(no subject)
I am back from Iceland. There is not much to say except that I love that country and cannot wait to go back and live there, make art.
I have also been diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia or Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) which is characterised by a low platelet count. Basically your body thinks platelets are foreign bodies and destroys them. It is related to Leukaemia - except that ITP does not affect your bone marrow where platelets are made and is not cancerous. ITP is an auto immune disease.
ITP for me means occasions of unexplained bruising on my body, usually on my arms and legs, but occasionally on my mid-section. It causes me to be tired and lethargic. I have not experienced bleeding from the nose/gums etc but i have had the small red blood blisters, but not in huge rash formations. Right now my legs are bruise city.
For now my case is considered 'mild' so it can be monitored by blood tests and diet. I am now gluten-free and I should also avoid anything with quinine in it. If my symptoms become more severe I may need a bone marrow biopsy - there are courses of steroids and for more chronic cases there are daily drugs which can be taken, or you may have to have your spleen removed. I am very happy my condition as it stands is treatable and can go into remission.
I first had symptoms in 2010 which were triggered by medication. I have however always had ITP which explains my tendency to bruise easily and the fact that after cutting myself I tend to keep bleeding unless diligent pressure is applied.
The guten free thing is actually quite hard, and after a week now I am craving a loaf of bread. If we had an oven that worked I would get into some gluten free baking as of now.
Anyway.... in other news I am blogging at http://onmyshore.tumblr.com and http://rushofsun.wordpress.com with art and musings of that sort.
I have also been diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia or Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) which is characterised by a low platelet count. Basically your body thinks platelets are foreign bodies and destroys them. It is related to Leukaemia - except that ITP does not affect your bone marrow where platelets are made and is not cancerous. ITP is an auto immune disease.
ITP for me means occasions of unexplained bruising on my body, usually on my arms and legs, but occasionally on my mid-section. It causes me to be tired and lethargic. I have not experienced bleeding from the nose/gums etc but i have had the small red blood blisters, but not in huge rash formations. Right now my legs are bruise city.
For now my case is considered 'mild' so it can be monitored by blood tests and diet. I am now gluten-free and I should also avoid anything with quinine in it. If my symptoms become more severe I may need a bone marrow biopsy - there are courses of steroids and for more chronic cases there are daily drugs which can be taken, or you may have to have your spleen removed. I am very happy my condition as it stands is treatable and can go into remission.
I first had symptoms in 2010 which were triggered by medication. I have however always had ITP which explains my tendency to bruise easily and the fact that after cutting myself I tend to keep bleeding unless diligent pressure is applied.
The guten free thing is actually quite hard, and after a week now I am craving a loaf of bread. If we had an oven that worked I would get into some gluten free baking as of now.
Anyway.... in other news I am blogging at http://onmyshore.tumblr.com and http://rushofsun.wordpress.com with art and musings of that sort.