| MY STORY |
How my aplastic anemia (AA) began or when it began remains unknown. However, it made its presence known to me in October of 1999. My very first symptoms appeared before I knew I was in trouble. It happened on a Monday while I was putting a file away at work. I sliced my finger on a file and put a bandage on the finger. But, I noticed about an hour or so later that the bandage on my finger was pretty drenched with blood. I thought that was odd because I had cuts like that before and never bled that much. I even made a joke about it saying that my finger looked like it was going to explode so, "stand back!" That same day, I developed a bruise on my left leg. By Wednesday, I woke up with these little red spots all over my legs, hands, and feet. (Which I later learned were petechia marks--bleeding under the skin.) I also noticed more bruising which looked unusual. Thursday night, I noticed unusual gum bleeding after I brushed my teeth. On Friday morning, the gum bleeding was more intense. While I was driving to work, I tasted a saltiness in my mouth. I looked in my rear view mirror at my teeth only to shock myself with all the blood I saw in my mouth. Still, it was payday and Friday, so on I continued and worked the full day. The next morning was Saturday. I woke up to yet another surprise of about 10 bruises on my legs, more bruises on my feet, arms, and hands. Alarmed, I woke my husband up to tell him to look at me, and he said as we were speaking, "You're getting another one on your hand." Bruises were developing on my body right before our eyes. Okay, now I was freaked out.
I ended up in ER that day. A blood test had shown that my platelets were at 1,000. Normal platelet levels are between 150,000-400,000. Someone had stolen mine!! I was admitted to the hospital (thinking that they could help me find my platelets), and the next day I had a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration. ("Wowsy". . .That's about all you probably want to hear about that.) I stayed in the hospital for a week, and during that time, I had steroids, my first platelet transfusion, a diagnosis of a prolapsed mitral valve (heart valve problem) and aplastic anemia. Now things were starting to overwhelm me, and I wouldn't consent to any specific treatment, so I was told to go home and come in to the doctor's office in a couple days.
A complete blood count (CBC) taken at the doctor's office indicated that my blood levels were continuing to drop. Before the week ended, I was back in ER with an infection in my gums and on my right arm where the IV site was of my second platelet transfusion. This time, my hemoglobin was 5.0 (normal range for a woman is 12-16), white count was .5 (normal range is 4-11), ANC of 0, and platelets, after a transfusion, was 5,000. Once again I was admitted to the hospital. During this stay, I got the pleasure of receiving IV antibiotics, my first red blood cell transfusion with chills, more platelet transfusions with hives, hormones to try to stop my menstrual cycle which had already begun, a not so lovely PICC line, and was told that I was already refractory (not responding) to platelets. I went home from this stay with Provera (hormone to prevent menstrual cycle) and a prescription for a three months supply of Ciproflaxin aka Cipro (antibiotic).
I still did not want conventional medical treatment for my AA, so for about three months, I had supportive care wherein I accepted red blood and platelet transfusions via my PICC line. I was getting platelet transfusions almost every other day, and red cell transfusions almost every week. But, alas, my PICC line site became infected and had to be removed. I found myself once again looking out the window of a hospital room while I laid on the hospital bed with more IV antibiotics pumping through my veins, and my arm where a PICC line once resided, wrapped in a heating pad. I was running a fever that reached 106 degrees because of the infection in my arm. I had develop cellulitis on that arm which made my arm twice its normal size and very painful. My arm had developed a huge rash, was peeling, hot to the touch, hard, and inflamed. I was released from the hospital after a week and sent home with IV antibiotics which was to be administered to me for another week with a home health service. After a week of the home IV antibiotic, I was to take another week of oral antibiotic, Doxycycline.
