Brittany Critchfield

It was just remarkable at how much support PDSA has shown through the entire project. It's been phenomenal. I would say start small and start with something that whoever is going through ITP is most passionate about and then just run with it.

Wyatt Critchfield

I'm thankful that I get to help others that are in the same situation as me. And I would do it over again if could.

Narrator

Welcome to the PDSA podcast, Bruised but Not Broken: Living with ITP. The diagnosis of a bleeding disorder like immune thrombocytopenia may leave you wondering, how can I really live my life with ITP? PDSA's podcast, Bruised but Not Broken; Living with ITP, brings empowering stories, the latest research and treatment updates, lifestyle tips, and answers to the real-life questions the ITP community is asking.

Barbara Pruitt

Welcome. One of my favorite types of interviews is to speak to other ITP warriors. And today I get to speak to Wyatt, a remarkable young man with ITP, and his mom, Brittany. Most recently, they were part of a car show and raised money for the PDSA. So, bravo, and welcome to both of you.

Brittany and Wyatt

Thank you. Thank you for having us. Thank you.

Barbara Pruitt

Oh, well, thank you for being part of Bruised but Not Broken, Living with ITP. So, Wyatt, let's start off talking to you because you are the ITP warrior. Tell me, when you were eight years old when you were diagnosed, is that right?

Wyatt

Yeah.

Barbara

If you remember, can you tell us what it was like when you got that diagnosis? What was it like for you and your family?

Wyatt

It was life changing because i was in the middle of basketball season and we were doing like beach trips, all kinds of stuff that, well, now I can't do because, well, we still do the beach trips. I'm just limited because of the bruising and bleeding. I can't do as much as I used to be able to do.

Barbara

Right. And how did it affect your family?

Wyatt

It sort of limited them too because if I went somewhere and i because I was only eight at the time, I couldn't do most things by myself. They at least had to have one person to stay behind with me if they were going to do something I couldn't. So, it kind of held them back in that sort of perspective.

Barbara

Right, right. It does affect the whole family. It's not just the individual. It's their extended family also. How has, have you seen ITP change your day-to-day life, especially when it comes to your activities? You're saying that it is, has changed your basketball career, I see. But day-to-day, mean, what do you as a patient notice that's really different from before?

Wyatt

Well, now I have a couple ground rules that I have to follow, such as two feet on the ground so that I can minimize bruising and bleeding. I leave classes early to try to stay away from the big crowds of people, so I don't get bumped around. It changes a lot of school and just at home.

Brittany

Basic things.

Barbara

Right. Yeah, little things, they all add up. Are you a bruiser? I mean, do you bruise very easily? Because some people don't. Okay. Yeah, I am too. Now, what grade are you in now?

Wyatt

I'm currently in ninth grade.

Barbara

Okay. Wow. And are you being treated for your ITP? Do you get treatment or where are you at?

Wyatt

Yeah, so I take a shot once a week.

Barbara

Okay.

Brittany

It's called Nplate.

Barbara

Right. Right. And that keeps you at a good range then?

Brittany

Yeah, we change the dosage based on what my platelet count was when we get it, because we also get shots every week too. He gets blood draws, yeah, once a week.

Barbara

Right.

Brittany

And then based off his platelet count, like he said, it changes the dosage of in plate that we have to give.

Barbara

Right, right, which is pretty standard protocol for Nplate. That's what they do. They check your platelet count, and they decide, do you get the same dose? Do they, you know, tweak it a little bit? And sometimes it takes, you know, the right amount of tweaking before you can get the right dose for you. Well, I know recently, like I said in the opening, you all participated in a car show and where did you get that idea to participate in it and then become fundraisers for the PDSA?

Wyatt

I have loved cars ever since I could speak so it was like the first thing that came to mind yeah

Barbara

That's great. So, is there's evidently, is there a car show in your neighborhood or your, your community that you tapped into? How did that all come about?

Wyatt

Well, my mom made a couple calls because we, there's a group that comes every month. They're called the Good Time Riders.

Brittany

The Good Time Cruisers.

Barbara

Oh, cool.

Wyatt

Yeah, and we have a good family friend that is kind of head of that. And so, I asked her if she would mind helping us out to figure out how to do a car show. And she said, well, y'all should just come along and, you know, join us for this car show. And so that's what we did. And it turned out wonderful.

