What is ITP?

     The one constant in my life is that there is always something strange going on. Recently I was checking my stomach for steroid induced Cushing Disease stretch marks when I noticed that my nine year old c-section scar had popped open. I am not a person who worries much but I figured I better tell my husband, who in his usual fashion freaked out. The next day he marched me right into the ER. When we told the nurse I had ITP and we thought the split was due to the swelling caused by the steroids though to this day my Oncologist swears steroids does not cause swelling the nurse said "What is that?" I looked at my husband and he looked at me and we both faltered how are we supposed to explain? We did the best to tell her it was something to do with poor platelets (not that in my opinion she cared). When the doctor finally entered he told me the problem was something like a split lip and he ordered the hole set with some strips of Dora the Explorer sticky tape. That night I did some research on the subject so I would be able to answer the question next time.
According to the ITP Foundation website http://www.itpfoundation.org/itpdefined.htm
ITP - Immune thrombocytopenia, also known as immune or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, is a rare bleeding disorder characterized by a low amount of platelets in the blood. Platelets are needed for clotting of the blood. In patients with ITP, a person's own immune system creates antibodies that mark healthy platelets as "foreign substances" and then mistakenly attack and destroy them. As an autoimmune disease that results in the destruction of platelets, patients with ITP have a tendency to bleed or bruise.

I have Primary ITP, also know as Idiopathic, it is when ITP develops for no known reason.

Sounds fun right? Next step how on earth do you tell someone what you have if you can't even pronounce it. Thanks to youtube and a little practice I can now do just that.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5SQWNSfKMCc

To break it down
Idiopathic: Having to do with the immune system with no know cause.

thrombocytopenic: The platelets are being attacked by the immune system as a foreign bodies.

purpura: The bruises.


There you have it you did not know you were going to school by reading this blog today. I hope it helps it makes me feel better anyway. On a side note due to a early reaction the have changed my dose of Ratuxin so instead of four weeks I have to have eight. I am worried about financial stress this added time is going to add to my family. If you have a moment please visit my donation page even it is simply to share it. Thank you for your time.

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/dff8/sally-a-wolf-oncologist-fund