I moved to the east side of Washington state when I started to notice not feeling 'upbeat'. Money was tight and my marriage was getting strained so I passed it off as stress. I spent three years in eastern WA when I managed to get a job at Microsoft. While we were packing the moving van I started sweating profusely, weak, and feeling out of breath. At that point, people were getting sick with the flu so I figured it was just a bug. Once we settled in our new apartment I can recall developing a dry cough (which everyone else had) feeling dizzy from time to time. Then in the mornings my eyes would see a tint of green to everything for the first few seconds. Then it lasted longer and longer with a green-ish spot left lingering in my field of vision. *For the guys* Upon waking, I noticed my manhood would be "awake" longer than usual. My body was telling me it's in trouble so off to a doctor appointment. It would've been made earlier but insurance from the new job hadn't kicked in yet.
Doc. #1's diagnosis: inner ear infection and prescribed vertigo pills. (feeling this was utter nonsense the rx wasn't filled and went in for a second opinion)
Doc. #2 wasn't nearly as old and out of touch. He took my blood and couldn't quite piece together all of the random problems. I received a call at 7pm that evening asking for my wife and I to come in and that's when the bomb was dropped. WBC count was 358K and he mentioned seeing blasts. Referred me to Cancer center in Kirkland WA.
Doc. #3 another blood draw at 11pm and WBC was now at 368K blasts were said to be at 2%, liver was about 5cm(i think) from my rib and belly was a bit distended.
Pin cushion time!! The Hospital would be my new home for the next five days (again, with no insurance)...Gallons of blood, pokes, prods, marrow aspirates/core samples taken. The Oncologist, Michelle Frank, and her nurse Connie were A-mazing! puts all the other providers i've been dealing with to shame. Even to this day they remember my name after four years of no contact
Fast forward through all the sleepless nights, divorce, fears, leg cramps, bone pain, hair thinning, rising blood glucose levels, and various other side effects I can now say that PCRU was achieved at ten months. PCRU continues to this day from that fateful day on Feb. 14, 2006.
I'm VERY thankful this forum exists otherwise WHO knows what my mental state would be.
