The follow-up appointment didn’t go the way I wanted, but I did like my substitute OB more than my actual one. She had more compassion than my OB, and she knew how to calm a sobbing (VERY) pregnant woman at her office.

I didn’t know what preeclampsia or eclampsia was until I watched Downton Abbey. One of the audience favorite characters, Lady Sybil, dies from eclampsia shortly after giving birth to her child. Preeclampsia/eclampsia is a very serious pregnancy condition that can jeopardize the mother’s and/or baby’s lives. Gestational hypertension (high blood pressure while pregnant) is one possible indicator that can lead to preeclampsia which was why I was sent to L&D triage in the first place.

It may have been the suddenness of going to triage or the stress but I didn’t consider any of this when I was given the wristband. All I kept thinking was how inconvenient it was to wear this wristband long-term. It may have been my subconscious distracting me from the actual precariousness of my situation.

Here’s what my wristband looked like if you’re curious…and it was indeed waterproof!