Before I became an MLS Program Director, I worked for nearly 20 years in Hematology. I was particularly interested in Coagulation and was excited to work as the Coordinator of the Special Hematology lab, overseeing coagulation and special RBC testing. Our Pathology Department offered a consultation service for these cases and I was included along with a team of pathologists, residents, fellows, and clinicians that worked with patients and their families to diagnose patients and manage their treatment plans.
One of my most memorable moments was when we had a patient with a previously diagnosed platelet disorder who became pregnant and sought advice regarding the delivery of her child. Her doctors worked with our pathologists to weigh the risk of bleeding complications associated with different modes of delivery, while also considering the welfare of the child who may have inherited the platelet disorder. It was decided that they would take a non-surgical approach to minimize risk for the mother, but would monitor the baby closely. That’s where I came in! I was asked to be on call for the child’s delivery in order to be available to collect samples to monitor the baby’s progress and perform the necessary testing to inform her doctor’s decisions. At the time, on-call meant carrying a pager. When my pager went off, I met the obstetrical team at the hospital and accompanied them into the delivery suite. Labor progressed as expected and when the baby’s head was visible, I assisted the doctor in collecting a tiny amount of blood from the baby’s head, enough to look quickly under a microscope to determine if the baby’s platelets showed any similarity to the mom’s. I was delighted to say that the platelets appeared normal in number and size, minimizing the bleeding risk for the baby. The patient continued to deliver a healthy baby girl without complications.
Once the delivery was complete, I was able to collect enough blood from the placenta to perform definitive testing to rule out any evidence of the platelet disorder in the baby. This was an opportune time as the testing required a large volume which would have been difficult to collect from an infant. Once again, the testing ruled out any evidence of the bleeding disorder in the baby. Mom not only had a beautiful baby, but enjoyed the peace of mind associated with the results of her laboratory testing. As was often the case with our patients, we would see them from time to time in the management of their bleeding disorder. It was always a joy to see our patient visit with her daughter.
-Susan Graham, MS, MT(ASCP)SHCM is the Chair and MLS Program Director in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Science at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Ms. Graham is a current volunteer for ASCP, serving on the BOC Board of Governors, the Hematology and Joint Generalist Exam Committees and the Patient Champions Board.
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