As the title implies, moments after giving birth to my son, I survived death after coding for 12 minutes and needing a massive blood transfusion (35 units within 24 hours, emergency hysterectomy). And then I emotionally survived the trauma of being awake and conscious to witness two of my own life saving surgeries with use of my epidural. After 7 years, I have overcome my PTSD and now have post-traumatic resiliency.
Moments after giving birth to my son, I survived death after coding for 12 minutes and needing a massive blood transfusion (35 units within 24 hours, emergency hysterectomy). AMA
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How did it happen that you were awake during them?
I love how you used the term ‘post-traumatic resiliency’.
What was your hemoglobin and hematocrit that they transfused 35 units of blood in 24 hours?
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What happens to cause all the blood loss?
Glad your overcome I hope you keep therapy up
What caused your complications? Was it the birth? Something else?
“post traumatic resiliency” : great phrase I’ll use with my PTSD patients!
I’m not going to ask anything, and tbh my own Childbirth PTSD even after twenty years is sort of making the back of my neck cringe. However, congratulations on your survival and I love your “resilience” attitude. Did you come up with the term, or hate you read it. It reminds me of “radical acceptance” which an OT taught me about (not childbirth related though)
After my own childbirth trauma it took years, literally, for me to even be around mother’s talking about childbirth. Even silly birth scenes, like the triplets in Friends were very unsettling. After a few years, I could tolerate them, but still would leave the room for realistic birth scenes in movies. I think I must be better now because I can watch that British Midwives series although they are usually short scenes.
After all that build up, my question is, did you have anything like that aversion? Do you think, if you hadn’t needed the hysterectomy, you might have had another child, and also, did it affect your bonding with your Bub?
What did your partner do while all of this was going on? Do you have a good support system?
I just want to say – WOW! Good for you! You are amazing!
No one tells you how much you will be affected by birth after it is over.
I had ptsd – even with a very okish induced birth.
You are a badass
Do you have endometriosis?
I’m assuming you birthed your first child when this happened.. did the ultrasounds during your pregnancy not pick up your condition (seeing as the placenta is visible and always checked on during pregnancy ultrasounds to make sure it’s viable).
Also – do you have plans to have more kids in future either through surrogacy or adoption? Or one and done?
Did you experience anything during the time you were clinically dead? I hope this question doesn’t upset you. Congratulations on your baby and you are amazing. Best wishes to you and your family 💞
What helped you overcome the PTSD? Were specific types of therapy more helpful than others?
And, what was most helpful from your friends and family in the weeks and months afterwards: asking about what you went / were going through / listening to your birth story, or not bringing it up?
I looked up your condition and was flabbergasted by this fact:
The estimated incidence of placenta accreta spectrum pregnancies has increased since the 1980s, from 1 in 1250 births to 1 in 272 births. The rates of placenta accreta, increta and percreta have risen parallel to the overall cesarean rate in the United States.
The mortality rate for Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) varies, with some studies estimating a mortality rate as high as 7%.
Whoa!
Do they know what led to your developing this?
I’m so glad you didn’t die!
They should make artificial wombs at this point, not nice that women still have to go through all of that
Do you remember anything after you coded till you were awake again?
When you said coding… I thought why would you write code after giving birth…
I’m glad you are here now!
Why were you coding? I mean you can take some time off work for God sakes.
How’s your son? Any complications for him?
This is quite amazing and as someone who has worked in blood banking for nearly 15 years, it’s a testament to how important blood donors and blood donations are. Have you considered becoming a testimonial or spokesperson for the blood center that supplied your blood products? I’m sure they would love to have you speak onthe impact.