Uncertainty over certification affects possible 9/11

When retired Nassau County Police officer Allison Beyerlein's routine blood work showed low levels of platelets – cells that help control clotting and bleeding – three years ago, she became concerned but never suspected doctors would find anything out of the ordinary. When her platelet levels dropped so low that her doctor sent her to the hospital emergency room, she learned differently. Beyerlein was diagnosed with acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (AAT), one of the rarest blood disorders in the world. The illness prevents her body from producing platelets, leaving her at constant risk of dangerous bleeding. Medical literature has documented only about 100 cases of AAT worldwide. Beyerlein's case highlights a bigger problem. She was part of a team of first responders who spent wee