I have had multiple people ask me what exactly
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is.
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding. The bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets — the cells that help blood clot.
Normal platelet levels are 150,000; mine were 40,000 prior to going into the operating room. So the reason they put me to sleep vs doing a spinal was fear of bleed out since my blood wouldn't clot on its own. Due to my levels being so low I was put in a magnesium drip to prevent seizures, I had to be on this for 24hrs. They also did a platelet fusion in surgery to help my number go up so that my blood could clot. I was also put on Pitocin to make my cervix contract to help with clotting. For the first 24hrs after surgery I was monitored with blood work every few hours. They needed to see if my platelets would go up on their own, unfortunately I needed to have another fusion as my numbers were now lower than they were prior to surgery, 33,000. I was not allow to go to the NICU more so due to my magnesium drip. If you have ever been on one then you'll understand, but for those that haven't, basically it makes you so out of it. You are constantly dozing off and very weak. Thank god I had the nurse that I did because she knew just how bad I wanted to see the babies so she promised after the second fusion that she would take me up there for a few minutes.
Due to the ITP I also had Hellp Syndrome, which is the highest from of preeclampsia.
H (hemolysis, which is the breaking down of red blood cells)
EL (elevated liver enzymes)
LP (low platelet count)
I litterally had barely any indication that I had either of these things. My urine came back with nothing, my blood pressure was slightly elevated but nothing to be too concerned of on its own, the reason that the blood test was ran initially was due to my rib pain that I was having. With both of these I was so bad that everyone was perplexed as to how I was functioning and didn't have more signs. If we hadn't of gone into the hospital that night everything could have turned fatal. I ended up loosing a lot of blood while I'm surgery, however not enough to need a blood transfusion.
Everything that day was so beyond scary and the fact that my husband couldn't come into the operating room made things more scary for me. Would I die alone? Would my babies be ok? This can't be how our journey ends! These thoughts and more kept running through my head.
I am so beyond grateful for my team of doctors they held my hands to help calm me down once I got into the operating room all the way until I was put under. They even made sure that I wasn't alone and saw familiar faces when I woke up since my husband was in the NICU with the babies.
The best advice I have for anyone that is pregnant is you know your body, you know when something is off, don't be worried about going to labor and delivery. That is what they are there for, to make sure everything is ok with you and your babies. One small thing can turn into a huge thing in a matter of minutes.
