Blood Cancer....

[ffuries]

Just got off the phone with my little brother (52 years old, and younger brother according to him, since he's taller than me, so he can't be my little brother), and he informed me he was diagnosed with Blood Cancer (Polycythemia Vera), basically his body is producing too much red blood cells and platelets, while his white blood cell count is normal.

This basically causes the blood to be thicker than normal. So to combat it they have put him on Aspirin for now to thin his blood, might change to an actual blood thinner if needed, plus they are doing a Phlebotomy.

"This procedure removes blood from your body. At first this must be done often, such as every week. Once enough blood has been removed to reduce your body's iron stores (needed to make blood quickly), you will not need this done as often."

So they are starting out with taking a pint of blood every week, then after X amount of time they'll reduce the frequency.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... hemia-vera

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20355850

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20355850

[Junk Yard Dog]

This is probably the only time when the old time Docs would have been correct in bleeding somebody as they would do for anything and everything. I imagine this will come with a low iron diet, and medications. It's always something, sorry to hear it, I hope he improves quickly.

[Darryl]

I'm so sorry. I hope they have a "long term" answer to this type of cancer.
Is the treatment to "take a pint" a long term thing or do they have a process?

A man at 53 should not have to go through this (if I were in charge - which I am not).

Sorry to hear that.

Darryl