The Hypertension Blues
“High blood pressure is a major health crisis in the black community.”
Hearing the words "you have postpartum preeclampsia" was a hard pill to swallow. For anyone who is not familiar with this term, postpartum preeclampsia is having high blood pressure after giving birth. When I entered the doctor's office a few weeks ago, I felt fine. I was able to get some household chores done, cook dinner for the family, and play around with my four-year-old. Nothing stressful about that, I thought. I thought wrong. This was a one-week check-up. It was supposed to be a breeze. Go in for a blood pressure check, then go home. WRONG! My visit included having numbers at 178/100, then followed by 183/102. After that, the words "go to the emergency room" followed.
I was in such disbelief that I convinced myself that I was filled with anxiety and nothing more than that. My numbers will be better at the hospital. As I drove to the hospital, my mind started to recall the midwife’s words, "Ma'am, your blood pressure is so high that you have to leave. Once you get there, they are going to start you on anti-seizure medicine. If you don't get there right away, you could have a seizure and possibly die.” I have heard similar words before. I heard it as a child with asthma. I heard it after a car accident. I heard it after giving birth. This time just felt different.
This time, I saw sincere concern from my health care provider—the tone of her voice. The worry I saw in her eyes. No matter how much I wanted it to stop replaying in my head, it continued. And her words got louder. I could no longer try to trick my brain into thinking nothing is wrong. Something is wrong.
At the emergency room, the nurses cared for me, drew blood to rule out any other complications that could be the cause. Three hours later, I was officially diagnosed with postpartum hypertension and got a shot to decrease it rapidly. The doctor sent me home with meds and my thoughts.
Fast forward to today: I am still experiencing anxiety from that prognosis. I take the prescribed medicines, go to my doctor's visits faithfully, and added exercise to my life. I am also learning how to let things be. You see, I thought my body could bounce back to the routine l had before giving birth in February. Sure, I was only getting two and a half hours of sleep, but I thought I had to get back to my routine. My body has shown me that there is a reason why you should take it easy once you get home.
To any new mom reading this, please take it easy. Your home may look a mess. You have other responsibilities to care for, but you have to care about your health and well-being too. Use your support team if you have one. If you don't have one, try to find some time to stay off your feet. During the first few weeks after birth, sleep and rest will give your body a chance to heal from childbirth. Being a new mom is a challenging task, but take care of yourself during this time. Your child and your body will thank you for it.
