By Christie Ballard

One of the first statements I made to my neurologist is “I don’t need any more to drink!” Not sure if he’s ever had that statement come from another stroke patient.

 I just know that I couldn’t focus my eyes or get any of my thoughts straight. Had I been drinking? I didn’t know who I was, where I was, nor did I remember that I was even pregnant. I sure didn’t know that I had just delivered our twins at only 28 weeks.
After the third In vitro session, my husband Devon and I were very excited when our pregnancy continued to progress without complications. We were ecstatic to see two “black holes” in the uterus and know that we were expecting twins.
The pregnancy went well. Besides the normal symptoms (fatigue, constipation, heart burn, leg swelling, nausea – all the fun side effects), we had no trouble beside my ribs felt like they were going to be pushed out of my sides. We were on Cloud 9 when we found out we were having a boy and a girl.
On the eve of our 28th week, we got our “Great Expectations” portrait taken. You know – the one where the mom is in the white night gown with the dad lovingly holding the ever growing belly looking into a mirror. Once the babies arrive, you have another photo taken where you are holding the newborns in your arms and place that picture in the mirror. I was extremely tired that evening and had a good size headache but continued on, anxious to get our portraits done.

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I could not sleep at all that night. The throbbing in my head had gotten worse. My husband, a family practice physician, checked my blood pressure and was concerned that it was higher than normal. He called the OB/GYN who advised to check into the hospital to get my blood pressure under control. When we arrived at the hospital, the maternity ward was very busy. It was Labor Day weekend 2006 and must have been a full moon the night before.
We were finally able to get a room when the nausea really set in and turned into constant vomiting. I thought I must have gotten food poisoning. Not the first time for that. My husband stayed by my side, lovingly holding my hair back and keeping a wet washcloth handy. Knowing that he had a full patient load the next day, my mother was going to relieve him so he could go home and get some rest about 5:30 pm.
When they tried to put in an IV, I had a seizure and stopped breathing. As Mom approached my room, she was greeted by the hospital intercom announcing “CODE BLUE – Room 526.”
Devon learned that I had suffered two strokes, and brain bleed, and PRESS syndrome, in which the blood pressure goes so high so fast the blood leaks into the brain. According to Devon, the treatment is immediate delivery to avoid death to the mother. The twins were going to have to be delivered to avoid devastating consequences to all three.
I had to be stabilized before an emergency C-Section was performed. Upon delivery, the twins were transported to the NICU at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock. I was transported shortly after to be cared for by a neurologist. I lost my vision for 24 hours and have no memory of a 48-hour period. I was in ICU for 10 days.  The first time I was able to see my precious, little 2-pound twin babies was in a picture that my husband had taken. My little babies had a long road with good and bad days. They were in the hospital for three months.
Although it was a traumatic way to become parents, we are so blessed to have such a happy ending. The twins are doing well and I had a complete recovery. I was surrounded by loving family and friends. I felt we received each and every prayer that was spoken.
I became very familiar with the American Heart Association after my father had several heart attacks. I become reacquainted with their wonderful organization when my team mates at Acxiom Corporation had a team of walkers in my honor at the Faulkner County Heart Walk. I was so in awe that they had done that for me and my family. 
The AHA is an amazing organization that brings a lot of awareness with real life stories. We all think that something like this will never happen to us. Then we actually realize that heart disease or stroke will probably affect the person standing next to us in line at the super market.