|  Deborah Holmes lives in Alexandria, Louisiana. She remembers experiencing being tired and lifeless one day at work in 1984.
“I went to the doctor who sent me for blood work and a test for bleeding. Results of the tests revealed problems with my blood clotting and some internal bleeding. I went home.
The next day, my doctor called and insisted I get to the hospital immediately. She met me there and ordered bone marrow test. Results of the test revealed that I had Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (TTP), which is red blood cells destroying platelets.
I stayed in the hospital and received four units of whole blood and was released after my platelet count went up. Three months later I became sick again and was readmitted into the hospital. My platelet count was approximately 4000 (normal between 300,000 – 500,000). Every three month I would go back into the hospital to receive blood. At one time, my count was as low as 1900, which is known as “death bed”. At this time, I was taken to Intensive Care and received treatment on the Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) machine. Received 15 units of plasma each day for eight days.
Six months later, purple spots appeared all over my body that was diagnosed as Petechiae (low blood count resulting in bruises). I went back into the hospital and received another 15 units of plasma each day for eight days. This went on for two-and-a-half years.
My last treatment was in 1995 and I go regularly to the doctor for blood work because it has not been determined as to what triggered my TTP. To date, I have received approximately 2772 units of plasma and blood in the past 17 years.
I am so thankful for my friends who come to donate whenever they hear I am in the hospital. They are here at LifeShare and I want to thank LifeShare Blood Centers for being a part of my Life.
This TTP, is a disease that usually affects older people or younger people. Your red blood cells destroy the platelets. 90% who are diagnosed die within a year, 80% of that, die within three months. Seventeen years ago on October 2, I was diagnosed.
Today I live to thank all of my many friends and family for sharing the most precious part of them with me…..Life! |
