My nam
e is Lataya Huckaby, I'm 36 years-old, and I live in a small town in Georgia. I'm married to a wonderful husband, Dwyatt Huckaby, and have three awesome boys: Quintavious, 16; Montreyvion, 14; and Damarion, 11. I was diagnosed with TTP in 2015, while I was working as an Insurance Agent. Due to the limitations placed on my body by my condition, I currently stay at home and take care of my kids.
I was first diagnosed with TTP when I went to the emergency room with a severe headache and pains in my left arm. At Phoebe North Hospital, after the doctor took blood samples, it was discovered that my platelets were down to 10,000 per UL. At that time I was placed in the MICU, I would later be moved to Phoebe Main Hospital where I again spent more time in MICU. Overall, I spent three weeks at the hospital. After being released, I continued treatments at the outpatient clinic. One day I was getting treatment and got down to my last six minutes. All I remembered was calling out for my nurse and I was out. My nurse did everything in her power to bring me back. I love her for it. She has been with me all the way.
I had never heard of TTP, and didn't understand how and why I was diagnosed with such a rare condition. The first week was very hard both physically and mentally. While I spent those weeks in the hospital, my children were 35 minutes away at their grandparents' house and I very rarely saw them. I was able to recover fairly well from the deterioration that TTP causes. After my treatments, my life was somewhat back to normal.
For one year exactly, I lived in the belief that I was recovering. And then I had my first relapse.
This time I spent a week in the hospital because my platelets were detected before they dropped below 60,000 per UL. TTP has made a big change in my life and my family's life, too. From the bottom of my heart, I wish I had never visited the ER, but I also knew something was not right with my body.
TTP has made me spiritually stronger because each day is a struggle. There are a lot of things I can’t do now, such as walking without becoming tired, cooking for my family, and being able to go to my boys’ athletic events. I have to take afternoon naps just to keep going, and I go to bed early because I’m constantly tired. It’s been hard, but I am learning to live with these limitations. I am becoming forgetful of different things, which bothers me, but my family understands that this has now become a part of my personal reality. I am learning my limits and understand I shouldn't exceed them to preserve my health.
Just when I thought I was in the clear once again, I had my second relapse on June first, and this time it was not even a year apart. This relapse was the worst relapse of them all. My count was eight per UL. I had no control of my body at all. My count was so low I had to be given blood and plasma right away. I was in the hospital for about a week and half. After about three days in the unit, I was moved to the floor where I spent the rest of my time in the hospital. After being released, I continued treatment at the outpatient clinic. After I was done with all my treatments and got my port removed, I went to the doctor for what I thought was just a follow up visit. To my surprise I was informed that I was relapsing again.
I was feeling fine that day, my count at that time was twelve per UL. At that time I went on an emotional spiral. I just broke down because I was told I was going to be put back in the hospital again. So this was my third relapse, two in one year and this time it was exactly three months apart (this was September first 2017). The bad part about having TTP is that I am allergic to the chemo drug called Rituximab that can help ward off a relapse. I have to be pre medicated before every treatment I get. So my next option was to have my spleen removed which I had done in October 2017.
So far, I have been doing fine. I don't know what the future holds for me and my family. I hope this relapse was my last but I don't know. I want to enjoy the rest of my life without having to fear I will relapse again. I thank God, my husband, family, and friends for all the help and support they have given me.