breeze". Ok, it was for me both times LOL
I still remember the night I got the call from Marty's step-mother (Jessica's grandmother) that Jessica had her baby. I was on cloud nine!!! It was late at night, well, around 10 or 11. I couldn't sleep cause I had the adrenaline rush. I was so happy everything worked out good.
After she had her baby I would hear people talk about how she was a fantastic mother and I was so proud of her. Yeap. I knew she could do it. But then I got a call from Marty that Jessica's baby was sick in the hospital up in Indianapolis. Ironically she was sick with the same thing my cousin's (once again, ironically, named Jessica) one-month-old baby had. Strep pneumonia. I followed her situation over the last 2 or 3 weeks just praying that Meriah and Jessica would get a break. It never came. Meriah passed away Friday afternoon at 5:30pm.
It just pisses me off cause Jessica doesn't deserve this. I believe God has a plan and a reason for everything. But it just never makes sense. I hear she's not doing too bad considering. But right after a death is a weird time. It's like you're still in shock. You haven't really experienced life without that person not around. You're so busy planning the funeral that you don't have time to grieve. Everyone is there for you. There are flowers and cards everywhere. Phone calls galore. Visitors non-stop. Then everything quiets down. That's when it hits you. It's like the show is over and something is missing.
I HATE DEATH!!! It's so cruel and unforgiving. It's like evil in the pain it inflicts, but is still by the hand of God. Soon we find our comfort zone and find ways to cope. We turn out stronger and live to tell the tale. I guess just like I'm doing right now. I've endured the loss of my grandmother, my daughter, and a few other close family members and miscarriages. It never gets easier and you just wait for the next one to go.
Much love to Jessica and Meriah.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Friday, February 2, 2007
Vietnam Way - History Assignment
The United States became involved in the war against the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong in 1959 under the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The North Vietnamese were under communist control, which threatened South Vietnam, which was a United States ally. The United States was in a position to stop the spread of Communism throughout the world and soon took an interest in Vietnam. When Lyndon B. Johnson became president after John F. Kennedy’s assassination he appointed William Westmoreland to be the commander of the US army.
In 1965, the United States started a full-scale aerial attack on North Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were nearly 200,000 troops fighting in the war. By mid-1966, there were approximately 430,000. Westmoreland believed that the North Vietnamese could be defeated in no time at all, within a few years of that time. The final battle didn’t occur until 1975; long after President Johnson’s presidency was over.
Walter Cronkite was a well-respected journalist for CBS news during the Vietnam War, who, for a while, was in support of the war. But on February 27, 1968, he made a personal speech that would affect the president in a very profound way. After an attack on the US embassy in Saigon he felt that the United States was not able to win the war in the way that they wanted to. In fact, he felt that there was essentially a stalemate. Continuing would mean the war would escalate and the enemy would always match us.
Clark Clifford was the Secretary of Defense during the Johnson administration. He was very pro-war and was in support of the president’s decisions. He also gave Johnson advice when it came to the war, most notably regarding the request for more troops. Eventually, he pushed for the withdrawal of the troops.
There are also a number of similarities between the mission in Vietnam and the current mission in Iraq. For one thing, support for the war started out strong. Eventually it became very unpopular. Protests soon began and the nation was torn. President Johnson began with high approval ratings and found himself with low ratings with the unpopularity of the war. President Bush decided to run for reelection, and won, whereas President Johnson found himself haunted by the war and chose not to run for reelection.
Troops were having a hard time fighting the enemy because he blended in so well with everyone else. Killing innocent civilians became an ill effect of the war. Another similarity is that of the locals. The locals welcomed the troops and seen them as saviors. The same thing is going on in Iraq; the people there appreciate what our troops are doing for them. The news media’s front line coverage of the war was new. People all over the world seen up close the death and destruction of the war. It seemed very real.
The war finally ended in 1973, with the withdrawal of the last of the United State’s troops. Saigon eventually ended up succumbing to the Viet Cong in 1975.
In 1965, the United States started a full-scale aerial attack on North Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were nearly 200,000 troops fighting in the war. By mid-1966, there were approximately 430,000. Westmoreland believed that the North Vietnamese could be defeated in no time at all, within a few years of that time. The final battle didn’t occur until 1975; long after President Johnson’s presidency was over.
