University of Massachusetts Amherst

Search Google Appliance

Links

Viamaris

Viamaris was born a sick and spent a lot of time in hospitals as a baby, so when she found out she was pregnant, she was terrified of what might happen and developed anxiety. During her delivery, Viamaris bled so much she required a blood transfusion. “It was hard, but I managed to fight through it,” she says. “My mom told me that I was strong, that I was a warrior.”

Video Transcript

I was born a sick baby. I was in and out of the hospital. So, once I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified. Terrified of what might happen or what will happen. I had a good pregnancy, with no worries, but for some reason I always had anxiety, to the point I’d clean and listen to music.

The day I set up my daughter’s room, I ended up having contractions and went to the hospital. As I was getting out of the car, my water broke, and I started to cry because I thought I peed on myself. Embarrassed and nervous, I was going into delivery. I knew something wasn’t right, when the doctor looked at me with a confused face. I was bleeding, more than normal, and the doctors didn’t know why at the time. I only hold my daughter for a minute, and they took her away from me, and I turned pale. And then they sent me to the surgery room, and all I remember was the clock timing down from 10 minutes. I was numb from the waist down, and all I could do is cry, asking, “Where is my baby?” After the surgery, I had to have a blood transfusion. It was hard, but I managed to fight through it.

When I got better, I got to hold my daughter, and it was life changing. My mom told me that I was strong, that I was a warrior. Even though I went through a lot giving birth, I still managed to get through it and be here with my daughter today. As a mother, and as a father.