[Ryan Jay]

Hi there,

I'm Ryan and I am a two year survivor. I'll try to throw my two cents in here and maybe it will help a little bit.

We've all been there, and I can tell you that the first two weeks after my diagnosis were the absolute worst. Not only are you dealing with a serious illness but one that you have likely never heard of before. It's a huge double whammy of fear and confusion. And plus, I could barely walk because my counts were so low...make it a triple whammy.

That will subside a little bit when you get into fight mode. I actually felt so relieved once my team of hematologists put together a plan of action.

Not a doctor...but I feel comfortable saying that the treatments for AA are pretty standard. If your son has a sibling match, they will likely go bone marrow transplant first line. If he does not, they will go the route of ATG/Cyclosporine. Both can be very effective and represent the standard of care.

I had ATG in August of 2010 and it worked like a charm. My counts are all in the low normal range and I got my life back.

You also want to make sure that they check for PNH too...I'm sure they have mentioned it. If not, ask.

Just know that....you're in a siege war. It's winnable, but you are going to be in a long grinding campaign that isn't going to be resolved in a day. You beat this bastard with little victories over a long expanse of time.

Well, I hope I wasn't too over the top here. Please, keep us posted.