January Needs

This January, i've been back and forth the hospital.

I have been feeling hopeless. I feel my body feeling weaker and I am filled with fear. It's truly hard to fight feeling pain when the body is so weak... So weak that My body just voluntary shivers and I am left to tears praying that the pain will just stop. It's hard to offer it to God but I offer these pains together with Jesus's sufferings as the pain I feel at moments last. It's all I can do but then, how can I tell my parents about my fears? That I don't want to have ATG anymore because I feel I can't make it. That I feel that when we are able to pay for ATG and I'm in the middle of the treatment, my body will just give up. But I can't tell them that. I can't disappoint them. I don't want to worry them more than how worried they already are. But with this entry now, they may end up reading this.

Though, I am feeling hopeless, I still hold on to my dreams with God's will for me and take this big step to be cured. I need emotional support and strength. 

Last January 3, I had my checkup. I went with my mom to the doctor ang got my blood drawn but my dad picked me up so i would be home sooner since I wasn't feeling well. My mom was left in the hospital to wait for the result. When my parents got home, they told me the result; platelet count of 5,000 over the normal of 150,000-300,000 and hemoglobin of 4.8 over the normal count of 12-15 for women.

The next day, they took me to the ER and was admitted, given 2 bags of platelet and 2 packs Red bllod cells after the anti-allergy drug was injected via IV. I was discharged January 5.

January 11, I had my unexpected monthly period but it came in a heavy flow (vaginal bleeding). The next day I had very bad cramps (and it added to my stress) and I was using 4-5 overnight pads. The next day, I felt better but I noticed blood clots and I felt so weak again. January 14, I was rushed to the hospital emergency room again. My CBC (complete blood count) results were as follows:

Platelet: 3,000

Hemoglobin: 6.6

White bleed cells (WBC): 3.4

SGPT: 74 (out of normal 55)

Note that SGPT is something released into blood when the liver or heart is damaged. The blood SGPT levels are thus elevated with liver damage or something is wrong with the heart like heart attack. Some medications can also raise SGPT levels like my meds. This is also called alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

With those results, they admitted me again to be given 4 bags of platelets and 2 packs of red blood cells and hydrocortisone to avoid reacting to the BT (blood transfusion). That night, friends came to visit and offered prayers to God for my healing. I was discharged the next day and was given an appointment for my next checkup.

When I got home, the result of my SGPT bothered and worried me (stressing me out and scaring me) because someone from a facebook group about Aplastic anemia informed me that I was underdosed that's why the meds were not working on me. I had to decide whether to continue the meds with my SGPT result like that. It took me days before I decided to stop the meds but that day I decided to give up my meds since underdosage means no treatment at all, I went for the checkup.

This time when we went for my checkup, the doctor talked to us calmly and gave us more details and raised the dosage of my meds. He was in a good mood, I think. He doesn't usually talk to us like that. He always just tells us he can't do anything for me and all he can do is give me prescription to be able to get medicine from the pharmacy. But that day, it was different. God truly moves in different ways. So now, the meds I am taking are:

Cyclosporine: 100mg 2x a day

Prednisolon: 5mg a day

Folic acid: 5mg a day

Revolade: 75mg once a day

I thought I will just be doing okay. But then yesterday, I was rushed to the hospital ER again. I had stomachache and I was dizzy but then when I rested my head to sleep, my head ached and I vomited a lot. They gave me fluids and pain reliever and pantomax for the stomach. After that, I was sent home. Now, I am resting.

I just thought I should write this update about my health now and how I feel about ATG and what I'm also emotionally going through. Please include me in your prayers and help me in my upcoming fundraising, too, for a final fight for a longer life through ATG treatment. The doctor in the Philippines told we may need a total of Php1,500,000.00 which is more or less $27,000.00 and that is only a rough estimate. We may need help raising this sum, but with God's help through the good hearts of those who want to help, we will be able to raise this.

For blood donors, too, in the Philippines, please call UST blood bank for information or if you are willing to donate with experience, please mention my name just above when you go so it will be counted. I also still need a lot of blood donors. Do send me a message @ thevsaafighter@gmail.com or karen_608@yahoo.com.

Thanks and God bless!

Written - 01/27/2016