I am 40 with two small children. I was diagnosed in autumn 2013 after a portal vein thrombosis, which in itself was scary. After referral to a haematologist and a bone marrow biopsy, I was told that I had essential thrombocythaemia and was JAK 2 positive.
At the time, it was TRULY AWFUL!. Your mortality stares you right in the face. I was very lucky to have plenty of the ‘3F’s’; family, friends, and my faith.
What I’ve learnt over the last nine months is that you do go beyond being defined by your condition. It takes time and is a process just like any other. Don’t beat yourself up about it, just give yourself lots of time to absorb it all. Every day is a step beyond diagnosis.
I am now taking Pegasys, which I’m finding psychologically better than hydroxycarbamide; let’s face it, chemotherapy is a brutal word.
Lastly, I’m very lucky to have been pointed towards Professor Harrison and her team. The haematology department at Guy’s is like a little oasis in a big scary hospital!
