by Bill Battaglia
When I was 10 years old my older brother (a severe hemophiliac) passed at the age of 15 due to internal bleeding. My parents used the life insurance proceeds to install an inground swimming pool.
I was so excited when I learned to swim, I did a few too many belly flops. I wound up in the hospital with internal bleeding in my midsection. The doctors told my parents they couldn’t stop the bleeding and that they should go home and wait for their call when the end was near.
My mom remembered my pediatrician’s prediction of several years previously wherein he told her that I would never see 12 years of age. They never got that call. Last October, I celebrated my 75th birthday!
Fast forward two decades (circa 1982) and I went to my local ER as I could feel a bleed was under way in the left knee which was my main target joint. My hematologist of 16 years was vacationing and one of his new associates saw me in the ER. Although I was well known at the hospital, I had never met this new associate. Per standard procedure before ordering my factor he drew my blood for the lab.
I will never forget that day. The associate came to my bedside and asked me if there was any reason that I have been treated in the past with Factor VIII? Having no clue, I told him I thought that it was what I needed to stop the bleed. He told me that Factor VIII wasn’t helping me because the test showed I had a Factor IX deficiency!
I was stunned to say the least. I guess that’s why my routine bleeds took 5 days to mend in the hospital receiving Factor. That would also explain why I bruised in my arm when I was given a hypodermic shot for pain.
Needless to say, the associate treated me with Factor IX and I was amazed at how quickly my bleed healed.
This associate immediately put me in touch with a HTC in Philadelphia who put me on Factor IX home treatment which is where I have been ever since. These are just a couple of my stories!