10/28/2025
❤️ Preeclampsia & The Difficult Pregnancy ❤️
Slowly, I felt like everything was finally going well. The subchorionic hematoma was healing, and I was starting to feel a little relief. But it seemed as if Allah wanted to test my patience once more.
In the middle of my pregnancy, I suddenly noticed my feet were swelling. At first, I thought it was just normal pregnancy swelling, but within a few days, they became so swollen that no shoes would fit. Walking hurt, and even standing for a few minutes felt unbearable.
During a routine check-up, my doctor noticed my blood pressure was alarmingly high. She ordered a urine test immediately — the results showed I had preeclampsia.
The doctor said, “This is serious. Your high blood pressure is causing protein to leak into your urine, which can be dangerous for both you and your twins.”
That’s when a new battle began — one that tested me physically and mentally.
From then on, my doctor asked me to do NSTs (Non-Stress Tests) at least twice a week to monitor the babies’ heartbeats, movements, and oxygen levels.
Each test brought silent prayers and fear —
“What if something goes wrong today?”
Most mornings, I sat in a hospital wheelchair in the cold Canadian winter, my eyes filled with both fear and faith.
My body had swollen so much that walking became almost impossible. No sandals or shoes fit anymore, and I had to depend entirely on the wheelchair to move around.
Inside, I was constantly terrified —
“Are my babies safe?”
Both my arms were covered in needle marks from so many tests and IVs; they looked like a sieve used for frying snacks back home.
I didn’t tell my family much about this situation. I didn’t want them to worry, but inside, I was breaking down completely.
And then, another storm came — we had to move houses.
The apartment we were living in was rented out to someone else, and the new place we planned to move into wasn’t available for another 15 days.
Where would we go in the meantime?
I was eight months pregnant, my blood pressure was dangerously high, and even standing made me dizzy.
That’s when one of my university friends — who had been by my side throughout the pregnancy — arranged a temporary place for us to stay.
(That’s a story for another day, but without her help, I don’t know how I would have survived that time.)
We kept all our furniture in a moving truck and carried just two small bags to that temporary basement suite.
It was tiny, dark, and had no natural light.
I sat there every day, feeling like I was trapped inside a cell. The days passed slowly, my stress increased, and so did my blood pressure.
Then one dawn, around 4 a.m., I woke up with a splitting headache — it felt like my head was going to burst. My vision blurred.
Istiak was beside me. He immediately checked my blood pressure — it read 170/120.
Without wasting a moment, he drove me to the hospital in heavy rain.
The road was dark, visibility was poor, and the rain was pouring relentlessly.
Through every NST visit, every sleepless night, and every hospital trip, Istiak stayed by my side. After finishing work, he would drive me to the hospital, lift me in and out of the wheelchair, check my pressure, prepare my food, and give me my medicines — all with calm patience and endless love.
My swelling had become so bad that I couldn’t even see my toes anymore. I used to cry seeing myself in the mirror — unrecognizable, exhausted.
Istiak would gently hold my head and say,
“I’m proud of you, Uma. You’re doing amazing.”
Whenever I broke down and said, “I can’t do this anymore,”
he would softly whisper,
“You can, Uma. Allah will protect our twins. This time will pass, Insha’Allah.”
Every night before sleeping, I prayed,
“Ya Allah, please keep my babies safe. I don’t care what happens to me.”
Preeclampsia made my body weak, but it made my soul stronger.
I realized a mother’s love means fighting beyond her limits — not for herself, but for the lives growing inside her.
Even now, when I think about those days, my eyes fill with tears.
But at the same time, I feel a deep gratitude —
Allah truly knows whom to bless you with as your life partner.
🩵 N.B.
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It can cause swelling (edema), vision problems, and, in severe cases, can be life-threatening for both mother and baby.
Close monitoring, regular NSTs, and rest are essential to ensure a safe outcome.