Walter Cronkite was a well-respected journalist for CBS news during the Vietnam War, who, for a while, was in support of the war. But on February 27, 1968, he made a personal speech that would affect the president in a very profound way. After an attack on the US embassy in Saigon he felt that the United States was not able to win the war in the way that they wanted to. In fact, he felt that there was essentially a stalemate. Continuing would mean the war would escalate and the enemy would always match us.
Clark Clifford was the Secretary of Defense during the Johnson administration. He was very pro-war and was in support of the president’s decisions. He also gave Johnson advice when it came to the war, most notably regarding the request for more troops. Eventually, he pushed for the withdrawal of the troops.
There are also a number of similarities between the mission in Vietnam and the current mission in Iraq. For one thing, support for the war started out strong. Eventually it became very unpopular. Protests soon began and the nation was torn. President Johnson began with high approval ratings and found himself with low ratings with the unpopularity of the war. President Bush decided to run for reelection, and won, whereas President Johnson found himself haunted by the war and chose not to run for reelection.
Troops were having a hard time fighting the enemy because he blended in so well with everyone else. Killing innocent civilians became an ill effect of the war. Another similarity is that of the locals. The locals welcomed the troops and seen them as saviors. The same thing is going on in Iraq; the people there appreciate what our troops are doing for them. The news media’s front line coverage of the war was new. People all over the world seen up close the death and destruction of the war. It seemed very real.
The war finally ended in 1973, with the withdrawal of the last of the United State’s troops. Saigon eventually ended up succumbing to the Viet Cong in 1975.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
I'm one blessed girl
How does that song go? When I'm worried and I can't sleep I count my blessings instead of sheep? I can't say I'm very worried about anything but it doesn't hurt to count your blessings every once in awhile right?
I've got the best husband anyone in the world could ever ask for. He is such a tender heart with so much love.
I've got the BEST sons in the world and I just love them to death. They are happy and healthy and although they leave me pulling my hair out at times they still leave me with a smile on my face.
My three parents. Mom, Dad, and Step-Mother. Yes they are mental together but individually they are the best ones I could ever ask for. My mom is hella goffy but she's so full of love. My dad is soooo intelligent and has a good head on his shoulders. He really makes me laugh when he cracks the occassional joke or two because you don't expect it out of him!!! LOL My step mother is also a great friend of mine. She's so smart and has already been down the road I'm travelling now (academically). We get along great!
The Parents In-Law... all 4 of them. Marty's mom and step father are great people. We get along great, even if we butt heads sometimes. The same with Marty's dad. He is one stubborn man. But I still love him. Marty's step mother is pretty cool too. We email each other quite a bit because we have busy lives and never see each other. I enjoy the sometimes lengthy conversations!!!
The Brother & Sister In-Law... I absolutely love Marty's brother and his wife. You would have to meet his brother, but he is quite the character. I don't think he ever sleeps. Laura, his wife, is THE perfect sister-in-law. I love her to death and couldn't ask for a better SIL. She's a very smart woman with a fantastic personality.
My 900 cousins - I have TONS of cousins and 99% of them are beyonnnnnnnnd insane. But I still love them. The same goes for my aunts and uncles. A few of them I'd love to bust in the nose (AGAIN) but I still love them.
My FRIENDS!!! They are absolutely wonderful people. They are all smart, funny, and definitely unique!!! SOOO much love goes out to them!!
I've got the best husband anyone in the world could ever ask for. He is such a tender heart with so much love.
I've got the BEST sons in the world and I just love them to death. They are happy and healthy and although they leave me pulling my hair out at times they still leave me with a smile on my face.
My three parents. Mom, Dad, and Step-Mother. Yes they are mental together but individually they are the best ones I could ever ask for. My mom is hella goffy but she's so full of love. My dad is soooo intelligent and has a good head on his shoulders. He really makes me laugh when he cracks the occassional joke or two because you don't expect it out of him!!! LOL My step mother is also a great friend of mine. She's so smart and has already been down the road I'm travelling now (academically). We get along great!
