SkyRider said:
In simple English, did Peter's blood suffer from a lack of red cells (hemoglobin)?
As far as I read the only condition Peter Zezel had was hemolytic anemia - his blood cells would lysis, get destroyed - thereby lowing his hematocrite (red blood cells - and all the stuff inside such as hemoglobin, and releasing the other junk inside red blood cells in to the blood) faster than it can be reproduced. There are several causes of this. I could not find what condition lead to Peter Zezel's hemolytic anemia. They are either hereditary or acquired.
But that should not have been the cause of death necessarily...i did play hockey with the condition. Perhaps if facilitated the bleed, a secondary cause. The brain hemorrhage is what caused his death and the anemia may have been a facilitating factor.
Wikipedia says he undergone chemotherapy for something. Some malignancies can cause hemolytic anemia.
His spleen was removed suggesting either splenomegally due to the chronicity of his condition to the point of removal or he had Hereditary Spherocytosis as the cause of his hemolytic anemia whereby splenectomy is a classic treatment.
The truth is with the physicians and family.
Our prayers are with the family