Barbara

Wow. Well, walk us through it. What exactly did you do and how did you reach people and how did you raise money? because I know you were very successful with that.

Wyatt

Well, I mostly walked in a huge circle, like 17 times, seeing all the cars coming in, going out. Talking to all the people. Yeah. yeah Just being social, saying hi to people, looking at cars.

Barbara

Did you have a purple t-shirt on?

Wyatt

Yes. yes Yeah.

Barbara

Okay. You stood out, right? You had a, you know, what, what, what did your t-shirt say?

Wyatt

It was Pump It Up for Platelets.

Barbara

All right.

Brittany

We had a tent and a table with all the goodies PDSA sent out to us. And we had, you know, everybody that was walking past the cars, they also stopped by our tent, which we're so thankful for but they would ask questions. They were, you know, some of the individuals were going through certain blood diseases at the time, and they went to know, what's ITP? And they would tell me their story, and we would exchange stories.

So, it was really nice to know that there is such a community even close to home. It's just you don't really tap into that until you realize that you have this connection.

Barbara

So, what stood out to you the most, Wyatt, when it came to the whole event?

Wyatt

I actually got to ride in one of the cars. it

Barbara

Cool. Cool.

Wyatt

Yeah, it was a Mustang Shelby GT500.

Barbara

Oh, wow. Those are pretty cool. I know from my own experience, those are pretty cool cars, you know.

Wyatt

It’s fast too.

Barbara

Yeah. Oh, that's great that somebody took you for a ride. That's terrific. I understand that the show had more than, what, 110 cars? And it was it was like the largest turnout that they had had. I mean, that's great. um And you raised, how much did you raise?

Brittany

A thousand dollars. A thousand dollars.

Barbara

Isn't that amazing?

Brittany

Absolutely amazing.

Barbara

And you were there for how many hours did this take?

Brittany

Well, we were there from about 10 o'clock to about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. So, it was really an all-day event. um And I didn't even realize how exhausted we were until the very end.

Barbara

Okay.

Brittany

But it was absolutely wonderful. We did not sit down at all the whole time we were We were up on our feet and spreading awareness and listening to stories and exchanging stories and it was absolutely wonderful.

Barbara

Now, did you have like a donation bucket or were people buying things or how did it how did all that work?

Wyatt

People were buying t-shirts and some of them they just gave us the money from the kindness of their hearts which I'm very thankful for.

Barbara

Oh, that's wonderful. And it all added up to $1,000, which is absolutely terrific. And Wyatt, how do you feel about doing this? I mean, you are, you're making a great contribution to the ITP community. How does that make you feel?

Wyatt

I'm thankful that I get to help others that are in the same situation as me. And I would do it over again if could.

Barbara

That's, well, that's great. You think you might do this on an annual basis or, or something else even?

Wyatt

Yes, I think the car show was very successful. That would be cool to see if new people or the same people come.

Barbara

Well, and I think also because you're so interested in cars, you're going to be more likely to do something like that, right?

Wyatt

Yeah.

Barbara

that's a pretty That's a pretty cool connection. So, Brittany, as a parent, what has it been like for you to see your teenage son step up to lead this kind of initiative for afundraiser?

Brittany

I am so incredibly proud. um Just, you know, The beginning of the journey, you know, getting poked at eight years old and being in the hospital and um just watching him and what he's gone through. you know, needles were extremely traumatizing. And now we go to, you know, the lab once a week and he goes back there by himself and gets poked all the way up to helping donate and spread awareness. It's been a huge ah journey and an incredible life experience. Even with, you know, an unfortunate diagnosis of ITP, he's turned it around into this positive, let me make the let me make lemonade with my lemons, you know. But it's I'm just incredibly proud.

Barbara

Well, that's wonderful. You're proud mama. And I'm sure Wyatt knows that.

Wyatt

Yes.

Barbara

That's really great. I'm proud of you too, Wyatt. And this is my first time meeting you. So, Brittany, what advice would you give to other families that might consider doing a fundraiser or, you know, they're kind of nervous or they're like, oh, that's too big of a job.

I don't want to get into that. What advice would you share?

