[David M]

Hello All,

It seems the years are flying by -- and so far, 2020 is a strange one! We have managed to avoid getting COVID-19 (so far), and aside from the weirdness of wearing masks in public, working from home, and not going many places... things haven't been too bad for us. Still, we wish for a return to "normal" -- if such is even possible now.

Today, I went for my yearly visit to my hematologist at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. Overall, it was an uneventful visit, but we certainly enjoyed talking with the doctor for a while about my ongoing condition and various options as we look ahead.

My situation with Mild AA is largely unchanged. In the past year, and in fact, for the past several years now, my counts have been pretty stable. Still, we watch and wait, and I deal with relatively minor inconveniences such as reduced stamina. I consider my current state a blessing -- compared to how it could be. And of course, I know things can change.

According to the doctor, he examined my blood cells under a microscope, and although fewer in number than "normal," he said the various types of cells all look healthy and well-formed -- which is a good thing. He commented again on the amazing stability of my counts over several years now -- low, but stable.

Below are counts from my last 4 CBCs (10/17/19, 2/17/20, 6/15/20, 7/9/20):
RBC: 2.88...2.76...2.67.... 2.80
WBC: 3.4...3.6...3.1... 3.5
Lymph #: 1.3...1.6...1.3.... 1.18
Lymph %: 38.3...44.2...41.3.... 33.4
Neut #: 1.45...1.1...1.08.... 1.57
Neut %: 43...30.4... 35.5... 44.5
Hgb: 10.5...10.0...9.8.... 10.1
HCT: 31.6...30.6... 29.5... 30.0
Platelet: 48...50...58.... 55

Thankfully, I have not had frequent infections, bleeding/bruising issues, etc. I have had some issues with stamina upon exertion, but in general, I bounce back after a few minutes of rest and recovery time.

I mentioned to the doctor that I also seem to be having some problems with focus and concentration -- my job requires me to read quite a bit and try to understand some pretty involved concepts... and it seems I have to work much harder than usual to keep my mind focused. Of course, it is hard to pinpoint or quantify this type of thing (e.g. I wonder to myself, "Am I just imagining all of this 'lack of focus' thing -- or is it real?"). The doctor suggested a B-Complex supplement might help some with focus -- i.e. some people he knows claim they have noticed an improvement after taking such for a while. I'll give it a try!

We also discussed possible medications that are now available that could possibly boost my blood production, raise my HGB, and provide overall improvement in stamina. However, the risk is likely not worth the reward in my case. The currently available meds all would likely provide some benefit, but they all have potential serious side-effects. We can revisit this idea if my overall counts take a downward turn at some point, but for now, it seems best not to go with the meds.

I guess that is all for now. Again, I am very thankful for the measure of health I've got -- it's not perfect, but it could be much worse. I am also thankful for this community. I hope and pray you have a blessed 2020!

And be careful out there!

Until next time,
David M