It's been a while since I've posted, and that's good news.  In fact, I'm planning on this being my last post!  I'm now almost 9 months out from my stem cell transplant and I'm doing very well.  As I tell everyone, "the doctors are happy so I'm happy".  Most of my blood counts are now in the normal range and most importantly, my hemoglobin.  I haven't had a transfusion since July.  My platelets are still sluggish coming back to the normal rage but they're slowly improving.  My weight is also coming back.  I'm still limited to one beer a week but hopefully that will be increased before summer!  Sometime during the next month or two they'll do another test to see if I still have the Vexas genetic mutation.  

From what I understand, as of early February there have now been 7 Vexas patients in the world treated with stem cell transplants, including one more at Mayo in Rochester.  6 of these patients are doing very well, but unfortunately one passed away.  He was severely sick and it was a last chance effort for him.  My doctor feels that a stem cell transplant will now be the first treatment done when a patient is diagnosed with Vexas.  I continue to keep in touch with my doctors from NIH and they're super excited that I've done so well.  

Finally, I want to thank all of you, friends and family, for all the help and support during this time.  It would have been impossible to get through this without you.  I'm going to ask you all to consider doing one more thing.  Bethematch.org is the organization that coordinates bone marrow and stem cell transplants in the United States and in many other countries.  Please go to their website and consider becoming a donor.  It saved my life.  You can help save many more.  Dan