[David M]

Hello Once Again,

Well, I have taken another trip around the sun, so it is time for another yearly update. The good news -- and the bad news -- is that things are really about the same overall. I would like for my blood counts to be "normal," but I'm very happy that I enjoy the measure of health that I do. My hemotologist describes my condition as "Moderate Aplastic Anemia," and I am thankful it is only moderate and not severe!

In this past year, things have been somewhat uneventful healthwise -- which is great! I think I had a second bout of Covid in January 2022, although I tested "negative." However, at the time, my son who lives with us tested positive, and we had the exact same symptoms. In addition, I also lost my sense of taste and smell. So, I'm pretty sure it was Covid... and for me, it was like a mild flu.

Other than that, I feel that my lack of stamina and overall fatigue has increased slightly over the last year. Of course, I am getting a bit older as well (now 58 years old), which may naturally account for some loss in these areas.

I feel also that it is more difficult for me to focus mentally -- i.e. to concentrate. As a software engineer, I often need to look at others' code and try to figure out and unravel how the code works... or to understand the nuances of the syntax of an unfamiliar software language -- and I get frustrated with myself as I try to focus on the task at hand. Again, aging likely plays some role here, but I have to believe a moderately low hemoglobin certainly doesn't help matters.

Below are counts from my last 3 CBCs (10/20/21, 4/18/22, 7/7/22):
RBC:........2.94....3.02....2.96
WBC:.......3.9........4.4....3.6
Lymph #:..1.7......2.00....1.5
Lymph %:.44.3....44.9.....41.3
Neut #:....1.35....1.47....1.25
Neut %:...34.8....33.3.....34.4
Hgb:........10.4....10.7....10.6
HCT:........31.6....33.1....32.0
Platelet:...57.......80......82

About the same as it has been overall for the last several years -- which is a good thing! I'm very thankful for such counts!

Also, one more thing... I mentioned my brother's situation in an earlier update. After getting Covid in the Fall of 2020, he was put in the local hospital for Covid pneumonia... and while there they noticed his blood counts were very low. Further testing revealed he had a rare, slow-moving, blood cancer known as myelofibrosis -- it might have not been diagnosed if he hadn't been put in the hospital for Covid! Since my last update, he has had a successful stem cell transplant, and he is now approaching one year post-transplant (it will be 1-year on July 21). He is currently battling some graft-vs-host issues, but otherwise, all his blood tests, etc., have been excellent!

Until next time,
David M