The Parents In-Law... all 4 of them. Marty's mom and step father are great people. We get along great, even if we butt heads sometimes. The same with Marty's dad. He is one stubborn man. But I still love him. Marty's step mother is pretty cool too. We email each other quite a bit because we have busy lives and never see each other. I enjoy the sometimes lengthy conversations!!!
The Brother & Sister In-Law... I absolutely love Marty's brother and his wife. You would have to meet his brother, but he is quite the character. I don't think he ever sleeps. Laura, his wife, is THE perfect sister-in-law. I love her to death and couldn't ask for a better SIL. She's a very smart woman with a fantastic personality.
My 900 cousins - I have TONS of cousins and 99% of them are beyonnnnnnnnd insane. But I still love them. The same goes for my aunts and uncles. A few of them I'd love to bust in the nose (AGAIN) but I still love them.
My FRIENDS!!! They are absolutely wonderful people. They are all smart, funny, and definitely unique!!! SOOO much love goes out to them!!
Monday, October 9, 2006
Chat Rooms: Hope for the Shy Child? (College English Essay)
October 9, 2006
“Chat Rooms: Hope for the Shy Child?”
Shy children can overcome their shyness by being exposed to other children in a chat room. For someone who is shy from the moment they are born, daily interactions with strangers can be a source of anxiety, sometimes extreme and debilitating. They can be at a disadvantage as a child in school. Shy children are more likely to be teased. This can lead to problems later on with the shy child’s behavior.
In this study, the dependent variable will be the child’s reaction to being exposed to other children in a chat room. Hopefully the reaction will be positive and shyness will decrease. The independent variable is the application of a controlled chat room. One that is safe and monitored and free from any sexual predators or other potentially damaging individuals.
Children need to be exposed in a non-threatening setting, to children their own age. Chat rooms, under adult guidance, offer just that. The child does not have to be face to face with someone they will see on a daily basis. Many times a shy child is afraid of rejection from their peers. Shy children sometimes feel as though they are inferior to their peers and have nothing in common with them. If a child is given the opportunity to get comfortable talking to other children in a non-direct setting, they will find out that they aren’t so different and will find they have a lot in common with other children. After mastering their social skills in a chat room, they can feel freer to talk to children at school with confidence.
My subject sample will be 60 children ages 10 – 15. These children have already been exposed to computers and are able to operate a chat program. Their school counselors will recruit them. The school counselors are able to identify children who are considered to be “shy” and will already have weekly meetings with the counselor. Permission is given by the parents for their child to participate in this study.
There will be 10 children chosen from each of the 6 ages. 5 of them will be allowed to have 2 - 30 minute chat sessions per week. This is the experimental group. The other 5 will not be given the opportunity to use chat sessions and will simply continue their counseling sessions as usual.
The 30 children selected at random to use chat sessions as part of their counseling will use computers set up at the school. The children will not know why they are allowed to chat and what is being done in the study, just that they are allowed to chat online with other kids. The children will go in the next day for their regular counseling session with the school counselor and, hopefully, they will talk about their experience. The school counselor will compare those children with those from the non-chat group and grade their progress on set criteria, including:
• The number of times that week the child felt “more anxious than normal” around kids at school.
• The number of times that week the child approached a new child and initiated a conversation.
• The number of times that week the child felt they were being bullied.
After 12 weeks the evaluations taken by the guidance counselors will be assessed. It should show that the control group showed none, or very little, improvement in their social anxieties. However, the experimental group will find that the number of “more anxious than normal” incidents decreased, the child was able to approach kids they felt intimidated by more easily, and the number of bullying incidents decreased as the child became more secure in who they are.
The parents of the children will be aware of every detail of this experiment. The children will not be put in an emotionally damaging environment. The experiment could be done using a set bully in the chat room to measure how well the children respond to the bully, but the purpose of the experiment is purely to help a child overcome shyness, not to fight a bully. The guidance counselors on computers in a separate room will monitor the chat rooms and anything inappropriate will be stopped.
The only problems I could foresee would be a child’s inexperience with computers and/or a chat program. Also, parents may feel reserved about their child using a chat room to socialize with other children. But hopefully, they will find that this is a new approach to an age-old problem plaguing millions of kids.
“Chat Rooms: Hope for the Shy Child?”
