After 16 years, this Warrior is learning how to live with her “new normal.”

While writing this, my heart breaks for others who are suffering from ITP.

I will be turning 28 and fighting 16 years of severe ITP. It started in sixth grade, when I was 12 years old, and I thought for sure that it would be gone by now. I’ve tried more medicines, doctors, “crazy” doctors, and traveled all over the United States in desperate hope of healing from this. It’s been years and years of being raced to the ER for internal bleeding.

My platelets like to stay under 10,000. When I was 16, I got meningitis and was flown to a larger hospital because my liver was failing. I lived but suffer from severe seizures ever since then. This past December I had my second brain surgery to hopefully remove the big scar on my brain and help my seizures. My first surgery didn’t work, but I am still hoping for this second one. Brain surgery in general is high risk, but because of ITP, the risk for me was potentially fatal.

I was diagnosed with POTS three years ago and am extremely exhausted from my immune system. It has me lying in bed the majority of days.

Since it all started when I was so young, I always hoped for this to be gone, and I am just now coming to understand that this may be my entire life. Between the many ER visits and near-death experiences from my illnesses, I wouldn’t be able to keep going without my walk with the Lord. I have no clue how I could have made it this far, and through these years of sorrow, without trusting in God.

It may not all be years of depression and sorrow, but with this great of suffering, there are many times of great sorrow. My journey with ITP has opened my eyes to things people my age cannot see. I don’t live for this world, but see the bigger picture of life. I have great hope that others will come to realize things and find comfort, and I feel deeply for the others suffering, especially those who understand exactly where I am coming from.