The Little Dutch Boy

You would think Annie's body would want to keep its blood on the inside like the rest of us.  I mean she has no platelets, it shouldn't go bleeding all over the place because it cannot be stopped.  However we get one spot plugged (teeth) and the next one seems intent on springing a leak (nose).  We thought we had the nose thing under control.  We humidify her room each night so its like a tropical jungle - dripping with moisture.  She slathers her nose with vaseline to keep it from cracking.  She sets her watch to go off every twenty minutes all day long to remind her to drink.  We go ballistic when she touches her nose, which is hard for her not to do as it gets caked with dry blood.  But since the teeth cleared up the nose has been a real pain.  Back to waking up with blood everywhere.  Thus we're at the hospital for platelets today.  However the efforts with stopping the gum bleeding and the prior nose respite had given her hemoglobin a fighting chance.  Even today we are able to hold out.  Plt at 7000 and hmg 8.2.  Not a bad drop from last Tuesday.  If we could just plug the dyke!  So the plan from here is ... first figure some way to stop the bleeding, then a blood draw and probable hemoglobin transfusion Monday and, hopefully, hold out until next Friday for platelets.  Stretching out the hemoglobin transfusion means an alternately quiet then cranky child until then.  Must practice my positive thinking, "I'm so glad she'll be cranky for the next six days because ... it will help build my tolerance for cranky people."  Hmmm funny how I missed putting that goal on my bucket list!