Mr A's Story

I still cant believe that Mr A and I have the same autoimmune disorder. I think back to the time that we met, knowing nothing about this man who was to become my husband. It was love at first sight (seriously!) and i had no idea that we would be on this journey together.
Everyday felt right. Magical. We had 2 beautiful children, a wonderful marriage and after his diagnosis we knew that something had put us together that night. We believe we were born for each other. (I swear he was put on this earth to annoy the hell out me but that's a different story, haha!!)

Mr A called me while he was away at work. (He works away in the mines.) Babe, I'm covered in bruises!
The minute he said that i freaked. I knew what it could possibly mean but we put it down to his hard work. I told him to see a doctor but he couldn't out there.

A few days later he told me that as bruises were fading, more were appearing and they were definitely unexplained. I told him to stop work and come home but he said that he couldn't possibly have a blood disorder and continued to work.

I sat there thinking, could he have Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) like me? No. Not possible! Then i remembered that before he left, he was complaining about blood blisters in his mouth. Crap.
I called and said that he had to have a blood test the minute he came home, if it wasn't ITP it could be leukemia! (ITP can be a symptom of leukaemia.) He said 'babe, i cant have the same as you and i feel fine, don't worry!'

He came home a few days later and refused to have a blood test till the next day, i looked over his large unexplained bruises and freaked out! The next day we went to the doctor and i said 'i think my husband might have ITP, he needs a blood test.' The doctor agreed and commented that it was unlikely and rare if we both had it. I knew he had it, i had been through it.

Mr A said, oh well, we will find out tomorrow. I said 'go home and pack your bags, they will call you at 5pm!" Of course he didn't listen and invited a friend over for the afternoon. At 4:30pm i was watching the clock. I knew they were going to call, as rare as it would be, i knew he had ITP too.

5:00 his mobile rings..... I stare at him while Mr A gives one word answers. He gets off the phone and says "Shit, my platelets are 5." We have to go up to emergency now.

I remember the call i got 6 years ago. 5pm. Platelet count of 5. What i went though. It was too much.
I bawled my eyes out and said "i knew it!!" So we frantically called our parents who were shocked! "Both of you? are you serious??" Packed a bag and dropped the kids off for the night.

The doctors in emergency tried to explain to Mr A what was wrong and we just giggled. "Yeah we know" we kept saying. The doctors asked us how we knew so much about the disease already and Mr A said "My wife has it" Pointing to me. I will never forget the look on the doctors face and he went to tell the other doctors on duty!

What followed was a few days in hospital and months of steroid treatment. (What i was most upset about! I hate those things!) They tested him for leukaemia and did a bone marrow biopsy which came back negative. It was definitely ITP. Still couldn't believe it!

Mr A has done surprisingly well though, my ITP was chronic whereas Mr A's ITP fixed itself in a few months! Although we have it for life and can relapse at any time. If Mr A relapses, the doctors will take out his spleen as they did with me. So far so good!!