'Thank you for saving my life': New mom thanks Elgin hospital staff after rare embolism

Just two and a half months after giving birth, Yana Zablotska of Elgin already has a great “mom guilt” card to play on her son Michael.

“If he ever misbehaves growing up, I'm going to tell him that his mom literally died for him,” she said.

Zablotska died, for a moment, after experiencing an amniotic fluid embolism just before giving birth to Michael at Advocate Sherman Hospital.

On Tuesday, she, her husband Mike and baby Michael visited the Elgin hospital to say “thank you” to the people that saved her life.

The rare condition, which affects only 1 in 40,000 women and can develop before or after delivery, occurs when amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair or other debris enters into the maternal pulmonary circulation, causing cardiovascular collapse.

The Zablotskas never saw it coming.

“I had the most amazing pregnancy you could ever imagine,” Yana Zablotska said. “We got here, and everything was awesome.”

Then suddenly, everything stopped being awesome. It was terrifying.

“I was laying down, and I honestly felt like my soul was leaving my body,” she said. “I told Michael something was wrong, and by the time I finished the sentence, (labor and delivery nurse) Victoria (Bohlin) was in the room, and then all the thoughts just disappeared from my head. After that, I don't remember anything until waking up in the ICU.”

Her husband remembers it all.

“After saying she wasn't feeling well, her eyes literally rolled back, she turned blue and fell back in the bed,” Mike Zablotska said. “Victoria jumped up on her immediately and started doing CPR, and then everyone rushed in.”

Bohlin, who has been at Sherman since 2019, said it was the first time she'd experienced something like this in labor and delivery.

“You literally never expect something like this,” she said. “It was nothing I ever thought I would walk into.”

Bohlin jumped on Zablotska and started doing chest compressions as a co-worker arrived and hit the “code blue” button. Others ran to get a crash cart. Less than a minute later, almost two dozen people were in the room.

“I honestly thought she was dead,” Mike Zablotska said. “That's what went through my mind.”

Within minutes, Zablotska was stabilized. And roughly 12 minutes after the episode started, Dr. Michael Riermaier delivered the baby while Zablotska was unconscious.

“It all happened very, very quickly,” Bohlin said.

Zablotska and staff members said Bohlin's presence — and presence of mind — saved Yana Zablotska's life and her baby's. Research shows that even seconds without oxygen can matter, causing damage to the brain and other organs.

“Because she did what she did, I didn't lose any oxygen, and I'm here today,” Zablotska said.

Zablotska was unconscious for about a day and a half. But after only three days in the hospital, she took baby Michael home.

“It was amazing,” she said. “They said I was a unicorn.”

During Tuesday's visit, about two dozen staffers gathered to reunite with the family, see baby Michael and marvel at how quickly his mother bounced back from such a harrowing experience.

“Thank you for saving my life,” Zablotska said, fighting back tears.

Addressing the group, Patient Safety Manager Rebecca Norman announced that Bohlin won the “Great Catch” award for her quick action. She said her prize was a prime reserved parking spot for a month.

“You saved my life, and all you get is a parking spot?” Zablotska blurted out as the room erupted in laughter.

Bohlin said she got something better than a parking spot.

“Just being able to see her today laughing and see her baby and how well he's doing, it's amazing, and it's healing for me,” Bohlin said. “It feels great to know that I was part of making that happen for her.”