I get blood work done four times a year now, and I see Dr. Klix twice a year. I no longer see Dr. DiPersio, since a BMT no longer seems as likely as it once did.
I have a new job now. I left my previous employer of almost 13 years for a new opportunity at another company in town. Let me tell you, switching insurance is a real pain. All new rules, copays, websites to figure out. Not easy. I'm happy to have insurance, though. Many people in this country aren't as fortunate as I am. Medical bills from something like Aplastic Anemia can easily bankrupt a family.
Of course, I still take my daily Cyclosporine. 100Mg caps, taken twice a day. Or b.i.d. if you're into Latin. It's the same dosage I've taken for a little over three years. The smell hasn't gotten any better, but I'm pretty used to it by now.
Last year I was introduced to Gout. It's a form of arthritis where a build up of Uric Acid causes painful swelling in my toe. Like just-got-smashed-by-a-hammer kind of pain. Gout can be associated with Cyclosporine usage. It also runs in my family, so I was probably destined to get it either way.
I've come to terms with the fact that I'll likely never be cured of Aplastic Anemia. I'll be dealing with AA, Cyclosporine, and any related side-effects for the rest of my life. And that's okay. I have a good doctors and supportive friends and family to help me. We all have to go through trials in life, and if Aplastic Anemia is the worst that ever happens to me then I'll consider myself a very lucky guy.