Shy children can overcome their shyness by being exposed to other children in a chat room. For someone who is shy from the moment they are born, daily interactions with strangers can be a source of anxiety, sometimes extreme and debilitating. They can be at a disadvantage as a child in school. Shy children are more likely to be teased. This can lead to problems later on with the shy child’s behavior.
In this study, the dependent variable will be the child’s reaction to being exposed to other children in a chat room. Hopefully the reaction will be positive and shyness will decrease. The independent variable is the application of a controlled chat room. One that is safe and monitored and free from any sexual predators or other potentially damaging individuals.
Children need to be exposed in a non-threatening setting, to children their own age. Chat rooms, under adult guidance, offer just that. The child does not have to be face to face with someone they will see on a daily basis. Many times a shy child is afraid of rejection from their peers. Shy children sometimes feel as though they are inferior to their peers and have nothing in common with them. If a child is given the opportunity to get comfortable talking to other children in a non-direct setting, they will find out that they aren’t so different and will find they have a lot in common with other children. After mastering their social skills in a chat room, they can feel freer to talk to children at school with confidence.
My subject sample will be 60 children ages 10 – 15. These children have already been exposed to computers and are able to operate a chat program. Their school counselors will recruit them. The school counselors are able to identify children who are considered to be “shy” and will already have weekly meetings with the counselor. Permission is given by the parents for their child to participate in this study.
There will be 10 children chosen from each of the 6 ages. 5 of them will be allowed to have 2 - 30 minute chat sessions per week. This is the experimental group. The other 5 will not be given the opportunity to use chat sessions and will simply continue their counseling sessions as usual.
The 30 children selected at random to use chat sessions as part of their counseling will use computers set up at the school. The children will not know why they are allowed to chat and what is being done in the study, just that they are allowed to chat online with other kids. The children will go in the next day for their regular counseling session with the school counselor and, hopefully, they will talk about their experience. The school counselor will compare those children with those from the non-chat group and grade their progress on set criteria, including:
• The number of times that week the child felt “more anxious than normal” around kids at school.
• The number of times that week the child approached a new child and initiated a conversation.
• The number of times that week the child felt they were being bullied.
After 12 weeks the evaluations taken by the guidance counselors will be assessed. It should show that the control group showed none, or very little, improvement in their social anxieties. However, the experimental group will find that the number of “more anxious than normal” incidents decreased, the child was able to approach kids they felt intimidated by more easily, and the number of bullying incidents decreased as the child became more secure in who they are.
The parents of the children will be aware of every detail of this experiment. The children will not be put in an emotionally damaging environment. The experiment could be done using a set bully in the chat room to measure how well the children respond to the bully, but the purpose of the experiment is purely to help a child overcome shyness, not to fight a bully. The guidance counselors on computers in a separate room will monitor the chat rooms and anything inappropriate will be stopped.
The only problems I could foresee would be a child’s inexperience with computers and/or a chat program. Also, parents may feel reserved about their child using a chat room to socialize with other children. But hopefully, they will find that this is a new approach to an age-old problem plaguing millions of kids.
Sunday, September 3, 2006
Week 2
Today is my mom's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know she reads my blog so....
This is an email I sent this morning about school yesterday. It was my second week or class on campus. Up until now all of my classes have been online, which is good when you have a full time job and a family to take care of. I'm posting this because I think it will be amusing to go back and read it later in the semester or even a few years from now when I'm graduating.
Just wanted to give you an update on how my second week of A & P went. I wasn't in as much of a rush to get to Atlanta yesterday. Last week I got out of Covington at 8:30 and got there with about 5-10 minutes to spare. Almost too close for me. Yesterday I left Covington around 8:15. So I was more relaxed for one thing. But who cares about my driving time? Let's get to the school part.
I'm actually all into the lecture. See, I enjoy learning about anything biology. It interests me more than "In 1492, Columbus sailed..." We covered 3 chapters in 2 1/2 hours. Impressive. Even more so that I kept up! LOL By the last 15 minutes of class I had to pee so bad. That just happened to be the part when he talked about cells in the bladder and how the bladder stretches to accommodate extra urine when, for example, you're taking a test and can't go right away. I about raised my hand and asked him to speed it up because my bladder had reached full capacity. But I made it ok. (The bathrooms, for the record, were NASTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I lined the entire stall with toilet seat covers and still hovered)
We learned about the chemistry of the body (we've all taken Chemistry, so he didn't focus a whole lot on it). Then we learned about the cells in the body. It was very interesting. It's extremely detailed. It's difficult and there's ALOT to learn but I'm so interested in it that it might be to my advantage.
