My parents were first cousins, and got married according to the cultural norms in Pakistan. At that time, there was absolutely no history of inheritance of bleeding-disorders in the family. I was their first born. Parents love and care was unconditional. Unaware of my destiny, I began to grow. My mother noted easy bruising in infancy and became concerned. Doctors who were unsuspecting reassured her.
My first encounter with this disorder happened, at the age of one year. Traumatic lip-cut landed me, hemorrhaging in the hospital. At that time, I had my first blood transfusion, to deal with the low Hemoglobin. I always got big bruises for no apparent reason and tended to bleed unusually from minor injuries. My parents took me to hospital and tests were done, where they found out that I had an “abnormal bleeding tendency” which was the diagnosis then. Eventually my father applied for a leave, sold off some property and took me abroad to sort things out. We were finally told that I had Von Willebrand Disease [vWD], which if required treatment meant whole blood transfusion, or Fresh Frozen Plasma [FFP], which ever was available. The diagnosis of “VWD – Type III” came twenty years later. The word “abnormal” stuck in my parents mind, they were devastated. I was taken to various blood specialists, but with no laboratory backup and expertise, the anxiety built up. In Pakistan, my treatment was the regular dose of whole blood transfusions for all bleeding episodes, falling teeth was one of them.
Socio – cultural and religious norms in bringing up a girl in our society are quite defined. My parents decided to confront the conservative outlook. I was enrolled into a good private school, to help me be independent, have a profession and be a woman living a life of dignity and integrity. Armed with confidence and good education, I easily got into prestigious medical school and qualified as a doctor. Defying all the odds, I pursued a successful medical career, got married, and had a child. My daughter was born in UK. The normal delivery ended in profuse post. Partum hemorrhage. Treatment was given with cryoprecipitate & Inj. Factor VIII conc. No response! Tested & I had developed inhibitors. The Doctors were very frustrated as no treatment was available. Same how I survived & come home after 2 month’s long stay in hospital!!
Although my whole life journey has been with many ups & downs but I have never accepted defeat. I heard about the Pakistan Hemophilia Patients Welfare Society [PHPWS]. I work full time, as a volunteer for this cause in my country. Being the key person of the organization, I am a role model, a social worker, a family counsellor, a genetic counsellor and a support system in psycho-social problems of my PWH. I have a very supportive and loving family, and an amazing group of friends and well-wishers, who are there for me, when I battle, as I live this unexpected life.
““My positive attitude was overcompensated for my bleeding disorder and I got everything in life, that I asked for or I didn’t asked for”
“The problem now is Factor VII recombinants, which is not affordable in Pakistan. My life depends on donated products form donor agencies across the world”