Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitor:

Factor VIII is a part of the blood that allows clotting. Sometimes the blood needs to clot (to control bleeding). The Inhibitor works against the Factor VIII, weakening or destroying it. With a low level of Factor VIII, blood will not clot normally, and bleeding will continue for an extended period of time. The term Acquired simply means that a person was not born with this, but developed it later in life.

Bruising is a form of bleeding. A blood vessel ruptures, and blood escapes from the blood vessel. With Aquired Factor VIII Inhibitor the bleeding will continue, causing swelling in the injured area. Bruising and swelling may cover very large areas of the body, as was the case for Vicky.

According to my internet research, Factor VIII Inhibitor occurs in 1 of 15,000 people. This is the "normal" version of the problem, where a person is born with it.

1 in 5,000,000 people will acquire this problem for unknown reasons during their lifetime. That is called Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitor.

Vicky was part of the one in 5,000,000 that acquired the Factor VIII Inhibitor, and was not born with it. Vicky also had one additional blood problem, her body did not produce a normal amount of Factor VIII to begin with.

Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitor can rapidly cause serious problems. This picture was taken only two days before her emergency admission to the the hospital.