At lunch I had a pleasant, quiet lunch in the student center. Noone else was around, except for the occassional vending machine visitor. I had one of those soup at hands (Vegetable Beef) and that sucker filled me up!! I could barely walk. But then again, I'm back on Byetta and it does that to me.
Lab was SOOOO much better than last week. A couple of us were talking about it and agreed it went better today than it did last week. We looked at cells under the microscope. We looked at cheek cells, sperm cells, muscle tissue cells, and red blood cells.
We took a quiz on body parts/names, the microscope, and directional names (anterior/posterior/distal/proximal...) I got a 92%, which I consider good. I missed two. I forgot the name for the hip (I put iliac) and the forearm (I put appendicular, which somewhat technically is true LOL). I think the correct answers were coxial and antebrachial (or something).
We got out of class early, at 2:00. That was nice. Last week I didn't get home until almost 4:00. People in traffic really bother me. I hate being stuck in the fast lane, when there's real slow people going the speed limit in the other two lanes and I'm stuck behind some nasty chick and her junked out car going only 1 mph faster than the cars in the other two or three lanes. You can't pass her and you want to go 20 mph faster! Finally there's a break in the other two lanes, does she get over? Oh no. She owns that lane. So it's a race between me and 8 other cars to command the middle lane and to pass her. I encountered that 3 times between Atlanta and Covington. Ohhh made me mad!
But I made it home without seriously injuring or killing anyone, which is good, I suppose. I'll be there next weekend. I'm actually excited! Althought it's hard work and it's eating up my precious Saturday it's like recess for my mind. I LOVE A & P! Save this email. Maybe I'll update you each week. Compare this email to the one I send you in 8 weeks LOL (PREVIEW WEEK 8: "I hate that freaken class! I hate it! I hate the people, the teacher, the school, my desk! I hate the freaken cat I dissected! I cut through it's liver and then I threw it out the window!)
This is an email I sent this morning about school yesterday. It was my second week or class on campus. Up until now all of my classes have been online, which is good when you have a full time job and a family to take care of. I'm posting this because I think it will be amusing to go back and read it later in the semester or even a few years from now when I'm graduating.
Just wanted to give you an update on how my second week of A & P went. I wasn't in as much of a rush to get to Atlanta yesterday. Last week I got out of Covington at 8:30 and got there with about 5-10 minutes to spare. Almost too close for me. Yesterday I left Covington around 8:15. So I was more relaxed for one thing. But who cares about my driving time? Let's get to the school part.
I'm actually all into the lecture. See, I enjoy learning about anything biology. It interests me more than "In 1492, Columbus sailed..." We covered 3 chapters in 2 1/2 hours. Impressive. Even more so that I kept up! LOL By the last 15 minutes of class I had to pee so bad. That just happened to be the part when he talked about cells in the bladder and how the bladder stretches to accommodate extra urine when, for example, you're taking a test and can't go right away. I about raised my hand and asked him to speed it up because my bladder had reached full capacity. But I made it ok. (The bathrooms, for the record, were NASTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I lined the entire stall with toilet seat covers and still hovered)
We learned about the chemistry of the body (we've all taken Chemistry, so he didn't focus a whole lot on it). Then we learned about the cells in the body. It was very interesting. It's extremely detailed. It's difficult and there's ALOT to learn but I'm so interested in it that it might be to my advantage.
At lunch I had a pleasant, quiet lunch in the student center. Noone else was around, except for the occassional vending machine visitor. I had one of those soup at hands (Vegetable Beef) and that sucker filled me up!! I could barely walk. But then again, I'm back on Byetta and it does that to me.
Lab was SOOOO much better than last week. A couple of us were talking about it and agreed it went better today than it did last week. We looked at cells under the microscope. We looked at cheek cells, sperm cells, muscle tissue cells, and red blood cells.
