This event is postponed due to weather. A new date will be shared soon.

Jigsaw Puzzle Fundraiser

Saturday, February 15, 2025
9am to 6pm CST

Grace United Methodist Church
3601 S. Sterling Avenue
Independence, MO 64052

Adult Participants - $20
Child Participants - $5

 

Bring your own puzzle to put together or purchase one at the event.

Any questions, please contact event organizers Bob and Kathi Graham at 701.bob.graham@gmail.com.

BOB'S ITP JOURNEY

I first was diagnosed with ITP in April 2015, shortly after Easter weekend. I was at Truman Lake with my family at that time and ended up showing them a rash I had on my legs. When I got back from the lake I went to Urgent Care the next day. They thought I had a skin rash but gave me a steroid. A couple of days later I had a nosebleed at work and it wouldn't stop. When I got home, I told my wife we probably needed to head to the ER as my nose wouldn't stop bleeding. We headed to St. Luke's East Hospital in Lees' Summit, MO where I ended up spending a long night in the ER. It wasn't until about 2:30 in the morning when a young doctor told me I had what was called ITP. I hadn't heard of it before. I ended up two weeks in the hospital undergoing several transfusions of either platelets or IVIG. My platelets got to 28,000 and decided to send me home but have me do 4 doses of Rituxan one week apart on an outpatient basis.

It took time but my platelets continued to rise and after about 2 1/2 months they stabilized in the 200s. After 8 years of remission, I broke out in a rash again in the Fall of 2023. Ended up in the hospital on 3 different occasions. This time with Neutropenia (low white blood cells). Lots of transfusions again. Then in January of this year I did 3 injections of Nplate over 3 weeks. Since then, my platelet counts have stabilized. Next month I see my hematologist again and hopefully my numbers will continue to remain normal thereby letting me be back in remission again.