Lucy has Peripartum Cardiomyopathy ✔️

1

*A/N I have no medical experience with this condition so I apologise if this is in no way medically accurate.*

*Lucy and Tim are married and at Lucy is seven months pregnant with their first child*

Dispatch sent us on our third call of the day and we hadn't even stopped for lunch yet.

"7-Adam-19 we have 459 in progress at 382 181st street"
"7-adam-19 show us responding."

Tim answered the dispatch call for a burglary alarm set off at an apartment building.
We sped off quickly, disengaging our sirens a block away from the possible burglary.
We could hear the breaking glass before even entering the apartment.

Tim signaled for me to enter slowly, I did so with my gun drawn.
The suspect was a white male, 5'8, black t-shirt and blue jeans. He saw me and darted out the open window.

I chased him quickly, radioing to Tim the suspects description and location.
I ran for what seemed like miles when my extremities started going numb.
Then my vision started blurring.
And then I was on the ground, practically panting and barely conscious.

Tim's POV

"Officer Chen what is your status?"
I hadn't heard from Lucy in a while and considering she was carrying my child I was constantly worried about them.
"Officer Chen do you copy?"
"Lucy are you there?"

No reply. Now I was worried about my wife.
"Dispatch what was Officer Chen's last known location?"
"Heading south on 175th street."
I got into the shop and drove towards where dispatch said Lucy was last heard from.

After a minute I saw her lying in an alley seemingly unconscious.
I ran over to her.
"Lucy! Are you ok?! Did he hurt you?"

"Tim? Good. I, I'm good."
"You passed out! I'm taking you to the hospital."
I picked Lucy up and put her into the passenger seat of the shop and started driving to the hospital.
"Tim my chest hurts"
I sped up at that, anything that hurt Lucy was my issue and I would make sure she got the best treatment for whatever it was the was wrong with her.
For both her and our unborn child.

We sat in a room for a few hours before a doctor came to see us. We weren't allowed in the main waiting room due to our weapons so we were allowed into a room immediately.
"Good afternoon officers, you are here for some chest pain and fainting?"
"Yes that's right. I was running after a suspect when I suddenly got numb and then I passed out and when I work up my chest and legs were hurting quite badly."

"That sounds quite concerning, I'm going to give you an ultrasound and check everything is ok with the baby and then in going to thing about next steps."

The doctor stated the ultrasound and checked that the heartbeat was ok which thankfully it was.
"Ok your baby seems all fine, strong heartbeat and no signs that the fall did any damage. I'm going to send you for an echocardiogram to confirm what I think you have."

The doctor wheeled Lucy away and after a few hours they came back with a few magazines and leaflets.

"Ok, you have a condition called peripartum cardiomyopathy. It's quite rare but entirely treatable with medication. It is just weakness of your heart from the pregnancy but it should return to its regular strength in the first year postpartum. In the meantime I have some medication to help but take it easy and no more running after suspects. I will recommend you take either desk duty on maternity leave for the remainder of your pregnancy and postpartum."