Jon & me with Patrick & Filipe, and me with Rafa
After another night with almost no sleep, my adorable obstetrician face was the first thing I see.
He gave me the whole scenario and seems my condition is really serious but he is extremely confident we are finding all the issues. He explained to me why all those new doctors in my life.
(Once again woman sixth sense saved us, if we didn't decide to do a quick chat with the doctor that Saturday this could have been a very different story).
The next couple of days were full of new information for me, I am recovering by the minute. I was extremely swollen since the caesarean and now I am half of the size I got here on the Cardio Unit. I lost 7 kilos of water in 3 days so far... (and when I left the Cardio Unit I had lost over 15 kilos) .
I had a mix of things which I thought would be important to write about it as I was just lucky to follow my instincts...
One of the things was what is called Pre-Eclampsia, hence why so much water in my body. Pre-eclampsia tends to be more frequent on multiples, they say it is rare for multiples NOT to have that. This it is a serious condition and needs to be taken care as all the water and body weight puts pressure in your heart. It also comes with high blood pressure and it’s extremely dangerous for the mother (hence why I was being monitored by the minute)
Read more about pre-eclampsia and complications in pregnancy.
Aside that I had a condition with my heart called Cardiomyopathy. After the caesarean my heart has weakened and got into failure pumping water in my lungs – which cause the difficulty to breath (Jon superhubbo knew that the whole time as he had to deal with papers that stated I had a heart failure).
My heart is being treated with medication and is improving 100%, the only really sad news is that I have to take these medication for 6 months and that means I won’t be able to breastfeed my babies (we are returning the super pump this week). Still, all good news, we know where we stand and I will be fine! I will be strong again and be a mum to those boys (and a wife to my amazing husband)
Lesson learned here, If you ever feel unwell, and don’t even know exactly what or why, just go to the doctors.
I also had my lungs investigated for blood clot which came negative.
The nurses who saw me in a sad state asking each one of them if I was going to die, see now a completely different person, I feel alive again, getting strong and ready to be a mum, my new chapter in live. I can even see the beauty in a Cardio Unit Ward with people having heart transplant and walking out the door 10 days later. (when I got here I thought this was the saddest and most scary place ever).
At the same time this whole thing has happened to me, Rafael is getting his new treatment too. The dialysis has been decided and he is going to be transferred to another hospital also close to here.
Jon has been juggling around being in 3 hospitals, trying to give me support on the days I was scared, and now that my treatment has started, he has been a super dad and goes everyday to read to Rafa.
Patrick and Felipe are also part of this beginning; they are evolving so quickly and have even come to my hospital twice to visit me. (another angel in our lives, Lisa, a nurse at the special care unit, offered to bring them here on the days she works - I can’t thank her enough). When this is all over we must find ways to retribute those amazing people.
Last night Rafael had one surgery to prepare him for dialysis, the surgery itself was very risky and Jon stayed there with him texting me every minute until 1am. We were apart however together in our hearts, sending good energy for our little fighter and the good news is that he survived this first stage.
Today his dialysis started and that will enable fluids to be taken from his organs. This will not be the full solution but will give chance for treatment to continue, something different that what had been done for the past week, which has been stable but very little success.
And mainly, after a full week not being able to be fed, Rafael will be receiving some nutrients and we are hopeful this will help him to grow and thrive like his brothers.
It's the beginning for all of us and we have the highest hopes for our little baby boy!
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