Marcia's Journey

I was diagnosed with ITP after the results of low platelets at my Medicare physical, and further testing.  I was fortunate at first, because my platelets were between 50-80,000, so my hematologist did a "watch and wait approach” But through the monthly bloodwork, I tested positive for ANA, so they sent me to a rheumatologist, and he diagnosed me with my second autoimmune disease, Lupus. Then 4 years later, I got a triple whammy, I got diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and was told I needed surgery, chemo, and radiation.  The chemo sent my platelets plunging to 13,000 and I ended up in the hospital and they tried platelet antibodies, but they didn't work, so they put me on 60 mg of prednisone, and that got me through the months of chemo and radiation.  After that was finished, they tried to wean me off prednisone, but under 5 mg, and then my platelets would go down to 20,000, so they just left me on 5mg of prednisone.  

The early summer of 2018, I found out about the PDSA on the web and I learned there was a conference in Cleveland that summer, so I talked my husband into taking me, and that's no easy task as summer is fishing season at the lake, but he's my rock, so he took me!  That PDSA conference changed my life bigtime!  It was so exciting to finally meet other people who had ITP just like me, and the question/answer sessions with the doctors were my absolute favorite!  My husband wanted to leave early Sunday morning to go back to the lake, but I saw they were having a Facilitators meeting and I really wanted to attend.  And I'm so glad I did, because it motivated me to start my own ITP Support Group in The Villages, Florida.  We have a wonderful group of people (29 people on the roster) and I just love our meetings!  

In the years 2020, and 2022, even during Covid I had Putting 4 Platelets Fundraisers for the PDSA, and raised over $1000 for each of them!  This year I wanted to try something different, I'm having a Drumming 4 Platelets Cardio Drumming Fundraiser because cardio drumming is definitely a craze in The Villages!  It will be on Feb. 7 from 1:30-3:00 at the Sea Breeze Rec Center in the Villages, at the outside parking lot bordering Bailey Trail. There is a registration fee of $10.00 and participants will get a ticket for door prizes drawings after we drum.  There will also be a separate 50/50 ticket drawing!  So Let’s Get Drumming!