In December 2015, my family went to Albuquerque to celebrate Christmas. I had been feeling a bit fatigued, but figured I just needed time to recover from my hectic schedule.

But when I awoke from a nap with a bad taste, I discovered my mouth was filled with blood and clots lined my gum line. My dentist prescribed antibiotics, but my gums continued to bleed, and I started to notice bruises on my legs and hands.

At my mother...