Warning: This is a long post but I wanted to document my experience and be able to recount all my many blessings that came to me and my family during this time. So here it goes!
With all of my pregnancies, I have suffered from severe morning sickness. When pregnant with Vanessa, my morning sickness was bad but I was able to get through the first 4 months without any medical intervention. At that time, I had no idea that I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Hyperemesis is an extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that can lead to dehydration. My doctor never considered me in having it because it only lasted 4 months instead of the whole pregnancy.
When Owen came around, my morning sickness seemed to be even worse. I just thought that it was bad because it was a different gender baby. I got to about week 10 with no ease in throwing up. Food and water were horrible and all the morning sickness remedies didn’t even seem to make a dent in making me feel better. I was becoming more dehydrated with each week that my doctor ordered me to come in and get an IV infusion. She then diagnosed me with Hyperemesis. I only had to do one infusion with him. It seemed to help me get through the next several weeks until I was over the sickness and could tolerate food and water again.
With baby #3, Sariah, I knew that the first 4 months were going to be hard. I seemed to have a trend of getting more sick with each pregnancy. I knew that I would need medical intervention when food and water became intolerable and I was throwing up about 5 minutes after eating. I was ordered to be on an IV for a week to get my electrolyte levels up again and become hydrated. After the treatment, I was able to feel much better and eat again. I believe that my body was in such shock that it was rejecting anything I put into my body and the infusions helped to restore balance.
This, my final pregnancy has won the prize for being the most severe. I became sick at week one. I was experiencing severe nausea and migraines. At about week 3, food and water were absolutely intolerable. I would try and eat or drink and within minutes it was up again. Nothing was staying in my body. My energy level dropped and I couldn’t even get out of bed to take care of myself or my family. The smell of my kids and husband were also nauseating and would make me throw up. By my first prenatal visit, I was already down 6 pounds. My midwife prescribed Zofran to help with the nausea. It seemed to help a little and so I was able to eat some but other side effects came because of it…severe constipation. Not at all fun to deal with on top of throwing up! It seemed like I just couldn’t catch a break!
At week 5, my body all of the sudden decided that Zofran was not going to work! I spent the first day of that week in the bathroom. I was miserable…and just getting worse. I called my midwife and she had me come in to the office to do an IV treatment. There she made the call to have me put on an IV until I could get my electrolytes up and stop throwing up. So after the dose of fluids, I was sent home to await home health to come and start another IV line. Because I was so dehydrated, it took the nurse several tries to start the line. My veins were blowing and collapsing with each try! I was in so much pain! I can’t stand IVs so this was torture! Finally after an arm full of pokes, the line was in and started.
I was really hopeful that the IV would do its magic like it did with the last two pregnancies….but not this time! After 3 days on the IV, I was still throwing everything up and experiencing severe diarrhea. If I wasn’t throwing up or on the potty, I was sleeping. I just couldn’t function. I went in for an evaluation and found that I was now down 11 pounds and still losing. My midwife did some blood work and found that my electrolyte levels were dangerously low and so was my potassium. She explained that if we didn’t get intervention soon, the baby would be at risk and my heart could stop! Scary!!! She set up an appointment for me to get a pic line installed but later changed it to a feeding tube because it was safer during pregnancy. The feeding tube would bypass my stomach completely and go into my intestines so as to not upset my stomach any further and risk throwing up. At this point, I felt like I was just barely hanging on. I wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of having a tube in my nose and throat but I was willing to try anything to get feeling better.
Mark took me to McKay Dee hospital to get the feeding tube placed. I was so nervous! I knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy procedure and my gag reflex was very high! I think it is safe to say that having the feeding tube was the worst thing I have ever had to experience. I gagged and dry heaved the entire procedure. I’m pretty sure the nurses and doctor were grateful that I had nothing in my stomach to throw up! It was torture!
After having it placed, I was told to go home and home health would come with my formula and instructions on how to care for the tube and how to do feedings. There was a lot to learn but I was so glad that I could do this for myself at home. I was to slowing increase feedings as I was able to tolerate it. I also was to keep using Zofran, potassium, prenatal vitamins and Zantac through the tube. I felt like I had a pharmacy on my night stand! I even had to invest in a pill crusher. Didn’t know that there was such a thing but so glad there is.
At first I had to start off really slow. It took me two days to stop throwing up and tolerate the feedings and I was still struggling with gagging on the tube. Not a fun experience to throw up with a tube down your nose and throat. It was hard for me to swallow or even talk for the first few days.
As the days went on, I could feel myself starting to get more energy and I stopped throwing up! What a relief that was!!! I was on just formula a entire week before I tried eating liquid food again. I had to take it slow but I was able to start eating things like soup, smoothies, and oatmeal drinks.
By week three with the tube, I was trying to add more solid foods but it was too difficult with the tube. If the tube moved from the side of my throat into the center, I would have gagging episodes. Talking was the worst! I felt confident enough that I could eat solid food again so I asked my doctor to take it out. It was becoming unbearable and I was just tired of gagging. She wanted me to keep it in through the weekend just to make sure I was OK. While talking to the nurse on the phone, I started to gag and throw up. In the process of doing so, some food got lodged on the tube and blocked my airway. I was chocking on my own throw up! As I was starting to feel like I was going to loose consciousness, I heard a loud voice say, “Sabrina, pull the tube out now!” I did just that! I ripped the tape off my face and started to pull and kept pulling until it was out. With pulling it out, I was able to dislodge the food and finish expelling it and breath once again. After calming down, cleaning up and reassuring my three traumatized kids that mommy was OK, I said a little prayer thanking my Heavenly Father for watching over and helping me in my time of need.
That weekend was a marvelous one. I could finally talk and swallow without gagging. I could eat more foods and I was starting to feel evenbetter. It took me several more weeks to regain strength and energy to a level that I could function on my own. Things that I normally would be able to do wore me out fast.
During this whole ordeal, I was tremendously blessed with the help of many wonderful women and ward members. My mother was able to come up and help me take care of the kids and house. She was my angel! I was able to rest and not have to worry about trying to keep up on things. I can’t thank her enough for the love and support she gave me. Thanks Mom! I love you! I also received help from the my amazing ward members and Relief Society. They brought in meals for months, watched my kids, and cleaned my home as I was trying to recover. I even had sisters bring different soups for me to try and eat. Never in my life have I been so in need of outside help and I was completely blown away with the love, prayers and support that my family and I received. I was truly humbled and my testimony of the church and especially Relief Society was strengthened.
Receiving all the help was something that I had to humble myself to do. It was very hard and frustrating that I couldn’t get up out of bed and do things that just a few weeks ago I could do. It was hard that all I could do was just sit in bed and think which sometimes is not the best thing. I found myself at times feeling so sorry for myself, getting depressed and questioning why I would have to go through such a huge physical trial. But it is at those low times, I received the most help. My Heavenly Father was aware of me and my needs and provided ways for me to receive the help I needed at the time. Texts and calls from wonderful friends and family would come at just the right moment to lift me up. Strong impressions of the Spirit that would remind me that I was a Child of God and that He loves me. Also, strength and power from on High and the knowledge that I can do hard things and that I was not left alone.
As I look back on this experience, I realize that I not only regained my strength physically but I grew spiritually as well. I am thankful for this experience and what I have been taught because of it. It was a hard 6 months of recovery but I wouldn’t change what I gained and learned from it. I know that our Heavenly Father is aware of us and allows us to experience hard things in order to grow and be refined so we can become like Him. He loves us and will take care of us if we but turn our hearts to Him and allow Him to help.
