Nolan had been really sick starting 10 days ago. We took him to the doctor a week ago Saturday and was told it was "viral" and would run its course. He was not better by Wednesday and started to complain (I mean Nolan doesn't complain about much, but he was really fussy and uncomfortable) about his ear hurting, so we went back to the doctor and they gave him a 'script for Amoxicillin to get filled "if he needed it on Thursday." He was not any better with just the ibuprofen, so I got the script filled and started giving it to him on Thursday.
He has seemed fine since then and had a ball at his birthday party on Sunday. When Bill was putting his PJ's on Sunday night, he looked shocked when he pulled down Nolan's pants and saw his shins COVERED in bruises. We thought maybe he just played hard at his party, but when he got up Monday morning, it was apparent that the bruising issue was getting worse. He got a large purple welt in his elbow and that is when I called his peds office.
They asked me to look on his body for a red pin-point rash and sure enough, we found some spots under his left arm (more appeared on his back later.) She said that with those symptoms she had to advise me to get him to the nearest ER. She asked which was closest and I said Lake West and I said I’d rather take him to Hillcrest since they have a peds ER. She said she could not tell me to do that since she had to advise me to take him to the nearest ER, but if it was a matter of a couple of minutes than I should make the choice. So, off to Hillcrest we went. Bill was home sick, so we all went thinking it would be a quick trip. Not so. The ER doc knew what it was pretty much right off the bat and bloodwork confirmed it. (If you ever need to take your kid to the ER go to Hillcrest. We've experienced both Hillcrest and Lake West and there is a world of difference.)
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is a bleeding disorder in which the immune system destroys platelets, which are necessary for normal blood clotting. Persons with the disease have too few platelets in the blood. With Nolan’s cranio history, they did not want to take any chances of a brain bleed, so they transported us by ambulance (and a very cute life flight crew) to Cleveland Clinic’s main campus downtown.
He began a 4 hour course of IV treatment called IVIG that is supposed to “re-set” his body so it will start creating platelets and not attack them.
Fingers crossed that this works and he will only need one course. That is the case in 80% of kids.
I asked if I missed any signs and they said no. The bruising is the first.
We’ll probably be celebrating the twinadoes 4th birthdays in the hospital, but that is OK, we will all be together and that is all that matters.
Thanks again for everyones emails, texts, calls, posts, and thoughts and prayers. Our family appreciates it.
Good night from M50.
Daddy brought Nolan all his "stuff" he needs to sleep with. Lightning blanket, bear from the buena vista in san fran, and a glow in the dark star. special thanks to Aunt Jan Ross who started the nightly singing of Twinkle, Twinkle tonight....Mommy didn't have it in her.
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