Image Credit: GoFundMe
An Australian couple’s vacation came to an abrupt and unfortunate end recently, when the wife, 28-year old mom of three, Natasha Angie died of a rare pregnancy complication called HELLP Syndrome. Her OB/GYN had failed to diagnose the condition.
Angie was 26 weeks into her fourth pregnancy, and her doctor had recently cleared her three-week long babymoon to the US.
Her husband, John Shaw claimed that she’d never complained of any problems or exhibited symptoms of any condition during her term. “Her organs seemed to be fine,” he told News3LV. “I thought she was alright. She thought she was alright. She wasn’t.”
Angie’s condition began deteriorating when the couple reached Las Vegas. She had a severe headache and abdominal pain. Her condition worsened over three days, and Shaw had to rush her to the hospital.
A visibly shattered Shaw told reporters that Angie said “I love you” to him twice while they took her into surgery. And, those were her last words.
Her condition was critical and doctors had to deliver the baby, but it died before doctors could deliver it. Shaw spent a few hours with his son to make some memories. Angie was heavily sedated, and she didn’t even know that her baby was no more.
Pretty soon, her organs began to fail. The kidneys, the heart, and then everything else stopped working. Doctors shifted her to life support. An emotional Shaw called his children to break the news to them and let them say their goodbyes to their mom, who died later on the same day.
Right now, Shaw’s mom is taking care of the kids. He is trying to raise money via GoFundMe to pay for the hospital bills and take Angie and their son back home to Australia. He is also trying to raise awareness about the condition and make women aware of the complications.
What Is HELLP Syndrome?
HELLP Syndrome is an aggressive form of preeclampsia that can quickly escalate to a life-threatening complication. The condition occurs late into a pregnant woman’s term.
The condition was so named in 1982 by Dr. Louis Weinstein.
- H (hemolysis, or the breakdown of red blood cells)
- EL (elevated liver enzymes)
- LP (low platelet count)
Diagnosis of HELLP Syndrome is difficult, more so when the patient doesn’t have high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
The symptoms of the condition include a headache, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal tenderness (due to the liver), shoulder pain and bleeding. If you think you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult your OB/GYN immediately.
