As Mary Ann rolled into surgery, all she was thinking about was the tiny baby growing inside her. She knew she would recuperate from the pain and the physical duress her body was under. But if she lost the baby, she didn’t know if she would ever recover. That was an ache she would carry for the rest of her life.
As it was, Mary Ann had already spent far too much time at the hospital. In fact, this was her third admittance in one month.
The initial visit
Her initial visit was eight weeks ago when she first found out she was pregnant. It should’ve been a happy occasion. Especially after dealing with infertility. Except she looked like she was seven MONTHS pregnant when she was only four WEEKS!
Naturally, she was admitted to the hospital. Where she was told she had something called ascites which can be a symptom of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). One of the potential risks of IVF (in vitro fertilization).
Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. If left untreated it can lead to life-threatening complications. The standard protocol is to remove the excessive fluid. So Mary Ann had several liters of fluid drained from her abdomen. After a 4-day hospital stay, she was discharged.
But before she could even catch her breath, the next incident was waiting around the corner.
Second trip to the hospital
It started simply enough with calf pain. To relieve the pain, Mary Ann was told to take aspirin every day and to walk more. A few days later, however, the coughing and chest pains began. When she started coughing up blood, she was back at the hospital again for the second time in weeks.
This time she had a pulmonary embolism. Mary Ann was given pregnancy-safe blood thinners and after an 8-day hospital stay, she was discharged. She continued to take blood thinners, specifically a Lovenox injection (which she self-administered every four hours) for the rest of the pregnancy.
The place where grief and joy meet
Going back to the hospital so soon after she was discharged was definitely not something Mary Ann wanted. However, there was a silver lining. She got to see and hear her baby’s heartbeat which confirmed the pregnancy was viable.
After two years of trying, it was a huge sigh of relief. It should’ve been another joyous moment in her IVF journey if she wasn’t dealing with a pulmonary embolism.
Waking up to the worst pain imaginable
Mary Ann hoped all the drama was behind her and the next time she sets foot in the hospital, it would be to deliver her baby. Sadly, that was not the case.
A week after being discharged, she started cramping. Definitely not something any pregnant woman wants to experience months before her due date.
Thankfully the ultrasound showed that the baby was fine and Mary Ann returned home. She didn’t know it was just the beginning of her symptoms. The very next day she woke up to the worst pain ever! It was so intense that she was throwing up and whimpering in agony.
And that’s how Mary Ann wound up back at the hospital for the third time.
Third trip to the hospital
This time, however, it was worse. She had spiked a fever and was losing so much blood, she had to have a blood transfusion.
It turns out her right ovary had become swollen and it twisted, a condition called ovarian torsion.
Some devastating news
In addition to dealing with the physical pain, she also received some heartbreaking news. First, she needed to have surgery to remove her right ovary immediately. Otherwise, she would die.
Second, she could never go through IVF again. And lastly, the most devastating news of all, there was a high chance the surgery would stop the baby’s heart.
Grief
Having to go through surgery is scary on its own. But Mary Ann was also dealing with grief. There was the potential death of her unborn child and the reality that she would never have any more children. The doctor gave her a one-in-a-million chance of ever getting pregnant naturally.
For two years she fought to have a child. She put her body through so much just to conceive. Then she finally finds out she’s pregnant. Her battle with infertility should’ve been over and she should be starting a new phase in her life. Instead, her body has to endure more. It had to go through ascites, pulmonary embolism, and now major surgery (while pregnant). Yet she has never loved or wanted someone as much as the little baby growing in her womb. She’s definitely never fought so hard for someone as greatly as she has for this baby.
After all, she’s been through, the probability the surgery could stop the baby’s heart was beyond terrifying. She placed the fate of that little life in God’s hands. And with every strength she had, before she succumbed to anesthesia, Mary Ann willed that tiny heart to keep beating… to keep fighting because she’s fought too hard to lose him now.