[davisk]

Thank you Neil for taking the time to respond. You have offered me very wise and comforting words. I am definitely learning to surrender myself to the processes of the managing this disease and while simultaneously maintaining a positive attitude. I think this will be strengthened with time. Let the healing begin. Best wishes, and I will keep you informed!

Originally Posted by Neil Cuadra

Kensley

In my experience, the shock of an SAA diagnosis is enough to throw anyone off balance. Coping with the medical issues requires a team effort of you, your doctors, and your support team (family, friends, etc.).

You also need ways to cope with the disruption to your life. I think this has two sides. First is realizing and accepting that some of your life has necessarily gone on hold, because you have to take care of your health above all else. Three to six months seems like a long time when you're at the starting gate, but given the importance of proper treatment and a full recovery, it's a tiny delay compared to a lifetime of future plans. You might not be up to attending law school if it started today, but you can still apply to law school.

The second aspect is that your daily life is continuing, despite the medical demands on your body and your time. During treatment and recovery there won't be enough time for everything you would otherwise be doing, but there's time for some of it. Prioritizing is the key. When my wife and I were going to the hospital multiple times per week after her ATG, we had to choose what activities we'd make time for and what we could do without. When you face that choice it makes you realize that we often spend time on unproductive tasks that we'd be fine without, or that some of what we do can easily be delayed. In your case it's about continuing education and the start of a career. In our case it was about work, family, and hobbies.

There are bound to be daily and weekly ups and downs during ATG recovery, but I hope your counts rise and your overall recovery goes well. I also hope you can draw some strength and support from people who have been in similar situations.