Brittany

I would say start small and start with something that whoever is going through ITP, figure out, you know, what are they most passionate about and then just kind of run with it. Or at least that's what we did. We were like, okay, you know, Wyatt's been diagnosed with ITP. He likes cars. We went to a walk fundraiser for another ah young lady that has ITP. So, we were like, what can we do for Wyatt? That kind of, you know, speaks to him individually. um and we just put our ideas together and just ran with it. And it just took off on its own. It's really just getting out there, spreading awareness and doing the best you can and it really goes a long way.

Barbara

Right. And for you, it was a matter of making a phone call to someone you knew that had the connection to the car show.

Brittany

Yes.

Barbara

And now I know that the PDSA, their office, they're very supportive of any type of fundraiser and they can really help in so many ways. How did how did they help you out?

Brittany

Oh, tremendously. You know, I sent emails to different PDSA members asking, you know, if we want to do a fundraiser, what can we do? And they got together his flyer for the car show. They I mean, the design and everything, the bracelets, the T-shirts, pens, you know, they gave us a box of all these little goodies that we could either hand out or sell. And it was just remarkable at how much support PDSA has shown through the entire project. It's been phenomenal.

Barbara

That's great. I know I have a copy of your flyer and one of the things that I think is so cool is there's a QR code on there.

Brittany

Yes.

Barbara

And so, anybody that came by your tent could scan the QR code and donate. Is that right?

Brittany

Yes, absolutely. And they could scan the QR code and read Wyatt's story. So, they have a little bit of an idea of why we're there um and donate through the QR code as well. So, it yeah yes, yes.

Barbara

I think that is, see, that's modern technology. I think that is so cool. And, you know, especially for all the younger people, that is like second nature to them. It's like, where is the QR code?

Brittany

Yeah.

Barbara

So, it makes it and makes it easy. Do you think that you this car show you'll end up doing on a yearly basis? It sounds like it's you've made you've already laid the groundwork. I think it'll be very simple for you in the future. Do you think you'll continue then?

Wyatt

I wish that we can. I think it's possible, but it's definitely hope.

Brittany

Yes, I think I think we are going to do our very best in continuing the car show.

Barbara

Wyatt, I have a question. If someone listening wants to support kids like you living with ITP, what's the one thing you want them to know or to do?

Wyatt

Honestly, small acts of kindness really goes a long way. Even just listening to somebody that's going through something similar or the same thing can really help them just by you listening.

Barbara

Right. I mean, if somebody, it's, it's always nice to know that your voice is being heard. Um, and, and it sounds like thinking about you, your teachers know what's going on because you let, you're let out of your class early to avoid the crowds of people in the staircases and stuff. So, I know I try to avoid crowds myself, and like, and like malls and, you know, concerts and things like that. I have a question for you since you're an ITP warrior. If I had a magic wand and could take away one obstacle that ITP has given you, what would that be?

Wyatt

I think the thing that would help the most is if you were able to make it to where I had a stable, high blood count.

Barbara

Okay. Okay.

Wyatt

Because that would not that would knock about everything else out of the park.

Barbara

Think of the freedom you would have, correct?

Wyatt

Yeah.

Barbara

Well, I have to tell you that I have ITP, which you probably knew, and I was diagnosed when I was four years old. So I'm now in my 60s, okay? Okay. I hate to think of that, but I am. Anyways, I have a feeling that by the time you reach my age, there's going to be a cure. So don't ever give up hope because as long as people are raising funds and the funds are going to help in the research that there's got to be a cure in sight. So, you know, got to look at the bright side here. And I think I thank you for doing what you do and what you've done and raising the money. And I wish you nice, big, happy, healthy platelets. And hopefully we'll see you in the future at a PDSA conference, which is wonderful.

I love to see people at the conference. And It's great for teenagers because I don't know if you're aware of this, but they have a teen group. And for the whole weekend, these teenagers are like knitted together. And you know how sometimes, I mean, I was a teenager and I know I felt a little bit odd because I had this ITP. But during the conference weekend, you're all normal because you all have it. And there's no ice to break, you know, because you know what you're going through. You know what you've been through. And you form these friendships that are I think, lifelong because you can communicate with somebody else that's walked in your shoes. So, well, I can't thank you both enough for being here today and for sharing your your journey and your information. You're a great attribute to the PDSA. And um thank you.

