Heartaches and Miracles has been revised and updated
April 2005 - the beginning of my ITP journey. I had no idea which way was up. My body had started doing some very weird things for some unknown reason, and no one could tell me why.
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune blood disorder called ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenia). For some unknown reason, my immune system had begun to destroy the platelets in my bloodstream, therefore preventing my blood from clotting properly. I found out there were no cures for ITP, but there were treatments.
Since then, I have researched ITP and spoken with many people who also suffer from this chronic blood disease. As a result, I've learned a lot about platelets, IVIGs, CBC's, corticosteroids, relapses, and other factors that will continue to play a significant role in my well-being for the rest of my life.
I kept a journal chronicling my experiences, detailing the treatments along with the mental, emotional, and psychological highs and lows associated with the successes and failures. Then, in 2010, I combined all that information into a book to share it with others who are also fighting this illness.
There have been many tremendous changes since the first edition of
Heartaches and Miracles was published. Advances in medications, treatments, and overall approaches to combating ITP have necessitated an updated 2022 version of my book. I'm sure this edition will be outdated in a few years. However, that's good news - there will be more progress to write about!
Most of my memoir remains the same, though. It's a combination of autobiography, stories from other ITPers, research information, and pep talk for anyone suffering from ITP or for family members and friends who want to understand the roller coaster ride of steroids and other types of medications and treatments. It can be a hard road filled with relapses and disappointments, but with a positive attitude and support from friends and family, there is hope.
ITP no longer controls our lives. With support from fellow ITPers, we are in charge.
I Have ITP. It Does Not Have Me!
While working her way through college, Greta Burroughs taught in a developmental center for handicapped and delayed preschoolers. That is where she developed her love of reading to children and also first started creating her own stories. After marrying Robert Burroughs, Greta devoted her time to working with her husband in the field of aviation. Robert was a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated pilot examiner while Greta maintained the office and administered FAA written tests. Even during that busy period in her life, she did not lose her love of reading or writing. After both of them experienced serious medical issues which took them out of professional aviation, Robert and Greta began new careers as writers. Robert published two novels in his exciting Riders of the Wind series while Greta worked as a freelance reporter for a local newspaper. In her spare time, Greta worked on a series of children's picture books entitled Patchwork Dog and Calico Cat and a young adult fantasy novel, Gerald and the Wee People. She also kept a journal of her experiences while being treated for a chronic blood disorder called ITP. The treatments, relapses and remissions along with the information she found out about ITP was compiled into a book entitled Heartaches and Miracles. Robert and Greta reside in South Carolina with their four-legged children keeping busy at their computers creating articles and books to share with others. They both have plans for more books and will continue writing as long as they possibly can.
