Shaun, like you, I was diagnosed young. It was a month before my 21st birthday. I had ruptured a disc in my spine and it was routine pre-op tests that alerted my surgeon to a problem. They red-flagged my chart, my surgery was postponed, and I found myself having a bone marrow biopsy instead. I was diagnosed at just over 2 million platelets per microliter, and now I average around 1-1.5 million. Now I'm about to turn 31, and I've had 10 years to absorb my diagnosis. I'm currently on asprin therapy, but after all this time it's taking a toll on my stomach. At the time of my diagnosis, my hem-onc thought it wise to hold off as long as possible on meds, and I'm thankful for that decision. I've read a lot about the risks and side effects of these drugs, and they sound worse than the disease itself. The only other treatment I've had was a short term fix. I had plateletpheresis prior to my surgery to reduce the risk of a bleeding episode during surgery. In the beginning, I struggled with my diagnosis and the feeling of isolation. Other than family, I found that people around me started coming around less and less, then not at all. The best relationship I formed during this time with with my oncologist. That is also the best advice I can offer to newly diagnosed ET patients. Don't be afraid to ask questions and take an active role in your treatment. I see by your member name that you are a Veteran, so I know you have the strength and courage you'll need to get you through this. I also sincerely thank you for your service, because it's people like YOU who inspire me to be brave. I lost my Dad a few years ago to lung cancer. He was a Vietnam Veteran, and we discovered his cancer was caused by exposure to Agent Orange. One of the last things he said to me was that he was glad it was him and not me that was dying. When I think of people like him who battle to cling to life, my cancer doesn't seem to bad. I wish you all the best and hope that I can help you cope a little better when you see how long I've been thriving with this disease. I plan on getting really, really old and demanding free coffee at McDonalds because I'm a senior citizen. lol Feel free to e-mail me anytime if you need to vent or just want to chat with someone who has "been there, done that." Good luck!
Allison
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