The Entire Story of Grace...

Yesterday, Abel and Belle turned 6 months old. 6 months from yesterday, they were born via c-section and 6 months from today, I was having a 2nd surgery to remove a massive blood clot. While we have shared on this blog about my blood clot and second surgery, I don't know that some readers know how much grace was poured out on our lives 6 months ago. I couldn't bring myself to write these words when released from the hospital, but the reality is that I came very close to death.

While being admitted into the hospital and having to deliver at 31 weeks was due to my severe preeclampsia with extremely high blood pressure, that wasn't my biggest problem (thankfully, modern medicine has made early delivery much safer for babies today and few women die as a result of preeclampsia anymore). The c-section itself is what caused my internal bleeding and all of my vitals were dropping like crazy...even my extremely high blood pressure became extremely low within hours. All of my other vitals dropped quickly too. I felt like I was dying...all I wanted to do was close my eyes but I tried not to because I was afraid that I wouldn't wake up (although I know that because of Jesus, I am going to Heaven). The floor nurses kept telling me that my abdominal pain was gas. If my step-mom (who was watching my vitals drop) who is a RN hadn't been there and stayed on top of the hospital staff, I probably would not be here today. So thankful for God's working through her!

After they finally found the hematoma through a ct scan and immediately took me into surgery, I had 2 blood transfusions. I continued to have up to 4 more transfusions that week because my hemoglobin levels were not stabilizing completely. Abel also had to have 2 blood transfusions in the NICU as well. (If you are not a blood donor, please become one...hospitals are always borderline at having enough and it really does save lives!!!!) I had to have calcium via IV and a lot of other medicines through the IV as well that week.

On a smaller note, I also had cysts found on an ultrasound while I was pregnant and they were later diagnosed as Theca Lutein Cysts which are extremely rare (it is caused by the hCG hormone in some women). It is so rare that my Obgyn had to google some info on his phone because he couldn't even remember their medical term. As a result, one of my ovaries was the size of a grapefruit when the twins were born. Yes, the size of a grapefruit. The OR nurse said she had never seen an ovary that enlarged before. The cysts were biopsied during my second surgery and thankfully, they were not cancerous and dissolved shortly after delivery. An ultrasound in August confirmed that they were gone.

So, not only are Abel and Belle miracles after having been frozen for 4.5 years and born at 31 weeks...Our whole family is a work of grace. I found out at the dermatologist's office a couple of weeks ago from a student nurse (who was taking my weight, health history, etc) that the week prior, a 31 year old girl was having her tubal litigation reversed and that her surgery also caused a blood clot, but unlike me, she died in the hospital. That poor student nurse had to drive her to the morgue. I cried. That could have been me too. Thank you Lord for your graciousness and protection over my family and me!

I still have some slight pain that comes from time to time since the surgeries, so about a month or two ago, I went to see the Obgyn just to make sure everything was ok. He examined me and said it was just some scar tissue that hasn't quite healed yet, but that it should continue to heal and be pain free eventually. When he walked into the room, he said enthusiastically, "Hi Giant Hematoma Girl! Were you also the one with the Theca Lutein cysts?!" Yep, that was me. Out of an OB practice with around 10 providers and hundreds of patients, I'm that one girl who had crazy scary things happen to her that most pregnant girls don't have.

I share this story not because I want to scare anyone who is having a c-section (my story is again, very rare), I share it because I want to boast in gratitude before others about what mighty things my Savior has done in our lives. Praise Him!!!