I continued for another five months with weekly transfusions of both platelets and red cells until my menstrual cycle got the fine idea of trying to allow my body to drain it's blood supply via my uterus. So, I ended up in ER and was admitted to the hospital again where I stayed a few days to get my menstrual cycle under control and my body tanked up with more blood so I would resemble a live person. :o) This time, I was sent home with birth control pills, Demulin, to control my female cycle. I was not to take the placebos so that I wouldn't have a cycle at all. Well, things didn't work out as planned. I started my menstrual cycle again anyway, but this time it was even heavier than before and lasted for about a month! Of course my transfusion rate increased at this time because the blood was being pumped into my veins while at the same time just dropping out through my period. (I guess my exit door had been left wide open.) After going through this nonsense for about a month, I had a transfusion on a Friday, and by Monday, I had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. My hemoglobin level had dropped down to 3.7. (I know others have been able to walk into the hospital with this level, but I guess with all this fast yo-yoing of blood in-blood out business, I could not get up without starting to black out. I just wanted to be left alone to die by then, but my family wouldn't have it.) At this point, I didn't care anymore. I was so tired. I accepted to have an endometrial ablation done to stop the bleeding and had more transfusions, but that was all. The endometrial ablation was done, I got tanked up again with blood, and I was sent home again to continue my exciting life of regular visits to the doctor for CBC's and visits to the Procedure Center for transfusions.
Eleven months later on July 6, 2001, after using 89 units of platelets and 86 units of red cells, I received my last transfusion. (Although I didn't know it at the time.) After a total of 19 months, my hemoglobin started to hover in the 7's, and my platelets remained above 10K. I was very functional and asymptomatic at this level, so my poor little veins finally got the long needed rest it deserved. Finally! Progress!
January 11, 2002, more than six months after my last transfusion, I continue to improve. I'm still not completely healed, but I believe, the Lord willing, that I am on the road to complete restored health.
I can't believe two years have already passed by, and I also can't believe that my blood levels had gone down at it's lowest point to WBC .5, lymphs 99%, mid 0, neutrophils 0, plasmazoid 1%, ANC 0, hemoglobin 3.7, platelets 1K. Blood counts normally fluctuate, but my latest count was done on January 7, 2002 showing my WBC 3.0, lymph 33%, mid 7.8, neutrophils 59.2%, ANC 1,800, RBC 2.14, hemoglobin 9.1, HCT 28.2%, MCV 132, platelets 15K. Much better! :o)
