Gina Walker, 'Miracle' Mom, Receives 35 Gallons Of Blood During Labor

San Antonio mom, Gina Walker, 31, is being called a miracle after surviving the birth of her daughter, Addison -- a massive hemorrhage during labor required a blood transfusion of about 35 gallons, the AP reports.

According to KSAT, Walker was diagnosed with a very rare condition called Placenta Percreta, early on in her pregnancy. She thought she was miscarrying after "horrific" hemorrhages and a blood clot. But, as Dr. Jason Parker, with UT Medicine San Antonio said at a news conference on Wednesday, she had a condition "where the placenta can invade through the uterine wall and go into the bladder."

Walker was admitted for a planned cesarean section on February 15. Her delivery went well, the San Antonio Express-News reports, but then doctors began a planned hysterectomy and “encountered catastrophic hemorrhage,” Dr. Parker said.

As the bleeding got worse, hospital staff needed to bring in trauma surgeons. Dr. Kevin Hall, chief of gynecological oncology at the UT medical school said that they were able to control it for a brief period of time, but Walker soon "started to bleed massively again".

Doctors went through 30 units of blood and then had to scramble for even more. "I watched cooler after cooler after cooler with my wife's name on it, full of blood, going up and down the hallways, I started getting worried," Dustin Walker, Gina's husband, recalled at the press conference.

The final count was 117 liters of blood, about 35 gallons, KSAT reports. Hospital blood bank chief, Sherrie Warner, said that was the most blood they've ever had to transfuse to a patient. It was miraculous that Walker survived, but more so that she survived without major complications, Parker said.

Walker remained in the hospital for almost a month. She's reported blurry vision in one eye, but doctors said she could have suffered brain injury, stroke, paralysis or death.

Mom, dad and baby returned to the hospital in San Antonio Wednesday to thank the team that saved her life.

"I've always been very religious in my beliefs but now my faith is even more because I know that a true miracle has happened," she said.

From our partners

• 25 Signs That You Are About To Go Into Labor - Mommyish
• 'Dutch Babies Sleep' And Other European Parenting Secrets - BabyCenter
• 7 Great Books That Explain The Birds And The Bees - Circle of Moms

Comments

[Brent Blake]

03:33 PM on 04/30/2012

I recently retired From the American Red Cross Blood Services. This is another in a long list of Miracles made possible by the unselfish generosity of Blood Doners. I have had the honor to meet some of the patients whose lives have been touched by Blood Donors. One which hit close to home is when a very close friend of ours was diagnosed with a form of Leukemia. After his stem cell transplant, he received dozens of blood products. He is still with us because of the generosity of many others.
It only takes about an hour to give the gift of life, and your one donation has the potential to help up to 3 patients. I encourage you to give the Gift of Life.

[Kelly Comstock Barkmeier]

02:44 PM on 04/30/2012

Walker Family - What a miracle!!! I am not usually an "on-line" poster, but want to let you know that your family and amazing medical team will forever be in my prayers. A year ago last February, I gave birth to my 31 week old little girl. I, too, had placenta percreta - I only required 17 units of blood, but will forever be thankfully amazed at the hard work and dedication of my hospital team to save my life. I am also forever indebted to all those selfless blood donors - may God continue to bless all those that so easily give part of themselves to help others. Many blessings to all blood donors, the Walker Family, and the amazing medical staff!!!

[jf12]

01:44 PM on 04/16/2012

Wow. Amazing story. I'm glad the doctors kept fighting for her, and that she pulled through.

[ipleathe5thh]

12:40 AM on 04/15/2012

Wow i wonder how long it took to replace all that blood...When i was in a work accident i had to have a blood transfusion and i was given 4 bags and it took almost all day for the blood to be replaced

[Christine Gallo]

09:06 PM on 04/14/2012

Lets hope she doesn't get AIDS.

[CabinAgue]

10:06 PM on 04/14/2012

Granny, you need to move forward a few decades.

[Christine Gallo]

11:30 PM on 04/14/2012

Although the percentage is low, there is still a possibility of contracting AIDS from blood transfusions. Ck. Google. In the meantime, I go by what the surgeons and anesthesiologists tell me, and that is scary. Especially considering the amount of blood she received. Now you know why hospitals ask you to bank blood before you have major surgery.

[fjohnanderson]

07:32 PM on 04/14/2012

Insane hate to say it but I have to wonder how many others needed a transfusion and couldnt get it due to this event?

[douttfire]

10:06 PM on 04/14/2012

Make sure there's blood...donate!

[ipleathe5thh]

12:46 AM on 04/15/2012

They always ave massive amounts of blood on hand for situations like this you never know when a natural diaster might happen and they need alot of blood therefore they always keep it on hand every hospital has it's own blood bank so they don't have to relie on others hospitals to deliver blood when needed. Most bighospitals will go though more than that in a single day

[tannervin]

03:14 PM on 04/14/2012

Here's to the 117 blood donors who saved this young mother, and who will probably never know it.

