During the time that Jennifer was hospitalized she was looking for support from those who had been there and found the Preeclampsia Foundation.  She also found Tiffany Trevers who was last year’s San Jose Promise Walk lead coordinator.  Tiffany was in the midst of putting on the inaugural San Jose Promise Walk.

Jennifer’s experience last year with the Promise Walk was so positive that she took the big leap to Coordinator for 2012.  Together with Tiffany, they look to match last year’s amazing attendance and fundraising totals and reach even more local Bay Area folks who may have been touched by preeclampsia.

This year’s walk will once again feature a dove release to honor victims of preeclampsia and already has the support of several local businesses and ventures such as Blood Centers of the Pacific, Developmental Pathways for Kids and Sports Basement to name a few.

You can register to be a part of this day now!  The walk will be held on May 6^th at Vasona Lake County Park.  Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for children.  Got to www.promisewalk.org/sanjose to register or make a donation.

Come and join Jennifer and Tiffany as they renew their promise to help find a cure, bring awareness and support others who have experienced the pain of preeclampsia.

My life often feels like it’s divided into parts: childhood blur, parents’ divorce apocalypse, college years, the horrid twenties, starting to get better thirties, husband, daughter, first BLACK president, sweet home Chicago, “let’s have a another baby?”… why aren’t I getting pregnant and then fatigue, shortness of breath; lots of doctors visits to find out why I’m not getting pregnant, palpitations, tightness in chest when I get stressed, tightness in chest gone, then tightness in chest all the time and doesn’t go away until I’m absolutely still and then December 2, 2009.

I went in for what I thought was a simple stress test… and then was off to a race in which I never intended to compete. I knew my test wasn’t going well when I couldn’t finish the test; the pain started and then the silence. Then, “I’ll be right back, do you have someone you can call?; We need you to go for more tests.” “No more babies for you; we’re trying to help you live for the one child you have.” From then on that’s all I hear. I’m numb to the fact that I’ve just been told I’m lucky I even made it to the hospital.

There was a great deal of denial: I wasn’t super fit but I have the reputation in my family of being a health nut.  The last thing I ever expected to hear was that I had an issue with my heart. I felt broken and didn’t feel as if I had any control to fix it. I felt alone. I felt shame because I felt I had brought this on myself. On and on went my self-blame as I began to process the news that I have heart disease.

The whole first year was like walking on eggshells.  I felt fragile and alone in my struggle. My peers and very close friends tried to understand, but my issues were those of their grandparents. My husband didn’t want to hear me; if the choice was between me and an unborn, non-existent baby… then the choice was me. And while I logically understood his choice, it felt like a betrayal. My life felt abruptly interrupted and I was angry. But I was afraid to be angry for fear of what it might do to my heart.

Halfway into 2010, I finally decided that this shrink needed a shrink. Suddenly I was given permission to grieve; to be angry and take my life, MY HEART back from the medical establishment.

And as we worked together to address my emotional self, it made room for me to consider how I would address my physical self, and the bridge between the two. The first thing I did was take a mindfulness course and began a mindfulness practice. The second is I really started to think about what kind of exercise I could do on a consistent basis and two activities came to mind: rowing and swimming.

Beginning in April of 2011 I began the overhaul of my physical self at a more intense and deliberate intention. I joined Rowfit Chicago and began to demand more of my body, setting goals that I’d always wanted to do and never imagined that I could. And I am proud to say that in the year of 2011, I ran two 5k and completed my first sprint triathlon. It’s been amazing to think of myself as more than a partner, mother, daughter, sister and cardiac patient. I am someone capable of pushing my body AND MY HEART beyond my preconceived physical limits. And my goal is to continue to push the envelope. And though it isn’t easy given all the roles that I juggle, I am determined that as a heart health advocate, I will help more women live a whole-hearted, fully-engaged life, rather than living literally without heart.

Last year was a record year for the Promise Walks raising over $300,000. With more than 30 walk locations lined up for this year, 2012 looks to be even stronger and even more work can be done toward the mission of education, research and support.

This year, $400,000 could:

• Support and sustain the start of a patient registry and bio-bank for storing DNA samples, making it a viable tool for researchers studying the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

• Provide additional Continuing Education classes for health care providers across the country

• Help us develop our Heart Health campaign alongside partners such as the American Heart Association and WomenHeart, helping to educate women of the critical association between preeclampsia and heart disease later in life

Plus…our walks, headed entirely by volunteers, are funded 100% by donations and registrations.

