Josh. Cali. McKallister. Oakland. Quincy. Camden. Murphy.

Amniotic Fluid Embolism Awareness Day

Friday, March 27, 2015


If you search “Amniotic Fluid Embolism” (AFE) on google, you will see this. “…the leading cause of death during labor or shortly after birth”.
Those are the first words Josh read when he wanted to know what an AFE was… as I was being life flighted away from him. He had never heard of it before, my family had not known of its existence. And yet some case studies will show a 90% mortality rate of anyone who suffers this. My discharge diagnosis in 2012 was as follows;

  Amniotic fluid embolism
  Cardiopulmonary failure
  Disseminated intravascular coagulation
  Intra-abdominal hemorrhage after uterine rupture
  D&E of 21 week old fetus
  Total abdominal hysterectomy
  Septic ovarian thrombophlebitis
  Factor V heterozygote
  IVC filter placement and removal

Most of these are only found on a death certificate. AFE is so rare but so hurtful to every single family that comes in contact with it. Families are left without a mother and/or baby, survivors are left in a persistent vegetative state or lifelong physical and emotional scars. Today my family and friends are wearing blue and pink- to raise awareness, to help the AFE foundation spur clinical research for this poorly understood complication.
If you wear one of these colors, tag me and #1in40000 #AFEAwareness and I will love you forever! And probably cry. XoXo…

 
 
 

3 comments:

  1. I worked as an ICU nurse for 7 years and during that time I knew of two patients who suffered AFE and both of them were devastating situations. I remember the first time I met you at the zoo with Stacie, just months after you AFE, and being amazed at your story because I thought the mortality rate was something like 98%. You are a miracle, but I know it didn't come without a cost. You are doing so many amazing things with the life you have been given, including spreading awareness and hope for others.

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  2. You're a rock star!!! Your story is amazing. The Lord puts us here for a reason. You are the perfect example of enduring to the end. Thank you for being such an amazing influence...and shaping your littles to do the same! ALL of your kids are so lucky to have you!!!!!

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  3. Cali you're amazing!!!!!!!!

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