We took a quiz on body parts/names, the microscope, and directional names (anterior/posterior/distal/proximal...) I got a 92%, which I consider good. I missed two. I forgot the name for the hip (I put iliac) and the forearm (I put appendicular, which somewhat technically is true LOL). I think the correct answers were coxial and antebrachial (or something).
We got out of class early, at 2:00. That was nice. Last week I didn't get home until almost 4:00. People in traffic really bother me. I hate being stuck in the fast lane, when there's real slow people going the speed limit in the other two lanes and I'm stuck behind some nasty chick and her junked out car going only 1 mph faster than the cars in the other two or three lanes. You can't pass her and you want to go 20 mph faster! Finally there's a break in the other two lanes, does she get over? Oh no. She owns that lane. So it's a race between me and 8 other cars to command the middle lane and to pass her. I encountered that 3 times between Atlanta and Covington. Ohhh made me mad!
But I made it home without seriously injuring or killing anyone, which is good, I suppose. I'll be there next weekend. I'm actually excited! Althought it's hard work and it's eating up my precious Saturday it's like recess for my mind. I LOVE A & P! Save this email. Maybe I'll update you each week. Compare this email to the one I send you in 8 weeks LOL (PREVIEW WEEK 8: "I hate that freaken class! I hate it! I hate the people, the teacher, the school, my desk! I hate the freaken cat I dissected! I cut through it's liver and then I threw it out the window!)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Preeclampsia - Writing Assignment
Preeclampsia
Approaching the final months of my pregnancy, my midwife asked if I had any symptoms, such as headaches, unusual swelling, or changes in my vision. My blood pressure was reading alarmingly high and routine urine tests were detecting large amounts of protein. I was noticing more headaches over the last couple of weeks, during which I would see spots that seemed to float around the room. And the swelling that first seemed normal in my pregnancy had become unbearable. I wasn’t able to wear my shoes or my rings anymore and it was even difficult to move my legs. On top of the normal discomforts of pregnancy, I felt strange, like an overstuffed pillow throughout my entire body. My skin burned from the stretching and swelling.
These were all signs of a condition known as Preeclampsia, a very serious complication during pregnancy characterized by the sudden onset of high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, headaches, and vision changes. Because this condition can cause serious problems in both the mother and baby, it is important to be aware of what preeclampsia is and what to be on the lookout for.
So much is still unknown about this condition that affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies. Untreated, it can progress to Eclampsia, which can lead to seizures, coma, or death of both the mother and baby. Another potentially fatal progression is a condition known as HELLP Syndrome, characterized by liver failure, lack of blood clotting, and kidney failure. Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, once referred to as Toxemia, are so serious that worldwide, 76,000 deaths occur each year. (“About Preeclampsia” par 3). Physicians inform every pregnant patient to look out for the warning signs, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Generally, the condition will develop during a woman’s first pregnancy. Women who are more at risk for preeclampsia are those over the age of 40 or under the age of 20, those who have had multiple birth pregnancies, those with a history of high blood pressure, and those whose previous pregnancies were affected by preeclampsia, diabetes, and obesity (“Risk Factors for Preeclampsia” par 1).
The only known treatment for preeclampsia, once it becomes severe, is delivery of the baby. This can pose a serious problem if the baby is extremely premature. That’s why it is absolutely imperative for every pregnant woman to recognize early symptoms. Routine weight, blood pressure, and urine checks are done for all pregnant women during their prenatal checkups. Early in the pregnancy the doctor will get a baseline blood pressure to compare against any future blood pressure reading. The standard normal blood pressure is regarded to be anything less than 120/80. But if a woman’s normal blood pressure is in the 100/70 range, and during a subsequent office visit her blood pressure reads 130/85, the doctor would be more concerned than a woman who’s baseline blood pressure was 125/80, which doesn’t show as dramatic of an increase.
Once a woman begins to show signs of preeclampsia, depending on the severity of her symptoms, a doctor will usually order the woman to cut back on work hours and spend more time in bed. She will also be ordered to lie on her left side. If a pregnant woman lies flat on her back or more to the right side, the weight from the uterus will compress vital blood vessels, reducing valuable blood flow to the baby. If this doesn’t relieve the symptoms, the woman will almost always be confined to bed rest, either at home or in the hospital. For a lot of women this can be a problem. Like me, some women work full-time outside of the home and have commitments to the house and other family members. If caught early in the pregnancy a woman must spend months in bed. This is a very difficult situation to deal with. Boredom can set in very quickly.
