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My Father is Currently in the ICU
a day ago
He started getting blood ulcers on his arms and legs the other day, and a blood blister in his mouth. The doctors say that if he so much as cuts his finger or falls and bumps his head, he would bleed out. His platelet count is only 1, when it should be between 150k to 450k. The blood ulcer that began in his mouth as a blood blister 48 hours ago has spread across the entire roof of his mouth and is bleeding profusely, and he has blood ulcers on both legs and both arms now. He's also got some internal bleeding.
They appeared two days ago or so as dark lesions, but weren't bleeding as such. He asked me about them the other day, at first thinking the ones on his legs were bug bites, such as chiggers. When more began appearing, I told him to go to the doctor. Yesterday morning he drove over to Ruth's (my paternal aunt), who then took him to the ER, where he was admitted immediately. He's now in the ICU being treated and will remain there until his platelet count rises back to normal.
If it doesn't, they'll send him to a blood specialist in Atlanta. That's everything I know at present.
They appeared two days ago or so as dark lesions, but weren't bleeding as such. He asked me about them the other day, at first thinking the ones on his legs were bug bites, such as chiggers. When more began appearing, I told him to go to the doctor. Yesterday morning he drove over to Ruth's (my paternal aunt), who then took him to the ER, where he was admitted immediately. He's now in the ICU being treated and will remain there until his platelet count rises back to normal.
If it doesn't, they'll send him to a blood specialist in Atlanta. That's everything I know at present.
He called me from his hospital room about 90 minutes ago. Physically, he feels fine and is in good spirits. His blood platelet count has been fluctuating since treatment started, but they have gotten it to rise to 3. It needs to be 20 before they'll even consider sending him home, and even then, he's at risk of bleeding out if he gets a cut or falls. He won't be allowed to do much around the house, and most manual labor/yardwork is strictly off the table.
I've still got a tinge of worry in my chest, though. He's 81, and he's been getting skin cancer outbreaks for a few years now. Even with the hope he's getting better, I wake up every morning scared that I'm going to get the worst news.