Woman gives birth while recovering from stroke

A man whose wife suffered a stroke while pregnant with their son wants to thank people for the support they received.

Ariene Vili was about 20 weeks pregnant when an aneurysm in her brain ruptured.

She has been hospitalized for two and a half months and had a cesarean section scheduled for August.

However, she unexpectedly went into labor on Sunday and gave birth via C-section while still recovering from the stroke.

Her husband, Mark Sabrick Audea, said he was “very, very grateful” to the people who gave him support – both practical and emotional – and also donated money.

“It’s very difficult if you don’t have family to lean on here, but we still have friends who help us,” said Mr Audea, who is from the Philippines but now lives in Derby.

Speaking about his friends, Mr Audea said: “They always look after me, ask me to eat with them and sometimes go for a walk with me. If I feel a little emotional, I just let it out and tell them.”

His wife is a renal nurse at Royal Derby Hospital, and he said colleagues there were also supportive.

“I’m very, very grateful to the people at Royal Derby,” he said.

Ms Vili was taken to hospital by ambulance on May 7 after suffering a severe headache and losing her vision.

“It was pitch black and she couldn’t see anyone, but she still managed to call 999,” her husband said.

She was originally taken to Royal Derby Hospital.

“When I went there, I was really devastated because every time I saw this it was just in a movie, and this time it was happening in front of me,” Mr Audea said.

At the time, he feared losing his wife and unborn child.

“The doctor is telling me, ‘don’t lose hope.’ Everything at that time was too much and I couldn’t think straight.”

She was transferred to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where she underwent two brain surgeries.

She has been in hospital ever since and her baby was due on August 12.

However, she began bleeding when she was 34 weeks pregnant, and the couple’s son was born on July 21.

“Right now the baby is still in the incubator and they are monitoring him because the oxygen is not good, the pulse and breathing are not good, but they are assuring me that they will continue to monitor him closely,” Mr Audea said.

People have donated more than £9,000 online to help the couple financially as she recovers from her stroke and gives birth to her baby.

Mr. Audea normally works as a caregiver in a nursing home, but is not working at the moment due to his wife’s illness.

He has not yet been told when she and her newborn son will be able to return home.

“She will need full rehabilitation because her left side is very, very weak and she can’t move,” he said.

“I hope I can get her mother to help us here.”

Follow BBC Derby on Facebookabout Xor in Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via Whatsapp on 0808 100 2210.