Every morning for the last month I have been waking up feeling really sick. I’m tired, my stomach hurts, and I feel like I have a cold. I get out of bed and walk out into the living room. “Mom I really need to go back to the doctor’s.” I said. “We went two weeks ago, just take your medicine and you will be okay,” my Mom said. “I don’t know. I guess I can stick it out until I get better,” I said. Walking back into my room, I feel a sharp pain, but I ignore it. I was getting dressed for the day when looking down and seeing bruises forming everywhere. I was covered with them from my legs all the way up to my arms. I have been noticing the bruising, but I always thought that it was me just being rough. I was scared, they are getting worse, and I didn’t want to freak my parents out, so I went and talked to my older sister Liz. We talked for a long time; she asked me questions about what was happening, and finally we both agreed that I would stay the night at her house and go see the doctor in the morning.

When we woke up, we were both nervous, we knew that something was wrong, but we didn’t know what. As we were walking in the doctor’s office, my Nephew was in my arms screaming, all eyes were on us. It feels like it took us hours to get into the room, but when we finally did, it was calm and quiet. Soon the doctor came in and told me to give a finger poke, I knew it didn’t hurt, so I did it and then answered all her questions. “Okay Shelby were going to go test this sample, and we will be right back, don’t worry, you will be just fine,” the Doctor said. We waited for a while; I play with my nephew and talk to my sister when finally the doctor ran into the room with a panicked look on his face. “We need to get you to the hospital right now,” the Doctor said. At first I was shocked, I didn’t know what to do. Billy started crying again and that just made the doctor scream. “Get that baby out of here!” he yelled at a nurse. She rushes and takes Billy out into the hallway. As he was explaining how low my blood platelets were and how dangerous that was, I sat there in confusion. I was only fourteen I didn’t know what all this was. When the doctor was done explaining to my sister what was happening we got up and started to walk out. As soon as I walk out of the office doors my Mom came running up to me. She was crying her eyes out, and I didn’t understand why. “I’m so sorry Shelby, I love you, and it will all be okay,” my Mom said. As I walk into the hospital, my family walks up to the counter with me, and they tell me I am going to have to get blood drawn. They tell me to sit down, I was sitting there so nervous and scared and by myself because my Mom and Sister went to the car. I have got my blood drawn before, but why is everyone rushing for me? Was I really sick? Nobody was explaining anything to me. But I sat there, and I didn’t cry or get upset at all because my Dad always told me to stay strong.

The next day after all of the tests and different doctors I was seeing I actually got someone to tell me all about the disease that I have. It’s called ITP and it’s a blood disorder, I got it from Mono and it can form into leukemia at any moment. I have to get checked every month, but it could get better over time. My parents have a lot more control over their emotions now, and I feel that it’s getting better. I wouldn’t take it back for anything because it taught me a lot in life.