Margaret Shipp

 Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Support Network

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Hello, my name is Margaret. I live just outside of Washington, DC with my daughter Hannah and husband Danny. Hannah was born on August 29, 2003. I had an uneventful pregnancy and delivery. However, the morning after I got home from the hospital I woke up and my legs were very swollen and I was very short of breath. I called my OBs office and was told my symptoms were normal after having had a baby. They told me to take it easy and to sit in a chair with my feet above my heart. The next day the swelling was worse and when I tried to breathe I felt "crackling" in my chest. I called my OBs office again and asked to speak to my physician, however I was forwarded to an advice nurse who told me the swelling was normal and to use my asthma inhaler for my breathing. Finally, my third night home I laid down and couldn't breathe at all. I drove myself to the ER. I was so fatigued and short of breath I could hardly make it from the ER parking lot into the waiting room. Luckily it was a slow night, the triage nurse waived me right in and as soon as he put the oxygen meter on my finger he knew I was in trouble. Within 3 hours of entering the ER I was told I had postpartum cardiomyopathy with an EF of 20%. It was the worst night of my life - being told I was very sick and thinking of my not yet one week old baby at home. Fast forward 2.5 years later, my EF is now 45%, I struggle with exhaustion from the meds but I know I'm lucky to be alive. Last fall my cardiologist ok'd me to go back to work. Ironically I am now assistant to the Administrator at the very hospital that saved my life.