3 Medical Miracles - 1 Miracle Mom
Published: February 16, 2007
Lici and Dave Hoover always knew they wanted three children. First came Jacob and then Julia. In 2004 the couple learned they would be parents again.
August 13, Friday the 13th, Lici went into Labor at a Toledo Hospital. Everything seemed to be going well until a complication required an emergency C-Section.
Baby Andrew was born without a problem, but Lici’s problems were just beginning. She developed an Amniotic Fluid Embolism. A rare event that affects maybe one in 80,000.
Lici’s embolism burst sending amniotic fluid into her blood stream. “I went into D-I-C, which means my blood stopped clotting. The amniotic fluid was basically poison.” Lici said.
One by one her organs began to shut down. She went back into surgery for an emergency hysterectomy but during the procedure her heart stopped, twice.
During the next few hours her doctors tried in vain to stop the bleeding. Lici was hemmoraging out of every orafice in her body.
The average human body has about ten to twelve pints of blood. Lici needed a staggering 84 pints just to stay alive. The Red Cross said not all hospitals keep that much blood on hand. Lici’s first miracle was that this hospital just had enough.
The medical team pumped water into her veins to constrict them and then packed her with gauze. It was their last hope. However, if Lici survived, she was at great risk for brain damage. Her husband was told to plan for a funeral.
When the gauze was removed a second miracle happened. The bleeding stopped. But the trauma had ravaged Lici’s body so badly her doctors put her into a medically induced coma so she could heal.
A week later, Lici opened her eyes and found her entire family in her hospital room staring at her. She smiled and said, “Hi.” Lici thought they were all there because of the baby. She had no idea how close to death she had come.
Seventeen days later, Lici was able to leave the hospital. A third miracle, there was no brain damage.
A year to the day after Andrew’s birth, the Red Cross arranged for Lici to meet 30 of the 83 blood donors who saved her life. One person donated twice.
Today, Lici spends her time telling her story and encouraging people to donate blood. She is literally walking proof that one pint can help save a life.
To find out about donating blood, visit the Red Cross’ Give Life
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