Covid 19/MPNs - Shielding or Not!: This is my... - MPN Voice

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Covid 19/MPNs - Shielding or Not!

Trueblue8 profile image
4 Replies

This is my story, it's quite long but if you read to the end, hopefully there is a point to it!

In 2013 I had a PE post surgery and was very poorly. I was told it was a 1 in 1000 chance.

In 2015 I was getting up in the night probably too much, my wife persuaded me to go to my GP. He said it was unlikely at 54 that I had prostate cancer but referred me to the hospital. Following a biopsy I was back the following week to the consultant and was told I had stage 1 prostate cancer.

Last year I had to have a prostate biopsy under general and the pre op bloods picked up my high platelets. Then referred to Haematology. Bloods taken but was told ET was very unlikely (between 1 and 3 in every 100000).

3 weeks later I was back with consultant and given the news that I had tested positive for the JAK 2 mutation (put on hydroxycarbamide and aspirin)

My whole point in sharing this is to highlight that when we are told that something is unlikely to happen, it doesn't mean it won't!

Whatever your own MPN variants and medications, we are all at some sort of increased risk and however small, why on earth would you take that risk. The outbreak of Coronavirus is a once in a generation occurrence so if you can just take those extra precautions, whether or not you get a letter, you will all hopefully stay safe. There is lots of advice out there, some of it conflicting, but the simple fact is the experts don't really know how we would be affected. My Haematologist has told me I'm in the high risk group and I will be self isolating as much as I can but still exercising away from other people.

My experiences have taught me that where my health is concerned it's sometimes sensible to assume 'worst case scenario', without being completely over the top!

I, for one, don't want to become another statistic 'with an underlying health condition'.

Rant over, stay safe everyone.

Ian

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Trueblue8
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4 Replies
Otterfield profile image
Otterfield

Not a rant at all - your story illustrates that very unlikely things do indeed happen. Best wishes and stay safe.

socrates_8 profile image
socrates_8

Great common sense Ian...

Stay safe & well...

Steve

Marie95 profile image
Marie95

Hello Ian

Absolutely agreed with all you have said. No second chances in life, if any of us MPN’ers catch its probably likely it would present difficulties to say the least with a most of us having compromised immune systems. I haven’t received NHS letter but heam confirmed high risk due to meds. So no letter for work as yet but will defo stay away for 12 weeks regardless paid or unpaid. Obviously a fellow blue😀 stay safe & well

Marie

Trueblue8 profile image
Trueblue8 in reply to Marie95

Hi Marie, I am a blue - that's Chelsea blue, through and through! You?

Ian

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