My Story

I woke up one morning after a big night out to find that i was covered in bruises and funny red/purple dots all over my legs, i put the bruises down to having such a large night and maybe bumping myself that i didn’t remember. The next day i was in the kitchen when i could feel something in my teeth.... i got it with my finger and found it to be a massive blot clot! then i had more later in the day, i though something might be up with my blood as i had given birth to Master Z, 4 months earlier... and i was still bleeding, when it’s supposed to only go for around 6 weeks!

I went to the doctor that day because i had already booked an appointment for my Master Z’s 4 month vaccinations; i would ask the doctor then.

I had completely forgotten to ask the doctor and was ready to leave when she noticed my legs! She sent me straight for an emergency blood test but me being me decided to go the next day as my son was grizzly after his needle.

About 3 hours after the blood test the next day, i was home about to prepare dinner when a doctor rang me and told me to get myself to the hospital emergency, they were expecting me! I’m like... what? I feel fine? I have a newborn baby!

After slowly packing a bag and organising a babysitter, Mr A and i went to the hospital where they did another blood test... and another...

I spent the night in emergency and then spent the next week in a hospital ward. I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura.

I started on 150mg of prednisone (never again) and was on that for ages. I won’t even go in to detail about that drug but i hate it more than anything in the world, yes it worked but sent me almost mental! i had lots of crazy stuff happen (after taking it for a year.) I had to see psychologists and everything. Turns out that steroids are not for me! I went through a year of my platelets never being over 100 and i was suffering every single side effect, to the max!

I knew you were not supposed to but i stopped taking them cold turkey (you can die.) Following, was a week I’d like to forget. Huge withdrawals.

After that, the doctors didn’t know what to do as i couldn’t have steroids and vincristine would make me too sick and i had a child to care for, so they opted to take out my spleen.

This happened 2 years after i was first diagnosed and the best thing i ever did.

I went to hospital and they put me to sleep and when i awoke i though they were still operating on me! I had the worst pain ever and 2 doctors standing over me, touching my face with blood on their hands! Turns out my nose

was bleeding due to the tubes that had to go in (as well as my mouth!) phew! I was in hospital for 4 days and lived on ice; i lost weight (which i liked!)

It has now been 4 years since the operation and i feel fantastic. I started out having daily blood tests for 6 months, to weekly for ages, then once a month and now I hardly ever have them. I am in remission! I feel great, no more hospital visits, less blood tests, 3 tiny scars, and i can say that I’m no longer sick. Fingers crossed I don’t relapse.