August 20, 2002-It has now been over one year since my last blood transfusion! Yippee kai-yay!
August 29, 2002-First phlebotomy to reduce iron overload. Alittle problem with tubing, so first session was uncomfortable. Took about a 1/2 hour. Removed about 1/2 a unit.
MY
LATEST COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC)
*Range for females. Ranges for WBC differentials and ANC varies from lab to lab.)
| WBC
(4.0-11.0) |
Lymph
(20-51%) |
Mid cells
(1-32%) |
Neuts.
(42-75%) |
ANC
(1,700-7,000) |
RBC
(4.2-5.4)* |
Hgb.
(12.0-16.0)* |
Hct.
(37-47%)* |
MCV
(82-101) |
Plt
(150-400K) |
|
| 06/21/06 |
4.7 |
34.5 |
19.7 |
45.8 |
2,200 |
4.22 |
14.2 |
47.2 |
111.9 |
118K |
| 04/12/06 |
4.9 |
33.9 |
14.2 |
51.9 |
2,500 |
3.97 |
13.6 |
44.9 |
113.0 |
104K |
| 02/15/06 |
4.3 |
35.2 |
18.4 |
46.4 |
2,000 |
3.97 |
13.9 |
44.8 |
112.8 |
115K |
| 12/14/05 |
3.0 |
33.8 |
9.8 |
56.4 |
1,700 |
3.97 |
13.4 |
42.0 |
105.7 |
107K |
| 09/22/05 |
5.4 |
26.9 |
20.0 |
53.1 |
2,900 |
3.99 |
13.8 |
43.2 |
108.2 |
118K |
| 06/15/05 |
4.3 |
29.0 |
16.4 |
54.6 |
2,300 |
4.21 |
13.7 |
46.1 |
109.5 |
118K |
| 05/18/05 |
3.8 |
35.4 |
17.3 |
47.3 |
1,800 |
3.91 |
13.1 |
46.1 |
118.0 |
113K |
| 05/04/05 |
4.3 |
28.0 |
17.6 |
54.4 |
2,300 |
4.12 |
14.0 |
48.1 |
116.7 |
108K |
| 04/20/05 |
3.8 |
27.9 |
19.3 |
52.8 |
2,000 |
4.24 |
14.5 |
48.2 |
113.6 |
118K! |
| 03/21/05 |
5.8 |
23.5 |
10.0 |
66.5 |
3,900 |
4.27 |
14.7 |
49.9 |
116.9 |
114K! |
| 02/21/05 |
7.3 |
17.9 |
8.6 |
73.5 |
5,400 |
4.41 |
14.9 |
50.1 |
113.7 |
104K |
| 02/10/05 |
6.3 |
22.1 |
14.3 |
63.6 |
4,000 |
4.50 |
15.5 |
50.2 |
111.6 |
110K! |
| 10/06/04 |
5.0 |
18.6 |
7.8 |
73.6 |
3,700 |
4.08 |
13.8 |
44.7 |
109.5 |
94K |
| 09/08/04 |
4.4 |
23.4 |
9.9 |
66.7 |
2,900 |
4.10 |
13.8 |
42.6 |
104 |
109K! |
| 08/04/04 |
4.7 |
24.7 |
10.6 |
64.7 |
3,000 |
4.21 |
14.9 |
44.2 |
105 |
96K |
| 07/08/04 |
5.4 |
31.2 |
12.9 |
55.9 |
3,000 |
4.45 |
14.1 |
47.1 |
106 |
105K! |
| 06/03/04 |
5.3 |
23.8 |
6.6 |
69.6 |
3,700 |
4.04 |
13.6 |
44.4 |
110 |
88K |
| 05/03/04 |
4.4 | 33.1 |
5.0 |
61.9 |
2,700 |
4.04 |
13.5 |
44.8 |
111 |
82K |
| 03/30/04 |
5.4 |
26.1 |
5.4 |
68.5 |
3,700 |
4.28 |
13.7 |
46.7 |
109 |
88K |
| 03/03/04 |
4.1 |
27.3 |
5.0 |
67.7 |
2,800 |
4.08 |
12.7 |
44.1 |
108 |
91K |
| 02/04/04 |
3.7 |
31.6 |
7.9 |
60.5 |
2,200 |
4.16 |
14.3 |
44.1 |
106 |
88K |
| 01/07/04 |
5.7 |
23.9 |
6.4 |
69.7 |
4,000 |
4.26 |
14.5 |
45.6 |
107 |
88K |
| 12/03/03 |
6.3 |
23.0 |
6.4 |
70.6 |
4,400 |
4.41 |
14.5 |
46.3 |
105 |
88K |
| 10/29/03 |
4.9 |
29.7 |
7.4 |
62.9 |
3,100 |
4.00 |
13.3 |
43.2 |
108 |
98K |
| 10/01/03 | 4.8 | 30.2 | 5.4 | 64.4 | 3,100 | 4.00 | 13.6 | 42.8 | 107 | 80K |
| 09/03/03 | 4.1 | 32.7 | 7.4 | 59.9 | 2,500 | 4.09 | 13.9 | 43.8 | 107 | 78K |
| 08/06/03 | 4.6 | 32.4 | 7.4 | 60.2 | 2,800 | 4.13 | 14.7 | 45.4 | 110 | 80K |
| 07/02/03 | 4.4 | 36.5 | 8.4 | 55.1 | 2,400 | 4.04 | 13.5 | 44.4 | 110 | 73K |
| 06/11/03 | 5.4 | 32.2 | 7.6 | 60.2 | 3,300 | 4.30 | 15.2 | 47.3 | 110 | 72K |
