A Picture is worth a thousand words. But this time, one picture is not enough to describe our one of the toughest moments in our lives. June 7, 2016 (Tuesday), our mother was rushed to the hospital. Again, another episode of hemoglobin dropped after the cycle of her IV chemo. At first, we all thought that it is just another blood transfusion and then she will be discharged the following day. Unfortunately, a bad news came the next day.

June 8, 2016 (Wednesday): The doctor said that our mother's platelet count dropped to 22 (far beyond the average range which is 150,000). We were advised by the doctors and nurses to look for "A" RH+ PLATELET CONCENTRATE on other hospitals or blood banks because they don't have stocks for our mother's blood type. We called several hospitals and blood banks in NCR but most of them, either they don't have the stock or the platelet concentrate is already reserved to their in-patients. Our relatives and friends also helped us in searching for hospitals and blood banks because our Mother's platelet is rare and it's difficult to find. It's also a fact this is the "dengue season" in our country, thus, platelet concentrate unit is really in demand. Luckily, we got 5 units of platelet concentrate. After the initial platelet transfusion, our mother experienced chills. During that time, there were already three doctors who attended her condition. According to her, she thought that she was going to die during that moment.

June 9 2016: Thursday, we all thought that her condition was already stable, after few lab test and then she will be discharged. We also waited for further instructions from the hospital if our mother still needs platelet concentrate so that we could prepare ahead of time.

Past midnight, around 12:30 AM of June 10, 2016, the hospital informed our mother that her platelet count dropped again to 10. By this, everybody was already sleeping, even blood banks were not opened. Again, we started calling for several public and private hospitals in NCR. Unfortunately, since it was already past midnight, their offices or blood bank was not open for this kind of transaction. We were advised to wait until 6AM. We were fortunate this time that we got 5 units of platelet from a public hospital in Manila but still, we cannot just sit back and wait for another episode platelet count drop. Some of our friends even offered to donate blood so we could get pool of donors for her platelet concentrate. But right now, we still need to wait for other lab results. She also underwent Duplex ultrasonography.

Today, June 11, 2016 (Saturday) - Five years ago, same day June 11, 2011 (Saturday) my father passed away due to cardiac arrest. He was confined in the ICU for a few days before our family signed a waiver to the hospital. He was already brain dead and comatose for 4 days that time and the doctors were already asking us to sign the waiver. Now, after five years, we are again facing another problem with my mother's case. As of this moment, her platelet count is 9. Her body is no longer responding to the platelet concentrate transfusion. The doctors recommend to perform a procedure called "APHERESIS". We are still looking for healthy blood donors who could help us with this procedure. Family member and relatives are not allowed to become the donor since we have the same genetic make-up.

Though we are already financially drained and exhausted, we know that all of our efforts are worth it because we are doing this for our MOTHER. The one person who always have faith in us, who never gave up on us despite all our mistakes and shortcomings and whom we loved so dearly.