Brittany and Wyatt

We thank you so much. Thank you. And thank you to PDSA. Thank you.

Barbara

Great. Have a great day and good luck with your studies in high school, okay? Bye.

Brittany and Wyatt

Thank you. Bye

Narrator

How do you live your life with a bleeding disorder like ITP? From working in the kitchen with knives to navigating sharp corners in your house, going out to eat in a restaurant, traveling on a plane or attending a sporting event, even dancing at a wedding. ITP patient Barbara Pruitt shares her tips and tricks for moving through life with ITP for more than 60 years. Here's her lifestyle lesson for the day.

Barbara Pruitt

Hi there. My topic today is air travel. First of all, I think everybody with ITP needs to understand that traveling by airplane or jet is not dangerous. It's perfectly okay to travel on a plane. Even our medical advisors have written about that, that there's no problem with traveling on a plane. So don't let flying be your excuse to stop you from going on a vacation or a trip to go see somebody.

There are a few things that I do when I'm flying that I'll share with you. Number one is I always book a window seat. And that's for several reasons. If you're sitting in the aisle, you have the opportunity to get banged by somebody that's carrying a big carry-on.

You could get hit by the cart that they bring up and down the aisle with beverages and snacks. um You want to avoid that. So, I always book a window seat so that I'm staying clear of any type of um problem with getting bumped or bruised.

If you're taking an immune suppressant, you might feel better if you wear a mask. And that's for obvious reasons. We just don't know what kind of bugs are floating around. And, you know, sometimes I wear a mask, sometimes I don't. Whatever makes you comfortable. Another thing is to keep hydrated. We all know that you can get kind of dehydrated um when you're flying. So, make sure you have a bottle of water with you when you get on the airplane because sometimes, they don't get around to giving you liquids for quite a while. I use neoprene wraps on the handles of my carry-ons and also any type of a shoulder bag that I might have.

you could use them on backpacks. What they are is you can find them in the travel section in any department store. They're like a black neoprene wrap that'll go around your the handle of your suitcase and they have Velcro on them. I find that they're really useful because sometimes my shoulder bags, they'll irritate my shoulder and I can get a bruise on my shoulder if I've got too much stuff in it. So, it just softens it. And I think it's, you know, for me, it's a good idea. It's something I do. Make sure you always have your meds with you. um Air travel isn't always easy. You can get delays. You can get postponed. You can get cancelled. So, make sure you're your medications are on you, with you in the cabin, and not underneath in the regular luggage place.

Also, just in case, I think it's a great idea to carry your most recent lab report, meaning what was your platelet count, you know. Or if your lab work is on a portal that you can access on your phone, that's great. But if you get to your destination and end up sick or whatever and end up in the emergency room or having to see a doctor, at least you can refer to your most recent lab reports. And then the doctor would know after looking at lab that they draw that, oh, maybe that low platelet count is normal for you. And you've got the lab reports to prove it. So always a good idea just to have that with you.

Now, I'm not one of those people, but some people do have, you know, nosebleeds. And if you are one of them; fortunately, I'm not one of the people that get frequent nosebleeds, but some people do. And if you're one of those, you need to carry whatever it is that you use for your nosebleed with you on the plane. Carry your Afrin or your Bloodstop or whatever it is that you normally use. Make sure that's with you.

Now, something to think about is airports can be really crowded. And you don't want to get bumped or bruised. So, look for open spaces when you're walking. And don't be in a hurry. You need to be very conscious of your surroundings. And you don't want to have a collision with someone. um so ah So keep that in mind. My last piece of advice is you know, having ITP doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your life. So have a great trip and have fun and don't worry about flying. So that's it for now. Wishing you lots of happy, healthy platelets.

Narrator

Thanks for listening to the PDSA podcast, Bruised but Not Broken: Living with ITP, made possible by our presenting sponsor, Amgen. Special thanks to Gus Majorga for composing our theme music. To see what's coming up, visit our website at pdsa.org and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Please share this podcast through social media with anyone who you think might benefit from the information and stories we share with the ITP and other platelet disorders community. As always, please speak with a healthcare professional before making any treatment decisions. But know that PDSA.org is a wealth of information and resources to help you navigate life with ITP and other platelet disorders. Remember, you are not alone.