I was first diagnosed with ITP when I was 13 years old. I was performing a cheerleading routine at a basketball game, when my stunt group dropped me to the floor. My elbow immediately turned blue and started to swell. Thinking it was broken, my parents rushed me to the ER and that is when the medical staff recognized that my platelet count was dangerously low. The only thing I can recall is that the doctors kept saying, "Thank goodness she wasn't dropped on her head!" I only had three IV treatments and labs for six months, and then I was gratefully in remission.

Fast forward 24 years of being in remission, my ITP has resurfaced. I am now married with six children (5 girls and 1 boy). We spent this past Father's Day at Busch Gardens Tampa. I rode roller coasters all day and had endless laughs with my kids; priceless memories were created. That next day, it looked like I had gotten into a fight where I definitely was not the winner; I had bruises all over me! I was even breastfeeding my 9-month-old son and noticed that when his feet kneaded my arm it immediately turned bruised. That's when I thought, "oh no, I have a problem because my 9-month-old should not be giving me bruises!" I later called my mom, and she reminded me about my ITP from when I was thirteen. I had completely forgotten about it! I have given birth to four children and my platelet count was never an issue, so why now?

I went to my doctor, and they immediately admitted me into the hospital because my platelet count was a big fat zero! I couldn't believe it because I looked and felt fine. My platelets teetered back and forth from 0-1 for weeks. I ended up staying in the hospital for a total of twenty-four days! Twenty-four days of being away from my husband, five daughters and 9-month-old son, who I had to stop breastfeeding because of the unknown with all the medications. I was given countless platelet transfusions, prescribed Prednisone, rounds of IVIG, three doses of Rituxin, and a bone marrow biopsy was done. The only drug that finally worked was the daily pill of Promacta.

So that is where I am today. I take my once-a-day pill, continue with biweekly labs and hopefully I will be in remission soon! I am grateful for all of the medical staff and support that is given to the small ITP community. Even though we are small; we are mighty!