The back of my left hand, the top of my right knee, my left shin, left calf muscle, right thumb, the top of my left…
One Drop at a Time – a Column by Shalana Jordan
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsEnd-of-life decisions should be made sooner rather than later
Advance directives, trusts, payable-on-death accounts, last wills, living wills, medical powers of attorney — just thinking about all of this provokes a feeling of existential…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsBeing evaluated for disability payments is always a tug-of-war
“Social Security Administration.” These three words on an envelope can make my heart drop. They’ve held me financially hostage for two and a half years,…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsMy shaky first experience with plasmapheresis treatment
I watched nervously as hospital staff rolled in a large machine that looked like something from “Doctor Who.” I giggled, thinking of those alien robots…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsYears later, I’m still dealing with the effects of an ITP crisis
I felt the warm sunlight bathing my face through the window. For a moment, it felt so nice, but then I remembered that the sun…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsNosebleeds are one of my most annoying symptoms of ITP
The sickening taste of metal spiraled down the back of my throat. I immediately gagged and ran to the sink to spit out what I…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsTaking prednisone for ITP can be both a godsend and a curse
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with prednisone. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsSometimes I feel like I need a PhD to understand my own body
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP), and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) can make for a confusing “word soup,” as…
IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIA
ColumnsOld pennies, raw liver, and the taste of blood being transfused
The tastes of metal and a bloody organ swirled together in the back of my throat, similar to the smell of old pennies and raw…
Looking over my shoulder in the mirror, I saw another deep, dark, purple bruise on my right shoulder blade. How did I do that one?…
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