Sweet Stills
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“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.”
(Psalm 62:5)
What Others Say About Pam
“Pam is such a genuine speaker with a tremendous ability to connect to her audience. I love her southern accent, sense of humor and the way she engages us throughout her talk. Her messages always leave people feeling uplifted with a sense of hope!”
Kirsten Blakemore, MA, PCC, CPCC, CHC Best Selling Author, Speaker, Coach, Inclusion Expert
www.kirstenblakemore.com
“It is rare that a speaker can demonstrate transparency while still presenting truth, achieve engagement but also effect encouragement, and create warmth with wit and wisdom but in Pam, the whole package is there. She draws the audience in with participation and then she holds them spellbound with her story. The challenges she has faced – and is in process of overcoming – are real and hard, and as she opens her heart, the listeners can’t help but open their hearts to her. Pam makes you laugh and cry. She cultivates an atmosphere of empathy and hope. She enables the audience to identify with her hard places and exhorts to victory through Christ alone. Pam Duke needs to be your next speaker. You do not want to miss her message.”
Suzanne Chambers, Living Letters Author, Blogger, Speaker
www.suzannechambers.net
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chronic ITP?
According to https://childrensnational.org/ Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a platelet disorder that occurs in people who have an abnormally low number of platelets in the blood.
- Idiopathic means the cause is unknown.
- Thrombocytopenia means a decreased number of platelets in the blood.
- Purpura refers to the purple discoloring of the skin, as with a bruise.
According to https://www.scripps.edu/mcmillan/ Adult chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (chronic ITP) is an autoimmune disorder in which patients produce antiplatelet autoantibodies and specialized white blood cells that destroy their blood platelets and, in some cases, damage their megakaryocytes (the cells that produce platelets in the bone marrow), causing a decrease in platelet production. This results in a low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia) that may produce bruising or excessive bleeding.
ITP becomes chronic when it lasts 12 months or longer.
Around 3.3 per 100,000 adults are diagnosed with ITP each year, according to the most recent estimates from the American Journal of Hematology. Somewhere between 1.9 and 6.4 per 100,000 children are diagnosed annually.
What is adult onset "Still's" Disease (AOSD)?
AOSD or “Still’s” is a rare inflammatory disease, that is thought to also be an auto-immune disease that affects 1 in 100,000 people a year. Most individuals diagnosed with Still’s will have joint pain, high fevers, muscle weakness, fatigue, sore throat and a salmon colored skin rash. Individuals with critical cases may experience difficulty breathing, unexplained weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver and inflammation around major organs. The cause of Still’s is unknown. It is thought that stress and/or a virus may trigger Still’s. Still’s is more common in women than men and most develop Still’s before age 45/46. To learn more about Still’s click on the following link:
https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/adult-onset-stills-disease#1
How does Still's impact your day to day living?
My normal has changed since being diagnosed with Still’s. Each day is somewhat of a guess of how I am going feel when I wake up in the morning. Some days are good, some are in between and some are not so great. I now have to know my limits and pace myself each day. I must get adequate sleep every night, no more all “nighters” or late nights for me. If I overdo one day then I know I will pay for it the following days. I take maintenance medication every day which helps keep my Still’s in remission. On Fridays I take a low dose chemo pill which significantly impacts my weekends. Most Saturdays are spent in the bed or lounging around the house.
What is trisomy 13?
Trisomy 13, also known as Patau Syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder when a baby has an extra 13th chromosome. According to WebMD about 80% of Trisomy babies don’t survive more than a few weeks. Most Trisomy 13 cases are due to random events that happen during the formation of the eggs and sperm in healthy parents. In mine and Jeff’s case, Jackson’s Trisomy 13 was inherited due to me being a balanced carrier. Being a balanced carrier means I have the normal number of chromosomes (46) however one of my 13s and one of my 14s are attached together. (I have one normal 13 chromosome, one normal 14 chromosome and then a 13 and 14 that are attached.) When Jackson was formed and I gave my chromosomes, he was given a normal 13 from me, then the 14 that had the 13 attached to it. These 2 chromosomes combined with Jeff’s normal 13 and 14 created the Trisomy 13. To learn more about Trisomy 13 click the following link:
What is a robertsonian translocation?
A Robertsonian Translocation is a chromosomal abnormality where one or part of a chromosome is attached to another. The most common Robertsonian translocation is between chromosomes 13 and 14. To learn more watch the following short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbGw4VanNjk
What is Ulcerative Colitis?
As defined by the Crohns and Colitis Foundation, Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease of the large intestine, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers. This condition is the result of your immune system’s overactive response. At age 18, Jeff was diagnosed with UC in March of 1993. Six months after being diagnosed Jeff had his second bout with UC. His third bout started 3 months later in December of 1993 where the doctors discovered his UC had completely destroyed his large intestine. He had emergency surgery to do a total colectomy and J-pouch procedure. To learn more about UC and the J-pouch procedure click on the following link:
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-ulcerative-colitis