[GretchenMW]

I just wanted to extend a hello, as I just joined tonight. Although I am not on the roller coaster ride that is AA or any other bone marrow failure for that matter...my journey was almost 28 years ago.

I was diagnosed at the age of 14...not all that far into the adventure of high school. My parents took me to my pediatrician after school one Friday night to see what was causing the unusual breathlessness I had been experiencing for a few weeks after getting over a run of the mill respiratory virus. A chest x-ray was done along with the routine finger stick. The x-ray was clear, but my blood counts was not. 1,000 platelets, WBC: 2.95; Hgb 5.5. My mom and I were in such shock as we left, we forgot that my younger sister was in the waiting room...If she hadn't followed us...well, I would like to think we would have remembered but I am not sure.

We had a 1/2 hr drive home in the dark remembering my doctor's suspicion that I either had Aplastic Anemia...which we had not heard of before...or leukemia...which we had heard of and didn't like one bit. After getting home and breaking the unbelievable news to my dad, my doctor called to let us know that the University Hospital in Madison WI wanted us up there that night. We arrived around 9:30pm and a bone marrow aspirate and biopsy was performed about midnight. The diagnosis was of course Aplastic Anemia. My parents told me many years later that my hematologist that night told them to be prepared that I may only live another month.

And here I am...by God's grace...almost 28 years later.

There is hope.