A while back I posted about having been diagnosed with ITP (idiopathic/immune thrombocytopenia purpura). It’s an autoimmune disorder where antibodies mistakenly recognize platelets as foreign objects to be eliminated. The lower platelets go, the greater risk for spontaneous bleeding into organs, especially the brain.  That doesn’t happen often but occasionally people die from ITP.

There is no cure. One’s best hope is to achieve remission. How one gets there and how long it lasts is anyone’s guess, including the doctor’s.  Treatment is as varied as the number of people being treated for it.  My treatment consisted of prednisone, IVIg infusions, and a course of rituxan.  Remission achieved!  Monday my hematologist released me from his care.  YAY!

Now to the part about medical school.  In the first post, I said I was going for a “degree” from Google University.  As it turns out, I didn’t have to do that.  Jim did all the work of learning as much as possible about ITP.  His engineering brain doesn’t handle ambiguity very well.  All problems must have a solution.  When an expert says, “I don’t know,” I’m okay with it.

Today I’m grateful to be off that ride, even if it’s temporary.