I was diagnosed in March 2019 with primary myelofibrosis, and I had a stem cell transplant in September 2020. Between diagnosis and transplant, things carried on in a watch-and-wait (active surveillance) mode. I was able to continue my regular life and work in that interim period until I took leave for ten months for the transplant and then for recovery.
Of course, in that period I had frequent visits with health care practitioners, lots of bloodwork, a few transfusions, and various medications. My approach while “watching and waiting” was to try to fit the illness and everything connected with it into my life, rather than letting it take over or define my life too much. I was committed to that approach, and it worked quite well.
Perhaps the hardest part of finding out I had blood cancer was breaking the news to family and friends. But we managed all of that together.
I had and continue to have excellent medical care, which makes a tough road so much easier. There have been some bumps in the road since the transplant when things were not looking good health-wise, but I am in a good place now, still being monitored by health care practitioners, and still on medication, but in most respects back to my pre-cancer life.
The biggest change I have made is to reduce work commitments to give me more time for myself and relaxation. Also, I like to think that I am more thankful now for every day. If I were to give any advice to someone on this journey, it would be to find someone who has been through this and to talk to them. I did that, and it made a huge difference.