But when none of these measures work and the condition gets worse, more drastic measures are taken. In my case, I was 35 weeks pregnant, 5 weeks from my due date. I had a few of the risk factors being diabetic and having mild hypertension (high blood pressure). At the same time, I also had a few things that weren’t as typical. I was 26 and this was my fourth pregnancy after two miscarriages. With the immense swelling and blood pressure reading over 200/110, my midwife became alarmed. One way a physician can test how severe preeclampsia is by checking a woman’s reflexes with the standard bump to the knee. In a woman with preeclampsia, her reaction to this tap on the knee is exaggerated. This was the case with me. I felt as though I would have knocked the air out of the midwife if she were standing in front of me! The amount of protein in my urine was also high. Normally there should be none.
I was sent to Rockdale Hospital where I was monitored closely for two days. My urine was collected over a 24-hour period for a more accurate check on my kidney function. Finally, it was determined that the preeclampsia was affecting my kidneys and the bed rest wasn’t lowering my blood pressure any. My baby would have to be delivered by cesarean section. Like in the case of a lot of babies born early, my son’s lungs weren’t mature enough for him to breathe normally on his own. He spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on a ventilator until he was able to breathe on his own. Many babies spend several weeks, or even months, on machines used to keep the baby alive.
Normally, once the baby is delivered, the symptoms of preeclampsia go away. Once again, this isn’t always the case. Some women continue with high blood pressure for some time afterwards. I was one of them. Eventually, I was placed on blood pressure medication that brought my blood pressure down and I got rid of the immense amount of excess fluid that had accumulated in my body.
Considering the seriousness of preeclampsia to both the mother and the baby, it is important for every pregnant woman to be aware of what it is and what its symptoms are. Husbands and other family members could benefit from this knowledge, as well. Early intervention can prevent serious problems in the mother and prematurity in the baby. One day, more will be known about this condition and how to treat it better. Until then, knowledge and early intervention are the best weapons we have against this serious condition.
Works Cited
“About Preeclampsia.” Preeclampsia Foundation. 2006.
“Rick Factors for Preeclampsia.” Wrong Diagnosis. 15 March 2006
Approaching the final months of my pregnancy, my midwife asked if I had any symptoms, such as headaches, unusual swelling, or changes in my vision. My blood pressure was reading alarmingly high and routine urine tests were detecting large amounts of protein. I was noticing more headaches over the last couple of weeks, during which I would see spots that seemed to float around the room. And the swelling that first seemed normal in my pregnancy had become unbearable. I wasn’t able to wear my shoes or my rings anymore and it was even difficult to move my legs. On top of the normal discomforts of pregnancy, I felt strange, like an overstuffed pillow throughout my entire body. My skin burned from the stretching and swelling.
These were all signs of a condition known as Preeclampsia, a very serious complication during pregnancy characterized by the sudden onset of high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, headaches, and vision changes. Because this condition can cause serious problems in both the mother and baby, it is important to be aware of what preeclampsia is and what to be on the lookout for.
So much is still unknown about this condition that affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies. Untreated, it can progress to Eclampsia, which can lead to seizures, coma, or death of both the mother and baby. Another potentially fatal progression is a condition known as HELLP Syndrome, characterized by liver failure, lack of blood clotting, and kidney failure. Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, once referred to as Toxemia, are so serious that worldwide, 76,000 deaths occur each year. (“About Preeclampsia” par 3). Physicians inform every pregnant patient to look out for the warning signs, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Generally, the condition will develop during a woman’s first pregnancy. Women who are more at risk for preeclampsia are those over the age of 40 or under the age of 20, those who have had multiple birth pregnancies, those with a history of high blood pressure, and those whose previous pregnancies were affected by preeclampsia, diabetes, and obesity (“Risk Factors for Preeclampsia” par 1).
The only known treatment for preeclampsia, once it becomes severe, is delivery of the baby. This can pose a serious problem if the baby is extremely premature. That’s why it is absolutely imperative for every pregnant woman to recognize early symptoms. Routine weight, blood pressure, and urine checks are done for all pregnant women during their prenatal checkups. Early in the pregnancy the doctor will get a baseline blood pressure to compare against any future blood pressure reading. The standard normal blood pressure is regarded to be anything less than 120/80. But if a woman’s normal blood pressure is in the 100/70 range, and during a subsequent office visit her blood pressure reads 130/85, the doctor would be more concerned than a woman who’s baseline blood pressure was 125/80, which doesn’t show as dramatic of an increase.
Once a woman begins to show signs of preeclampsia, depending on the severity of her symptoms, a doctor will usually order the woman to cut back on work hours and spend more time in bed. She will also be ordered to lie on her left side. If a pregnant woman lies flat on her back or more to the right side, the weight from the uterus will compress vital blood vessels, reducing valuable blood flow to the baby. If this doesn’t relieve the symptoms, the woman will almost always be confined to bed rest, either at home or in the hospital. For a lot of women this can be a problem. Like me, some women work full-time outside of the home and have commitments to the house and other family members. If caught early in the pregnancy a woman must spend months in bed. This is a very difficult situation to deal with. Boredom can set in very quickly.
But when none of these measures work and the condition gets worse, more drastic measures are taken. In my case, I was 35 weeks pregnant, 5 weeks from my due date. I had a few of the risk factors being diabetic and having mild hypertension (high blood pressure). At the same time, I also had a few things that weren’t as typical. I was 26 and this was my fourth pregnancy after two miscarriages. With the immense swelling and blood pressure reading over 200/110, my midwife became alarmed. One way a physician can test how severe preeclampsia is by checking a woman’s reflexes with the standard bump to the knee. In a woman with preeclampsia, her reaction to this tap on the knee is exaggerated. This was the case with me. I felt as though I would have knocked the air out of the midwife if she were standing in front of me! The amount of protein in my urine was also high. Normally there should be none.
I was sent to Rockdale Hospital where I was monitored closely for two days. My urine was collected over a 24-hour period for a more accurate check on my kidney function. Finally, it was determined that the preeclampsia was affecting my kidneys and the bed rest wasn’t lowering my blood pressure any. My baby would have to be delivered by cesarean section. Like in the case of a lot of babies born early, my son’s lungs weren’t mature enough for him to breathe normally on his own. He spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on a ventilator until he was able to breathe on his own. Many babies spend several weeks, or even months, on machines used to keep the baby alive.
Normally, once the baby is delivered, the symptoms of preeclampsia go away. Once again, this isn’t always the case. Some women continue with high blood pressure for some time afterwards. I was one of them. Eventually, I was placed on blood pressure medication that brought my blood pressure down and I got rid of the immense amount of excess fluid that had accumulated in my body.
Considering the seriousness of preeclampsia to both the mother and the baby, it is important for every pregnant woman to be aware of what it is and what its symptoms are. Husbands and other family members could benefit from this knowledge, as well. Early intervention can prevent serious problems in the mother and prematurity in the baby. One day, more will be known about this condition and how to treat it better. Until then, knowledge and early intervention are the best weapons we have against this serious condition.
Works Cited
“About Preeclampsia.” Preeclampsia Foundation. 2006.
“Rick Factors for Preeclampsia.” Wrong Diagnosis. 15 March 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Wow...where have I been?
It's been awhile! Well, I'm hope today with strep throat. It's really knocked the heck out of me. Working full-time, going to school full-time, taking care of two kids and a husband...yeah I'm busy
Totalled the Camry. Damn I loved that car. Some woman in an SUV hit me full speed on my way to work. Boy was I sore for a few days. The doctor thought I cracked some ribs and broke my arm, but fortunately I didn't. Just really bruised up from head to toe.
Ok, I'm going back to bed... get some sleep while I still can...
Totalled the Camry. Damn I loved that car. Some woman in an SUV hit me full speed on my way to work. Boy was I sore for a few days. The doctor thought I cracked some ribs and broke my arm, but fortunately I didn't. Just really bruised up from head to toe.
Ok, I'm going back to bed... get some sleep while I still can...
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