[Henry C]

Hi Wayne, I served in Nam 1970-1971 in the Army Artillery Unit. I was diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia in 2013 and have been taking hydroxurea ever since. My platelets were at 700,000 but are now around 450,000 which is fine with my oncologist. I visited a VA clinic several years ago and the doctor suggested I file an AO claim and said if your boots hit the ground in Nam it an AO exposure. I filed a claim with the VA with the help of the Veterans Assistance Commission in my county. I was turned down, filed a letter of disagreement and that was declined. My oncologist was a former VA doctor and he warned it was an uphill battle. I hope there will be strength in numbers so we can get the VA to realized this condition is related to AO. I have two brothers and relatives who never had this condition so I can rule out heredity.