Hyperemesis Gravidarum

1. Lost and Loved Angel Hyperemesis Gravidarum I Wish . . . When the joy of creating life turns into a struggle for survival and hope I wish that I had never tried to get pregnant I wish that in a few months I would be able to hold my baby In Honor of Casey Lee

2. Hyperemesis Gravidarum "I weighed 96 lbs at one point and looked like walking death. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy." HG is a debilitating and potentially life threatening pregnancy disease marked by rapid weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration due to unrelenting nausea and/or vomiting with potential adverse consequences for the newborn(s). - The HER Foundation “With more information, we can help families bring their babies into this world with as little struggle as possible.” Karen All information is provided by the HER Foundation and survivors of HG

3. Complications for the Mother • Debilitating fatigue – inability to work or take care of their families • Malnutrition and dehydration • Frequent vomiting of blood or bile • Organ dysfunction/failure – gallbladder, liver, gastrointestinal, heart • Depression and anxiety • Post traumatic stress disorder "I lived on my bathroom floor with my down comforter over me or in the hospital getting an IV...  My life turned upside down...  I went from a vibrant, happy, loving, spontaneous, career driver type A personality to essentially - nothing."

4. Complications for the Baby "I have had 5 unsuccessful pregnancies in a period of nine years. I had my gallbladder removed and had pancreatitis due to the severe HG. I went from weighing 125 pounds to weighing 98 pounds. I do not even know where to get help.  I really want to experience being a mother." • Pre-term labor • Low birth weight • Developmental delays • Congenital heart disease • Skeletal malformations • Behavior/emotional problems • Pregnancy loss and miscarriage (25% for HG pregnancies)

5. Lost and Loved Angel A Journey Through HG “To add insult to injury, our OB refused to authorize Zofran and told Jen she was no longer eligible for disability. On January 10th we had our follow up appointment with our doctor. She still refused medication and, even though Jen was still 5 pounds below her pre-pregnant weight at about 23 weeks pregnancy, she would not allow further disability time.” In honor of Jordan William, Trisomy 18, son to a HG mom

6. "I hate that this disorder makes me PETRIFIED of pregnancy, that it has to be so life altering, that I have to feel so sick for so long. Every day I think about HG, I feel like I am not the same person since I have endured so much, dramatic as that sounds." Kendis "My 19 year old daughter died on March 19 2002. She was 13 weeks pregnant. and had been to the hospital twice the week before and diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum." The Voice of HG Women “HG robbed me of the joys of pregnancy.  It shattered my dreams of having a large family.” “HG I have found touched every bit of my life, like tentacles, reaching into the farthest corners of my soul. “

7. A Journey Through Severe HG “I was having a ton of iv's and my arms were covered in bruises.“ For some women, the vomiting is so severe that they must be placed on PICC lines or feeding tubes to help sustain them and their developing babies. “I have had IVs every week for 4 weeks and my arms have bruises up and down them. I have been trying to fight off having to have one because of the risks, but it has got to the point where I am 92 pounds . . .”

8. “The experience is so raw and scary and yes the outcome is glorious but the journey almost killed me." How You Can Help "With no family or support, we reluctantly put our daughter into daycare because I was unable to care for her." "I was hospitalized [from] 5 ½ weeks [until] 17 weeks with admissions till delivery, the emotional [and] physical toll were horrific. [I was] vomiting 70+ times a day, nose bleeds, torn esophagus, burst blood vessels in my eye . . . My son has special needs." • Provide emotional support – Listen without judgment • Provide practical support – Help with household chores and childcare, transportation to medical appointments • Provide financial support – The more severe HG is, the higher the medical care costs involved • Be an advocate – Visit the HER foundation website to find practical ways that you can help those you know struggling with HG today and those who may struggle with it in the future Good works are links that form a chain of love. - Mother Teresa

9. Where to Find Help HER Foundation “Hyperemesis Education & Research Foundation provides education & support for mothers suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum and those who care for them.” With the right information, we can help others. www.HelpHER.org Information Support Hope The HER Foundation was founded in 2000 by a registered nurse, Kimber Wakefield MacGibbon, after suffering from nine months of severe hyperemesis gravidarum.

10. In Honor of Casey Lee Lost and Loved Angel You don't know me now Warm smiles, Dreams, Raucous laughter Energy, Passion ,Drive That was all before Before the flood of vomit came pouring out of me Ripping out my soul, my mind Taking with it the sure knowledge of who I am and what I am capable of All that is left is the memory of dark rooms and dark places in the corners of my mind that I did not know existed and fear may rise again There is no joy in creating life for me . . . Just the endless torment of days spent hoping, to no avail, that I could eat, or drink, or at least sleep until it was over At the end of each day there is no hope Just the prospects of another day with this new person Merely a shadow of my former self for a part of me died with you and now there is no reward What HG Has Done to Me . . . Karen