[CabinAgue]

04:20 PM on 04/14/2012

I join you in that toast!

[trumbull desi]

04:23 PM on 04/14/2012

Hear hear. My dad nearly died of a hemorrhagic event when I was a kid. My entire family has always donated frequently. Much to our collective dismay, one by one we've all been disqualified to donate. My particular sin was being in England for too much time and being exposed to mad cows.

[ipleathe5thh]

12:47 AM on 04/15/2012

After i had a work accident and needed blood because i was loosing more than i had i almost died myself and now i try and donate whenever they have a blooddrive at the high school or when the blood-mobile is in the area

[dmoongo]

12:17 PM on 04/14/2012

If you aren't already, become a frequent blood, plasma or platelet donor. Takes little time, and you're providing something that has no substitute. Most blood banks are constantly in short suppy, and your donation could be the one that saves a person's life.

[trumbull desi]

04:25 PM on 04/14/2012

I'm happy to say that the bloodmobile comes to my workplace frequently and there's always a line of people to donate. Sadly, I cannot, but I've given gallons in the years that I was able.

[ipleathe5thh]

12:48 AM on 04/15/2012

Isn't it amazing how much blood we can give over time and we never run dry?

[Veluriel]

11:47 PM on 04/13/2012

Thank modern medicine, doctors, medical research and blood donors.
--
"Gina Walker said she was only a few weeks pregnant with her fifth child when things first started going wrong.."
"The whole pregnancy was horrific. Every week was a new symptom, a new hemorrhage, a new blood clot, a new this, a new that. The baby was going to have issues,"
(KSAT article)
--
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this isn't a wonderful thing that she survived. But I do question her judgment in continuing the pregnancy. It was obvious from the start that there was something wrong, so why did she continue? She already had four children, what would have happened to them if she hadn't been able to pull through?

She took a large gamble, deciding to go through with the pregnancy, and put her life at risk (and arguably, the lives and futures of all of her family members) for this pregnancy.

I just hope that she learns from this experience. You can get lucky once or twice, but it's dangerous and foolish to risk your life, especially when you have people dependent on your for their lives.

[betty2work]

08:31 PM on 04/13/2012

Praise God for miracles!

[Brian Workman]

08:06 PM on 04/13/2012

OOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! 35 GAL. Blood!?!?!?!?!?!?

[bmitche]

07:43 PM on 04/13/2012

35 gallons of blood ? It is good to hear she is OK.

[Amaleener]

07:34 PM on 04/13/2012

I'm picturing all that blood in gallon milk jugs--35 of of them. Holy moly. It's amazing she survived.

[trumbull desi]

04:26 PM on 04/14/2012

I know. It's kind of hard to wrap one's head around.

[ipleathe5thh]

12:49 AM on 04/15/2012

I did picture that myself....

[febe2]

07:17 PM on 04/13/2012

Thank God she pulled through this. Kudos to all the warrior moms.

[fionna s]

03:08 PM on 04/14/2012

kudos to her Doctors

[Justgo4it]

07:07 PM on 04/13/2012

some think getting pregnant and having the child is easy, well this is one of the complications one never wants to experience, ever! she was very lucky! in this day and age doctors can work miracles. best of luck mom and dad, and that new precious member of your family.

[Tammy Michael]

08:46 PM on 04/13/2012

I BLED HEAVILY AFTER THE BIRTH OF MY SECOND CHILD. EVERY 10 MINUETES THE NURSES HAD TO COME IN MY ROOM AND MASSAGE MY LOWER ABDOMIN WHERE THE UTERUS IS AND ALL I COULD FEEL BLOOD GUSHING OUT. THIS WENT ON ALL NIGHT. AT ONE POINT I HAD TO PEE SO BAD, BOTH NURSES GOT ME UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND I PASSED OUT AND NEVER MADE IT THERE, IT WAS HORRIBLE. , SO THE BED PAN BECAME MY FRIEND FOR A WHILE. IT FINALLY GOT UNDER CONTROL, BUT FROM THEN ON MY PERIODS WERE VERY HEAVY AND CLOTTY, SORRY TO BE GRAPHIC BUT WOMEN DO GO THROUGH A LOT IN BIRTHING. IT LED ME TO A HYSTERECTOMYIN 2006. THAT ONE HAD I SO MANY COMPLICATICATIONS FOR 5 YRS. I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE THE WHOLE HYSTERECTOMY REDONE THROUGH MY OLD INCISSION, LOWER ABDOMIN, SO VERY PAINFUL, FINALLY HEALING.

[Justgo4it]

09:05 PM on 04/13/2012

So sorry for your problems. Alot of people don't understand that not every pregancy goes well. It's good you're around to tell your story! good luck and best wishes for you in the future!

[fionna s]

03:08 PM on 04/14/2012

all caps.?