Nearly two years ago Jeff and I were eagerly awaiting the birth of our first child. The baby�s room wasn�t ready, we didn�t have a car seat, and I was scared out of my mind to experience childbirth; but there was still time for sorting all of that out. Little did we know that we had less time than we thought.  On October 29, 2004, I went to my doctor because two 24-hour urine tests had come back with elevated levels of protein. By the Monday following my admission to the hospital, I was experiencing stomach pain, headaches, and vision problems.  Ultimately, I suffered from a severe case of preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome which resulted in liver and kidney failure, a brief coma, and a stroke that left me immobile and on a feeding tube. Click here to read more about my hospitalization and recovery.

Preeclampsia affects 6 million women every year and 76,000 of them DIE. The number of babies who don�t survive this disorder is many times higher. Preeclampsia is one of the oldest disorders on record, yet still no cure exists. 

In the months since my illness and recovery, I have learned a lot about what is not described in What to Expect When You are Expecting and would like to help other families avoid a birth experience like I had � or even worse. Mothers, babies, sisters, and daughters are lost every year to preeclampsia at the one time that should be one of the most joyous moments of their lives. On November 5, 2006, I will continue my recovery by participating in the New York City Marathon and am seeking sponsorships of my effort to benefit the Preeclampsia Foundation. The Preeclampsia Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization launched in 2000, is dedicated to raising awareness, funding research, and providing support to those impacted by preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Visit their impressive website at www.preeclampsia.org to learn more about the Foundation, the disease, and courageous survivors.