“I would like to share my story because I want women to LISTEN to their bodies better than I did. Because not doing so, almost cost me my life. Going back to the end of March, I had some abnormal bleeding for about two weeks. I finally went to my OB/GYN because my gut told me something was wrong. I got the Mirena IUD back in 2015 soon after my daughter was born, so I was sent for a sonogram to check it was in the right place. I was also given a prescription to help stop the bleeding. On Monday, March 26th, my doctor called me and said my IUD was in the right place and I informed her the prescription had worked. All seemed fine, but it wasn’t.
Fast forward to the day after Easter and the bleeding began again. I told myself something wasn’t right as it was going on two weeks again and that I needed to call my doctor multiple times. Thinking it may be my period, I didn’t. On Wednesday, April 11th, I got up, worked out and felt a headache coming on. I couldn’t get my headache to go away until about 2:00 in the afternoon, but once it went away, I felt fine the rest of the day. I left work, picked my children up from daycare, fed them dinner and did all the other normal evening activities. Then around 7:30 PM everything changed.
Sitting on the couch with my children, I got up to get a small glass of chocolate milk and sat back on the couch. Suddenly, my stomach had cramps like never before. I got up to walk around thinking that may help. The next thing I hear is my husband yelling my name. When walking around, I had fainted and my children saw everything. My husband rushed downstairs and all I can remember is him asking me if I was okay, but I couldn’t give him an answer and he immediately called 9-1-1.
EMTs arrived in about 10 minutes. After their examination and while trying to get me to the cot, I passed out two more times. Once in the ambulance, they took my vitals, blood and tested my sugar. My sugar was fine, but my BP was extremely low so they rushed me to the hospital. They kept asking me if I could be pregnant and I adamantly told them no. I just had a sonogram two weeks ago, if I was pregnant they would have seen it, I had convinced myself of this.
Once we arrived at the hospital, all normal routine procedures began. And again I told everyone there was no way I was pregnant. My entire stomach hurt; and the pain did not come and go. After my blood results came back, the doctor informed me I had a positive pregnancy test as my hCG levels were at 2,300 and they were going to do a sonogram. They sent me to the sonogram tech, who was absolutely amazing, but looking at her face, I could tell something was very wrong.
Back in the ER, I waited for what seemed like forever for the results. In between waiting and nurse/doctor visits, I fainted a handful of more times. Finally the doctor came in and told me I had an Ectopic Pregnancy and would require emergency surgery due to internal bleeding. I’m 26 years-old, have never had surgery and here I am in a situation that requires it. Expressing my fears, the nurse looked at me and said ‘I know you are scared, but if we don’t do this, you are going to die.’ Those are the scariest words anyone can ever say to you. There I was, 26-years-old and praying I wouldn’t die. The only thoughts running through my head were about my husband, children, and family.
Around midnight, I was transported to the OR. Usually the procedure is Laparoscopic, but they needed to make an incision for mine because they weren’t sure how much internal bleeding I had and they wanted to get in there as fast as they could. The surgery generally takes 45 minutes to an hour, but mine took a little over two. I lost my left tube, 2.5 liters of blood and required a blood transfusion.
The doctors couldn’t determine if it had anything to do with my IUD or not or how far along I was, but suspect around 6-8 weeks. While my husband and I were in no way trying for another baby, I was pregnant and we lost it. At first, I was unable to comprehend it, but while in recovery on the L&D floor, I could hear the babies. Walking around the hospital, I saw the babies. I spoke with my nurse that day, who was amazing as well, and I started to understand everything. Realizing you’re pregnant and have no way to save the baby, is hard. Many woman have experienced this before me and many more will experience it after me.
I have a full recovery ahead of me, 4-6 weeks, and some emotions my family needs to work through. But we are in this together. My husband and I talked Saturday night, he held me, and we just cried. And I loved every minute of it. Because I was able to touch him. I’m able to hug my kids and tell my family I love them again.
If the situation would have been any different, the outcome would have been different. I believe I have been given a second chance. If someone can read this and learn from it; can trust her gut a little better the next time, that is what matters.
I do not blame anyone in this situation. I do not believe anything was overlooked at my previous ultrasound. The only thing that could have been done differently is me listening to my body better. I want to share my story because I want women to TRUST and LISTEN to their bodies. Because I didn’t and it almost cost me my life.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Amber Clayton. To submit your story, click here. For our best love stories, subscribe to our free email newsletter.
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