A journey of deliverance
-Alicia
The entirety of my second pregnancy, birthing process and post-partum journey was traumatic and complicated. From beginning to end and even postpartum my body was riddled with pain. My endometriosis was responsible, instead of getting a break from pain and other symptoms, things got worse.
I prayed for my baby, and my prayers were answered in the midst of uncertainty. We survived a threatened miscarriage due to a small area of hemorrhaging inside my uterus, which caused spotting and period like bleeding at some points during my pregnancy. I was scared out my mind for the most part. Little did I know the worst was yet to come. The alarms should have been sounded when my second set of blood results, throughout my pregnancy, revealed my white blood cell count was in the 40s; the normal range for wbc (white blood count) is 4.5 to 11, but no urgency was expressed.
September 30th 2021 I had to be admitted to the hospital due to the sharp-stabbing like pain I was feeling that kept increasing with intensity in my right side. I was only 30 weeks at the time so I was not ready for my baby to be born. There was a threat of pre-term birth so I was given meds to help baby’s lungs develop. Thankfully that’s all it was a threat and I was treated for pain management (from a degenerating fibroid) for 6 days and then sent home. I had one, approx. 3cm, fibroid that grew to 10cm during my pregnancy.
About 2 weeks later Oct 19th I had to return to the hospital again and admitted for the same pain from a supposed degenerating fibroid but this time pre-term labour was real. I was 32 weeks and 5 days. I thought to myself it’s still too early when they told me I was 3cm dilated.
3cm changed to 5cm by the following day. However things stopped progressing then and so I was induced on the Friday and baby came naturally @ 33wks plus 1 day. Sadly I never got to hold my baby after he came out and I only saw him for a few seconds. He had to go straight to the NICU as he needed oxygen. 24 hours later I got to see him n held him for the first time he was so tiny at just a lil over 4 lbs.
Long story short, I was sent home the next morning after giving birth despite my complaints of still having severe abdominal pain. The following Tuesday upon visiting the NICU I started having really bad pains, called my doc and she told me to go back to the postnatal ward. I was readmitted, tests were done and it turned out there was fluid all over my abdomen and it was infected and thick. They tried draining it but that didn’t work so I had to do an emergency surgery.
After being in the hospital for over a week, doctors still had their concerns as I was my test results were not showing the progress they had hoped to see by then. Another ultrasound was ordered, which showed there was still free fluid in abdomen. I remember crying and singing - Travis Greene: Intentional - on my way back from the ultrasound (Nov 2021), they had told me they will have to insert another tube to drain the remaining liquid left in my abdomen. The first time around, this was a very painful and traumatizing experience for me so I didn’t wanna do it again. When I got back to ward, I prayed and I cried out to God begging him to help me. Later that evening I heard a still voice say “Go home” and I jumped up and surely the next day I packed my things and told them to release me I need to go home; by this time my baby had been discharged from the Nursery and was with me.
My doctor and the medical team tried everything they could to convince me not to leave, even to say if I left and came back it would take longer for me to get the procedure of inserting the tube done because they would have to start from scratch, as if I was being admitted for the first time. All my tests would have to be redone. But that didn’t sway me one bit. There was a calm and peace within me that gave me the confidence to say I needed to go. Surely I left and went home, spent the day recharging and it felt like one of the best days I’ve have in a very long time.
However, as fate would have it, I had to go back to the hospital the next day since my pain was still so severe. Getting readmitted took hours. They did drag their foot as they said they would for sure. Spite? Another ultrasound was done a day later, and guess what was revealed…..inserting another tube was not necessary who could it be but GOD!!!! The doctor who did the first ultrasound and inserted the tube, was not the one who did the second ultrasound. God made it so that he was there to do the third ultrasound and my God, that man said inserting another tube was unnecessary and would not help to drain the little that was left.
Had I stayed they would’ve done an unnecessary and, not to mention expensive procedure, as we had to purchase the tube needed at another location out of pocket, which would not have helped me and extended my hospital stay. God came through for me in the nick of time, how could I ever doubt his presence this is my testimony
Without God I wouldn’t be here today. My baby came early for a reason and it was to save both our lives. I prayed and drew closer to God and my faith grew stronger. God spoke to me, he answered my prayers. With God by my side, an extremely supportive partner, my family, friends and countless others who prayed for us, my baby and I pulled through.
Be kind. Be encouraged. you’re not alone God is ALWAYS with you.
These are the scriptures and songs I had on repeat, that kept me going throughout.
Scriptures
Psalm 121
Psalm 118
Psalm 91
Songs
In Jesus name- Israel Houghton
So will I - Hillsong (version: cross worship ft Osby Berry)
In Jesus Name - Darlene Zschech
Made a way - Travis Greene
Intentional- Travis Greene
Gracefully broken - Tasha cobbs
Spirit lead me- Hillsong United