Given all that we can do together this year, make sure you are a part of this. Register for a walk near you, encourage friends and family to both walk with you and donate, or help your local walk coordinator with preparations. Not a walk near you? Contact the Foundation to see what walk coordinator you might be able to help remotely, or register for a walk as a virtual walker and solicit donations to support your choice of walk locations.

With your support, we’ll reach that $400,000 and get closer to a world where preeclampsia is a footnote in pregnancy books, something not only curable, but preventable.

Registration is open…what are you waiting for???

www.promisewalk.org

With the season in mind, please enjoy our twist on this holiday favorite.

Twas the night before the Promise Walks and all through the country

Not a coordinator was stirring not even in North Conway.

The t-shirts were folded in boxes with care,

In hope that many walkers soon would be there.

The volunteers were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of donations danced in their heads.

And Becky in her green shirt and I with my “survivor” button

Were all looking forward to our new Promise Walk fashion.

When all of a sudden my email went bonkers.

I sprang from my chair and screamed “Holy Yonkers!”

Away to my desk I flew like a flash,

Opened up Outlook and almost did gasp!

The lamp on the desk in my bedroom so late

Shone dimly at midnight just what was so great.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But a huge new donation and much walker participation.

With a click of my mouse, so happy and quick.

I knew in a moment we’d help mommies not get sick.

More attendance than imagined our walkers they came

We listened and shouted and resolute we became.

Now awareness!

Now research!

Now support and a cure!

Healthy babies! Healthy mommies!

For our sweet boys and girls.

From the tops of our lungs, to everyone everywhere

We thank you! Thank you! Thank you all!

We’ve sprung to our feet, given voice to our cause

But onward we march and during this season we pause.

Our hope is to exclaim standing healthy and tall

Preeclampsia is cured for one and for all!

From the Promise Walk family to yours, a happy and healthy holiday season!

While you’re busy getting candy ready, stretching those cobwebs across your front door and getting your little ones in their costumes without getting their face make-up on your clothes, we thought it a good idea to revisit some of the symptoms of preeclampsia…forewarned is forearmed and we want nothing but treats for all our pregnant mommies!

10.          Headache

9.            Pain in upper right ribcage

8.            Swelling, particularly in your hands, face and ankles

7.            Visual disturbances

6.            Increased restlessness or irritability

5.            Persistent nausea and vomiting in the third trimester

4.            Significant shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

3.            Dark urine/protein in urine

2.            High blood pressure

1.            The feeling that something “just isn’t right”

If you are pregnant and feeling any of these symptoms, please call your doctor immediately.  It’s always best to err on the side of caution and have things checked out.  Your doctor may very well send you to labor and delivery, but they’ll hopefully be thorough there and fast about checking your blood pressure, your urine and your blood work to make sure you and your little one are doing just fine.  If in fact, you are sick, then you’ve been sent to the best place to make sure you and your baby are well taken care of.

Best of luck and always good health to you and your little pumpkin.

We have so many new walks planned all over the country, so many wonderful new and motivated coordinators and great returning veteran coordinators.  It’s going to be a great year.  For me, I find myself in a familiar spot…once again looking for the perfect location for my walk.  Everything starts from there and I’m confident it will work out.

All wrapped in the kick-off to planning is the hope and optimism of what the walk can be…how many people will attend this year?  How much money will we raise?  Who will I meet that will touch my heart with their story?  How many times over the course of the next months will I cry both tears of sadness and anguish as well as tears of pride for what we do?

We all have such personal reasons for organizing a walk.  We’ve been touched by preeclampsia with the loss of loved ones, loss of babies, loss of an innocent pregnancy and unwanted stays in the NICU.  We’ve had more than swollen ankles and little bit of heartburn.  We have husbands and family members that once sat over us in hospital ICU rooms.  Those same husbands and family now track down sponsors, count out t-shirts and get up with us before the crack of dawn to make our walk days perfect.

There is still time to start organizing a walk in your area…contact National Walk Director, Becky Sloan for more information.  Becky, a volunteer and coordinator for the San Diego walk as well, can be reached at becky.sloan@preeclampsia.org.

