Why We Walk Wednesday! Natalie

In 1999, I became pregnant with my third child. After giving birth in December of 1998 to a baby boy, I was ecstatic to think I was expecting again. The pregnancy started out like the other two, but at 4 months, I felt an odd pressure that felt like I was about to give birth. We rushed to our doctor and shortly after being examined, I was told I had an "Incompetent cervix" and needed to have a procedure to sew my cervix closed. I was prescribed bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. Before doing the procedure, an amniocenteses was performed, and I found out that we would be expecting a baby girl. 

I remained very disciplined with my bed rest. However, at 20 weeks, my water broke. I was rushed to Georgetown hospital where the doctors said that if I was put in "Trendelenburg" -- basically positioned upside down -- that my amniotic fluid could replenish. I remained steadfast in my determination to deliver my daughter healthy. I stayed in Trendelenburg for 8 weeks. I had been experiencing leg pain in my left leg from week 21, which the doctors and nurses treated with pain medication  Unfortunately, the pain turned out to be a severe DVT (Deep vein thrombophlebitis) and after many attempts to hold off my labor with treatment of Heparin I was rushed into surgery.

On November 28, 1999, Natalie Elizabeth Simonson was born. She also died that day after fighting 8 long hours to survive. Her little lungs were not strong enough. I was never able to meet her, as I was in critical condition from losing so much blood. The surgery left me in ICU for 4 days. I believe it was God’s way of protecting me from the horrific loss of my baby girl.

If I were to go through the same today, because of the March of Dimes, research would have had me on preventive measures to avoid DVTs in women on bed rest. As well as the advances in premature deliveries and babies and their survival. It took me a long time to recover from the loss of my child. The pain for our family is something no one should have to experience. I chose to work with the March of Dimes to help our future generations have a better chance.