Childbirth is one of the most unforgettable moments for any mother. Unfortunately, for one new mom, giving birth turned into a horrific experience that almost ended her life when doctors declared her dead for 68 minutes during delivery.
Miraculously, she was brought back to life after which she went into a coma for two weeks. When she woke up, she had no recollection of the past or the birth of her child.
A History of Miscarriages
Shannon and her fiancé Loan became, became parents to a beautiful baby girl three years ago and the two wanted to grow their family by having more children. Like every woman, Shannon Everett wanted to become a mother for a long time, but despite trying to get pregnant, there would be complications with her health.
Ever since the birth of her first daughter, Everett had suffered four terrible miscarriages and had lost hope that she would be able to have kids ever again. Back in January 2017, when Shannon discovered that she was pregnant again and that her daughter Mika may finally have a sibling, the couple was thrilled. Little did she know that her pregnancy would have serious complications that would almost take her life.
Shannon Everett and her fiance with their newborn baby
22-year-old Mom who Suffers From Amniotic Fluid Embolism
Everything seemed to be going well for the 22-year-old mom-to-be until the day she went into labor. Shannon was rushed to the nearest hospital in South Wales where the doctors discovered that she was suffering from amniotic fluid embolism, a rare childbirth condition which can make the amniotic fluid to enter the mother’s blood stream and cause a serious chain of reactions like cardiorespiratory failure and heavy bleeding.
This rare emergency occurs when the mother suddenly experiences a dip in blood pressure or insufficient oxygen supply. Any defect in blood coagulation can further increase the complexity of the disorder leading to massive bleeding and irreversible trauma.
Declared Dead for 68 Minutes
Shannon Everett and her mother after waking up from a two-week-long coma
Shannon experienced similar symptoms of AFE while giving birth to her son. As amniotic fluid and fetal cells entered her bloodstream, a reaction caused intravascular coagulation in her body, causing her to go into cardiac arrest and bleed out. During the critical condition, Shannon became completely unresponsive and the doctors had to deliver the baby using forceps.
Although the newborn’s life was completely out of danger, the same could not be said about his mother. Shannon had stopped breathing; she no longer had a pulse and the doctors had declared her dead. More than an hour went by and suddenly, a miracle happened. With the doctors’ efforts, Shannon was brought back to life and was put under a medically induced coma to help her recover from the ordeal.
The new mother was kept in hospital for two weeks after which she finally gained consciousness. Loan impatiently waited for his fiancé to open her eyes and ask about their son – but, instead, Shannon had no memory of the past ten years of her, including the birth of her son.
Losing Memory After Waking up From Coma
Shannon Everett after waking up from coma
When the young mum finally opened her eyes, she believed that she was 13 years old and could not recognize any of her children or her fiancé. Shannon’s mum said that she had been so ecstatic to welcome home her new grandson, but instead, it was like she had two children to care of, since her own daughter was acting like a child.
Shannon’s family has started a fundraising campaign to raise enough money to afford a caretaker for the young mum and her newborn baby. Shannon has also suffered from impaired vision due to the injury and can no longer see properly. The 22-year-old is getting intensive physiotherapy to help her gain mobility and bring back her memory. Shannon’s loving fiancé has faith that she will be able to remember him one day, until then he promises to take care of her and support her every step of the way.