Well today, we present the top 3 reasons NOT to host a Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, so you can start having these really great excuses, rather than all that nonsense about how many hours there are in a single day.

1. You do not own a computer or a telephone. Staying in touch is a necessary part of being a coordinator, so if you’ve taken a vow of silence, or chosen a non-technology way of life, this volunteer path may not be for you.
2. You live in an industrial zone without a single decent place to walk. If your town has a carbon footprint the size of a T-Rex, the smog and acid rain might be a bit of a turn off to participants. Instead of hosting a Promise Walk, we’d recommend you work on a family relocation plan.
3. You have no interest in funding life-saving research. After all, 92% of the money raised by the Promise Walk goes straight back into education and research that will help future generations. Science isn’t for everybody, right?

Wait a second… do none of these describe you? Then you have what it takes! Read “Becoming A Promise Walk Volunteer” by Autumn Spear for more information on how to get involved, and join us for a free teleconference call on September 13 to find out what it takes to have a successful Promise Walk for Preeclampsia to your hometown, and help us “Make Strides and Deliver Hope!”

Did you walk, volunteer or coordinate a walk this year?  Do you realize what an amazing impact you have made?  There were men and women, mommies and daddies that came to our walks that had recently lost a baby.  You made them feel they weren’t alone and gave them hope.  Families came that lost a daughter, sister or mother to this disease.  You honored their memory.  Countless women came to the walks that had their lives altered by preeclampsia; you educated them on their now higher risk for heart disease.  You made such a difference.

Did you start a team or recruit family and friends to support you?  Those people now know more about preeclampsia, its symptoms, its effect on our lives.  They may have never heard of it before, but now it’s more than “on their radar”, they’ve become our supporters.

The donations you received, the registration fees you paid all go to the more than $271,000 we raised nationally…a new record for our Promise Walks!  The Foundation can now reach out to more women with educational materials, support more families touched by preeclampsia and fund more research initiatives.   It may have been just one morning this past April, May or June, but that one morning walking has a ripple effect and it
will just grow bigger next year.

So…pat yourself on the back, give yourself a round of applause!  We couldn’t do it without you!  For me, being a walk coordinator is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life and with each new success each year, I look to raise the bar higher for the following year.  I can’t wait to start watching my little fuchsia feet starting climbing to my goal for 2012.  For now, I’ll give myself at least another week to just bask in the post walk after glow.

I remember how excited we were when we first found out I was pregnant.  It was November 8, 2010.  I had taken a pregnancy test by myself because I wanted to surprise my husband with the news.  After taking the test I was ecstatic and went to the store where I found a bib that said “Daddy’s hugs are the best.”  My husband gives the best hugs so I thought this was perfect.  I wrapped the bib and went home.  My husband was already home and I could hardly contain myself so I immediately said I had a surprise for him.  He unwrapped the gift and looked at the bib with a bit of a confused look.  It took a little time to register.  I shouted out that I was pregnant!  He was going to be a dad.  Tears of joy just started flowing and we immediately thanked God for the blessing.  In that beautiful moment we had no idea what lay ahead of us. 

At 20 weeks we were told there was a mass on the placenta and our baby hadn’t grown since our 17 week appointment.  We were extremely worried and for the next week I had numerous doctor’s appointments and tests done to try to figure out why our baby wasn’t growing.  Around 22 weeks my feet and legs began swelling.  I assumed this was a normal symptom of pregnancy.  The swelling got worse at 23 weeks with my hands and face swelling overnight.  I was unrecognizable.  I had read a little about preeclampsia but didn’t realize how serious it was.  I had had a busy week and thought I was just on my feet too much and needed to rest.  I drank lots of water and rested all day.  Later that night we took my blood pressure on a home machine.  My blood pressure was really high which was not normal for me.  I was concerned and feeling like something was wrong but knew I had a doctor’s appointment the next day.

At my doctor’s appointment I mentioned I had been experiencing some swelling, my blood pressure was high and I wasn’t feeling well.  The doctor immediately became concerned and had the nurses take my blood pressure.  It was up to 159/111 and there were proteins in my urine.  The doctor sat my husband and I down and that is when everything became a blur.  It all happened so fast.  I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and had to get to the hospital immediately.  I would be on bed rest in the hospital until I delivered my baby.  Naively, I was calculating in my head that I would spend 17 weeks in the hospital, not realizing how grave my situation was and how dangerously close to death I had come.

My husband and I went straight to the hospital and called our family on the way.   At the hospital I was immediately hooked up to an IV of magnesium to lower my blood pressure.  My blood pressure was 170/110 when I got there.  They also told us we were having a boy.  Our family arrived at the hospital not long after us so we could explain what was going on and we needed their support.  We were so upset and couldn’t believe how quickly things had taken a downward turn.  The doctor explained all of our options and none of them were good. Our son, Cooper had an 11% chance of surviving and if he did survive, he had a very high chance of having a myriad of problems.

On the morning of March 15, 2011, we chose to induce labor, knowing Cooper most likely would not survive the delivery.  It was the hardest decision we have ever had to make.  As I gave birth to my Cooper, all I could think about was the painful silence: my baby did not cry out to me.  This is not how it’s supposed to be.

Cooper Landon was born at midnight on March 16, 2011 and he didn’t survive.  The nurse immediately handed Cooper to me to hold.  Cooper was a beautiful baby boy.  He was so precious and little, 11 oz. and 11 inches long.  We held Cooper close for a long time and told him we loved him.

After coming home from the hospital, I knew immediately I wanted to do something to make a difference so other families would not have to go through what my family did. Upon hearing of our loss, we had many friends who wanted to make charitable contributions in memory of Cooper.  I began to research online and that is when I discovered the Preeclampsia Foundation.  I also learned there was going to be the first Promise Walk in San Jose on the same date and in the same park my baby shower was going to be.  I couldn’t think of a better way to spend that day.  My family started a team and spread the word.  In a matter of six weeks we had raised $8,000 and about 30 of our family and friends showed up to walk with us.  We were so touched and overwhelmed by all the love and support we felt.  It still brings tears to my eyes.  I know we have already made a difference. 

Today, we are still grieving the loss of Cooper.  Cooper has changed our lives forever and he will never be forgotten.  He will always be our first-born and live in our hearts.  My passion now is to continue to raise awareness about preeclampsia and funds for research.  I supply doctor’s offices with brochures on preeclampsia and share my story whenever possible.  Those are just a couple of ways I help the Preeclampsia Foundation move their mission forward in memory of our son, Cooper Landon.

This is the scene that walkers at the first Boston Promise Walk for Preeclampsia will experience on July 24, 2011 at Castle Island Park. The exhibit is all the vision of writer, exhibit organizer and walk coordinator Susannah Pabot. With this traveling public exhibit, Susannah hopes to increase awareness of preeclampsia and its symptoms and raise money to support the Preeclampsia Foundation and their efforts.

Susannah, herself a two-times survivor of severe preeclampsia, worked with families from across the country to hear their stories, hopes, grief and undying love for the babies they lost to this condition in developing the final pieces of her project. The poems written for and to each baby remembered in the exhibit were created from the language shared by their parents and grandparents. 

The cradles were designed for the exhibit by RISD furniture design graduate Rebecca Lee, and the blankets displayed in the cradles were individually designed and knitted by RISD textile art students Alyssa Fu and Eliza Squibb.  The colors used were chosen by the families of the babies.   

The exhibit’s sound environment was composed by Brown/RISD student Ling Zhou and includes recordings of the poems and three original songs written and sung for the exhibit by the award-winning lullaby singer Amy Robbins-Wilson. Inspired by her involvement in the exhibit, Amy has created an album dedicated to all parents who have lost a baby (www.angelbabylullabies.com). She will be singing from this and her other albums at the Boston Promise Walk.

Preeclampsia survivor Diane Stern, co-anchor of the WBZ Afternoon news will emcee the event, and one of the mothers who took part in the exhibit will speak of her personal experiences with the disease.  Just announced, Dr. Ananth Karumanchi of the Karumanchi Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School will be attending the walk with members of his laboratory and will be speaking.  The walk with close with a butterfly release to honor the memory of all mothers and babies lost to preeclampsia.

For more information about the exhibit, you can go to www.fieldofcradles.org. To register or donate to the Boston Promise Walk culminating at the Field of Cradles exhibit, visit http://www.promisewalk.org/pfpw/fundevent.asp?nnaffundid=34.