My story

Madeleine LaRue Moza

March 10, 2014

6:49pm

4 pounds, 2 ounces

This is Madeleine LaRue Moza, my little miracle, 

who shared many miracles with me over the past six weeks. 

This is my story.

I called my OB's office Saturday night at midnight. I was having shortness of breath, mild contractions and a lot of discomfort. I was told, "If you can sit up and breath then you can wait til Monday." God put my life and Madeleine's on hold for the next two days. I had just seen an eye specialist, a neurologist and had an MRI of my brain. I had some abnormal swelling in my optic nerves and was seeing a blue halo and a couple blind spots in my right eye. I had told my OB, but the results weren't in. I saw a nurse practitioner the following Monday. The stress test was not reading well because I had been coughing and when they laid me back, I couldn't breath.

The OB there came in and said, "There's protein in your urine, I can't tell if you're coughing or contracting. I can tell if it's your heartbeat or your baby's, so we're sending you to Labor and Delivery Triage for better tests. If the results aren't good, then you're going to have a C-section today."

I was 32 weeks and 6 days. You don't deliver babies at 32 weeks and 6 days. I was planning for 37 weeks-the same as my boys. 

I had already been told by the neurologist that I should have a C-section. The pressure behind my eye was too much for pushing in labor, but this early? I was obviously worried.

The tests results were bad. I was dehydrated, my water was low, my blood pressure had skyrocketed off the charts and I had severe preeclampsia. 

I called my mom, crying, and said I'm not picking up the boys. I'm having a C-section right now. They wheeled me off to a sterile operating room. The anesthesiologist gave me albuterol and my epidural. The coughing stopped, my blood pressure sank back to normal and the operation began. 

Minutes later, I saw the sweetest, tiniest little girl all bundled up and then the NICU doctors and nurses wheeled her away. I didn't see her again for over 48 hours.

The next morning I woke up with my lungs filled with fluid. I had walked into the hospital sick and was getting worse. They had pumped me with saline and magnesium through my IVs all night. 

Quickly, I was taken away for chest x-rays, moved to the Progressive Care Unit, and started breathing treatments and diuretics. My lungs cleared in a day or so, but my blood pressure was still high. I saw the pulmonary doctor who then recommended the cardiologist. I had an echo of my heart and was diagnosed with Postpartum Cardiomyopathy. 

Everything was related, but I didn't know. The pressure behind my eye was the preeclampsia. The preeclampsia raised my blood pressure and hurt my heart. The cough I came in with and the shortness of breath were signs of heart failure. Like I said, God put my life on pause and waited til I could be seen by the doctors who knew how to help me and Madeleine. 

I stayed in the hospital 5 days. 

I'm recovering well now. I'm on high blood pressure medication to keep my heart healthy. I have an amazing cardiologist who is helping me get better and says my heart will take six months, but it will recover. My OB's office said my case was extremely impressive and have discussed it heavily. Preeclampsia should happen with your first pregnancy. The pressure in your eye could have been a warning. I only have had one other patient diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy.

My answer...I serve an amazing God who loves me and takes care of me and has a plan and purpose for our family. 

As for Madeleine, she's perfect. She was tiny, but a fighter. 

She had a good weight for so early and was completely and perfectly developed. She just had to learn how to eat...and she did. She stayed in the NICU for 4 weeks and 2 days. 

I went up there two and three times a day to nurse her when she was given the ok to try. I stayed with her the last 48 hours to make sure she gained weight. She did and they finally let us go home.

One month, and I'm finally home.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen