Well, it's been almost a year since i started this blog, so i guess it's more than past due to post something, anything really.
Why now? Because I almost lost my youngest (19 yr old daughter Sara) last week. She had a potentially fatal reaction to the antibiotic Bactrim she was taking for a UTI. Seven days into a 10 day dosing, she started to get little bright red pindots mostly on her legs. Looked like a skin rash - sort of. thought we'll watch it tonight & if in the morning it looks worse we'll go to the urgent care clinic & get it treated. Woke up the next morning & it had quadrupled! Rushed to Urgent Care-only to sit for 2 1/2 hours in the waiting room. Finally see the Dr. & she takes one look at it & says you need to go the emergency room NOW. You need blood work STAT. Got in right away in emergency & they took blood & said we're admitting you, as soon as there is a bed available.
Now this was April 1st - NOT a good joke at all.
She felt fine, only one other side effect showed up & that was easy bruising.
Turns out the Bactrim made her bone marrow stop producing platelets. She had no ability to clot her blood ( hence the bruising, red pin dots). The Dr. told us normal average platelets is around 150 & hers was 2. They gave her 3 dosing of IVIg ( an immunoglobulin/ antibodies) & a platelet transfusion. By day 3 her platelet count went to 45 & the next day it went to 75. The Dr.'s said her own immune system had to be working again because it was an unusally high jump(but a good thing) since the transfusion. They let her go home on day 4 & still has to have blood drawn this week & has to go see the Hematologist too.
She is doing really well now & never really did feel that bad ( with the exception of being tired during the transfusions). She will have to take steroids for a very little time.
We are so lucky she got better so quickly.
It really makes you stop & realize life can be short, way shorter than you think, so make the most of it.
And if you are still reading this, Thank you. I know it was long, but it's important.
