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KENAI FAMILY’S HAPPIEST DAY BECOMES THEIR
DARKEST HOUR
As Terie and Mike Loomis neared the due date for the delivery of
their fifth baby, they prepared for what was supposed to be one
of the happiest days of their lives.
Because of previous complications, Terie’s doctor recommended
having the baby in Anchorage instead of in their hometown of Kenai.
So Terie and Mike traveled to Anchorage for the birth.
"They took some blood from me to get it typed. I just thought
it was a formality, really. I never really thought that I’d
need blood."
It was a difficult labor, and at the end of it, Mike and Terie welcomed
Ashleigh, a healthy, 10 lbs. 8 oz, baby girl, into their family.
But as Terie turned to look at her new daughter, everything went
black. While Terie succumbed to unconsciousness, hospital staff
scrambled to stop the bleeding from her ruptured uterus. Within
seconds 27 doctors and nurses were in the room.
In all, Terie lost around 8 pints of blood.
"My obstetrician explained that a full term pregnant woman
with a ruptured uterus will bleed out faster than someone who’s
been shot through the heart," Terie said.
The blood loss was so rapid, Terie’s blood pressure disappeared
and her heart was seconds from stopping altogether. Because of volunteer
blood donors, Terie’s doctors had the blood they needed to
keep her heart going.
Terie was moved to the Critical Care Unit, where Mike spent a long,
dark night waiting for his wife to awaken.
"My husband thought he was going to come home and be a single
father to five children," Terie said.
After 12 hours, Terie awoke, disoriented, but recovering.
It’s pretty huge for me to contemplate," Terie said.
"What if my daughter had to grow up without a mom? My two littlest
wouldn’t even have remembered me."
Terie said she is grateful everyday for the gift of life blood donors
gave to her.
"I was knocking on death’s door," said Terie. "They
gave me blood and it saved my life."
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