I am Anna, and this is the story of Vincenzo, a GT boy born on December 12, 2005, in Naples, Italy.
At birth, after a long labor, Vincenzo was born with natural birth, without complications; he presented significant bruises on the back, petechiae all over the body, and in the eyes, there were broken capillaries. I asked for explanations, and they told me that to get it out, they had pushed to cause these little traumas that would go away within a few days.
After three days, we returned home with these bruises still evident, and they told me to be patient, that he was a healthy child, and everything would be fine.
As the days passed, Vincenzo began to improve, and the bruises faded, but I noticed that others were made, even if only by changing his diaper, even when delicate. I took him to the pediatrician for a checkup and to make his acquaintance; he was almost three months old; at the visit, she noticed these bruises and, not knowing me, told me to take the child immediately to the emergency room because if it wasn’t me who hurt him. He said it to me with a doubtful air; there was something wrong.
After a week of waiting for a hematological examination, I immediately took him to the emergency room, and various samples told me that he was anemic, that it was normal for a newborn, and that he had a capillary fragility that would improve as he grew.
The months passed, but the situation did not improve; we went from bruises to nosebleeds; at six months, he had a checkup, and they told me the same things; at nine months, he had dark stools, suspected internal bleeding that after a few days of hospitalization the situation was quiet they sent us home, he was almost ten months old. There was no improvement, so I decided to take him to Pavia. I had heard of excellence in the hematology field. Still, while I was thinking, my pediatrician always sent me to Pausillipon in Naples for the 3rd time. Still, with another doctor who is currently our hematologist, after a few months, he diagnosed us with GT.
In the meantime, Vincenzo grew up, and it wasn’t easy at all; we found every little tooth that came out, especially in the morning when we woke up in a pool of blood, then the nose destroyed us at three years old, we thought we would lose it, hemoglobin reached four because in the hospital did not know well the Novoseven procedure. After transfusions, Novoseven, and platelets, tampons, it stopped; after almost ten days, we returned home, and since then, between bleeding in the nose mouth due to tonsils teeth, I decided that I had to study the protocol well. I do not hide from you often in the hospital; I give indications to the nurses and doctors since my doctor does not work in the emergency room. Still, at Pausillipon, which is dedicated to blood diseases and oncology, unfortunately, it cannot be accessed without first passing to the emergency room. We go there only for checks.
However, the story is long. Vincenzo is now 14 years old. I could say he has an everyday life. He knows his limits and is accepted by everyone. He whispers about his problems. His friends love him. He is very good at school, and I am proud of him. He is a wise little man and strong. He never cries. In the hospital, he is a leader. He lets himself do everything without objecting. Our GTs are special.