| 06/04/03 | 3.4 | 49.4 | 10.8 | 39.8 | 1,400 | 3.78 | 12.0 | 40.8 | 108 | 62K |
| 05/07/03 | 6.0 | 23.9 | 9.8 | 66.3 | 4,000 | 4.00 | 13.4 | 44.4 | 111 | 61K |
| 04/16/03 | 6.1 | 26.6 | 7.0 | 66.4 | 4,100 | 4.19 | 12.4 | 46.1 | 110 | 63K |
| 03/26/03 | 3.3 | 38.7 | 7.5 | 53.8 | 1,800 | 3.66 | 10.5 | 40.3 | 110 | 52K |
| 03/19/03 | 5.7 | 24.0 | 8.0 | 68.0 | 3,900 | 3.95 | 12.3 | 44.2 | 112 | 55K |
| 02/19/03 | 4.3 | 39.4 | 8.7 | 51.9 | 2,200 | 4.31 | 13.5 | 48.3 | 112 | 49K |
| 02/06/03 | 5.5 | 25.6 | 8.5 | 65.9 | 3,600 | 4.13 | 12.7 | 46.3 | 112 | 51K |
| 01/09/03 | 3.4 | 46.3 | 10.9 | 42.8 | 1,500 | 3.92 | 12.8 | 45.1 | 115 | 52K |
| 12/09/02 | 4.4 | 40.1 | 10.6 | 49.3 | 2,200 | 3.78 | 13.7 | 43.1 | 114 | 53K |
| 11/11/02 | 4.1 | 48.3 | 8.4 | 43.3 | 1,800 | 3.50 | 11.5 | 39.9 | 114 | 52K |
| 10/01/02 | 3.6 | 43.3 | 8.8 | 47.9 | 1,700 | 3.57 | 12.7 | 44.3 | 124 | 39K |
| 08/29/02 | 3.4 | 49.9 | 8.2 | 41.9 | 1,400 | 3.39 | 10.6 | 41.1 | 122 | 40K |
| 08/20/02 | 4.1 | 51.7 | 7.7 | 40.6 | 1,700 | 3.61 | 13.7 | 43.7 | 121 | 37K |
| 07/09/02 | 4.0 | 55.4 | 5.7 | 38.9 | 1,600 | 3.51 | 10.5 | 43.2 | 123 | 39K |
| 06/04/02 | 3.3 | 60.9 | 7.5 | 31.6 | 1,000 | 3.20 | 10.8 | 38.7 | 121 | 30K |
| 05/07/02 | 2.8 | 40.8 | 9.8 | 49.4 | 1,400 | 3.12 | 11.4 | 38.7 | 124 | 28K |
| 04/02/02 | 2.7 | 30.4 | 10.3 | 59.3 | 1,600 | 2.77 | 11.4 | 35.5 | 128 | 26K |
| 03/05/02 | 3.0 | 37.2 | 9.1 | 53.7 | 1,600 | 2.73 | 11.2 | 35.2 | 129 | 21K |
| 02/04/02 | 2.3 | 48.0 | 6.7 | 45.3 | 1,000 | 2.29 | 9.5 | 29.5 | 129 | 26K |
| 01/07/02 | 3.0 | 33.0 | 7.8 | 59.2 | 1,800 | 2.14 | 9.1 | 28.2 | 132 | 15K |
| 10/99 | .5 | 99% | 0 | 0 | 0 | Red cell and platelet transfusion dependent for 19 months | 1K | |||
A LITTLE HISTORY PRIOR TO AA DIAGNOSIS
I have had skin allergies since childhood. Treatment has been topical cortisone and hydrocortisone creams, occasional prednisone during flare-ups, and weekly antigen shots for about 30 years.
I had bad eating habits. Did lots of gorging :o), drank lots of sodas, ate lots of fast foods, and ate very little raw fruits and vegetables, etc. (Part of a good recipe for a compromised immunue system.)
I had lots of stress, not
enough
sleep, hardly ever drank water, and used household cleaners without
protection--no
gloves while using detergents and stood barefoot in detergents while
cleaning
the restrooms at home, etc.
BOOKS AND EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS I READ AND WATCHED WHILE RECOVERING FROM MY AA
(I spent many days receiving long hours of transfusions. The list below is not complete, but can give you an example of how much reading can be done while recovering from a serious illness. They are not listed in order of quality or which books I recommend most, but rather are listed in somewhat of an order that I read them. Notice that I started out vegan, and the books which pertain to veganism are listed first. However, I am no longer vegan.)
HEALTH RELATED BOOKS
The Vegetarian Guide to Diet & Salad, Norman Walker
Be Your Own Doctor, Ann Wigmore
A Diet for a New America, John Robbins
Reclaiming Our Health, John Robbins
Essiac, A Native Herbal Cancer Remedy, Cynthia Olsen
Earth Food Spirulina, Robert Henrikson
Olive Leaf Extract, Dr. Morton Walker
When Antibiotics Fail, Restoring the Ecology of the Body, Marc Lappe
The Mucusless Diet, Arnold Ehret
Spontaneous Healing, Dr. Andrew Weil
Nature the Healer, John Richter
God's Way, George Malkmus
How to Get Well, Paavo Airola*
Your Body's Many Cries for Water, Dr. Batmanghelidj*
Questioning Chemotherapy, Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.*
Everything You Should Know About Chelation Therapy, Dr. Morton Walker and Dr. Hitendra Shah*
Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices, What's Missing in Your Body?, Norman W. Walker, D.Sc.*
Colon Health, The Key to a Vibrant Life, Dr. Norman W. Walker
How to Keep Slim, Healthy and Young with Juice Fasting, Dr. Paavo Airola
We Want to Live, Aajonus Vonderplanitz
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Weston A. Price, DDS*
Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills, Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.*
One Answer for Cancer, Dr. William Kelley*
Sugar Blues, William Dufty*
Cancer: Disease of Civilization?, Vilhjalmur Stefansson*
Food is Your Best Medicine, Dr. Henry Bieler*
Tired or Toxic?, Dr. Sherry A. Rogers
The Wheel of Health, G.T. Wrench M.D.*
NON-FICTION
The Bible, 66 books/40 authors
The Social Transformation of American Medicine, Paul Starr*
Conspiracy of Cells, Michael Gold*
100 Days, My Unexpected Journey from Doctor to Patient, Dr. David Biro
Survivor, Taking Control of Your Fight Against Cancer, Laura Landro
Life and Death on 10 West, Eric Lax*
Confessions of a Medical Heretic, Robert S. Mendelsohn, M.D.
Aids, What the Government isn't Telling You, Dr. Lorraine Day
Emerging Viruses, Aids and Ebola, Dr. Len Horowitz
Deadly Innocence, Dr. Len Horowitz
The Mad Cowboy, Howard Lyman*
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, Jerry Mander*
Karluk, The Great Untold Story of Arctic Exploration, William Laird McKinlay
Bed Number Ten, Susan Baier
Blood, an Epic History of Medicine and Commerce, Douglas Starr*
Prescription for Disaster, Thomas J. Moore
Commotion in the Blood, Stephen S. Hall
FICTION
Nephalim
Rainbow Six
The Hobbit, There and Back
Again
The House of God, Samuel
Shem,
M.D.*
LITERATURE
Watership Down
The Jungle
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Lord of the Flies
The Old Man and the Sea
Lots of short stories i.e.
The Complete Works of Hans Christian Anderson, children's books for my
kids.
EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS
You Can't Improve on God, Dr. Lorraine Day
Diseases Don't Just Happen, Dr. Lorraine Day
Cancer Doesn't Scare Me Anymore, Dr. Lorraine Day*
A Diet for a New America, John Robbins
The Strecker Memorandum,
Dr.
Strecker*
VIDEOS I LIKED JUST FOR FUN
Emperor's New Groove
U571
The Rock
Aliens
The Thing
Robocop
Beauty and the Beast
Mulan
Galaxy Quest
The Fellowship of the Ring
Lilo and Stitch
*These are the books I
currently
recommend if you're interested in natural healing. I believe
these
books can give you a rounded view of what is involved in your choices,
thus giving you a better edge at making an informed choice of treatment.
BIBLE VERSES AND STORIES THAT HELPED ME
Note: Please keep in mind that I realize that these verses were not written directly to me, but I embraced them in hopes that I would be worthy for God to share these feelings with me.
James 1:5
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Jeremiah 12:5
"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with the horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of Jordan?"
Deuteronomy 31:8
"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Psalm 139:13-18
"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
THE STORY OF KING
NEBUCHADNEZZAR
- Daniel Chapter 4.&ammp;>>
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, IS A
PICTURE
OF ONE OF THE CROSS STITCH PROJECTS I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE.