I was sitting on the floor at the foot of my bed. I kind of knew how I got there, but it was a bit fuzzy. Each time I tried to stand up, my strength wasn’t enough. I needed my husband’s help to get up and to walk to the car. It was around 2 AM, and I just couldn’t make it anymore.
It wasn’t the first time this happened, nor was it last time for that pregnancy. Each time, it got easier and easier to decide to go to the ER for fluids. It wasn’t physically easier, but emotionally. I knew they would take care of me, and that for a short time, I wouldn’t have to struggle to get my meds to stay down or swallow fluids.
HG is more than what you see
This was hyperemesis gravidarum for me. A constant battle to stay out of the ER because I was dehydrated. Getting enough food was not a worry at that point because getting 4 oz of watered down apple juice every day for 2 weeks was a all-out war against my body and mind.
I knew this was not normal, but I didn’t have a name for it. This wasn’t morning sickness. Morning sickness is just some nausea, maybe vomiting a little. This was way past that. I saw my GP, who couldn’t treat because I was pregnant. I saw a gastroenterologist, thinking this was his specialty. He also couldn’t treat me because I was pregnant.
My doctors told me I had weight to lose and weren’t concerned. Since they didn’t have privileges at the closest hospital, they weren’t really concerned about my records from the ER. Even my husband was angry about it. With my last OB appointment with my first doctor, as we were in the parking lot leaving, he asked me, “so when are you switching doctors?”
HER is Home
I turned to Google. I typed in severe morning sickness or severe vomiting while pregnant. The first link that came up was the HER Foundation, so I clicked on it and started to read. I found people who understood. People who had been there. I found my home.
I learned about therapies and medicines that I never knew were possible, things like home IVs. I learned what questions to ask doctors about HG and found a referral network of possible doctors that helped other HGers. I wish the app had been available 11 years ago because it would have helped me track my symptoms, my episodes, and given me things to discuss with my doctor.
I went in to a new doctor, and told her I was going to the ER right after that. I almost passed out when leaving her office. I was admitted by her for 3 days to get me stabilized, and sent home on home IV’s, later with a PICC line, to get fluids and meds everyday.
My son was born 4 months later with Apgar scores of 9 both times. I used the HER Foundation to make a plan for the future, and my daughter was born 5 years later. My HG was much better controlled with that pregnancy, thanks to all the information and help I found at HER.
My babies are now 11 and 5. I can’t imagine my life without them, and I will forever be thankful to the HER Foundation for helping me get through my HG. I found amazing people, some that will be my friends forever, people I consider sisters that I’ve never even met. HER is my home.
GET INVOLVED
- Participate in HG research.
- Become an advocate.
- Make a gift to the HER Foundation.
- Share your story and support other HG moms.
- Become a HER Foundation volunteer.
- Share resources with local health professionals and hospitals.
