My real hematologist, redux

I got to visit John on Friday for a routine follow up. It was everything I could have hoped for. I was happy to see him and to catch him up on what I had been up to while he was out of clinic. He told me about running the NYC marathon with med school friends. I was flattered that he remembered that I liked to run.

My labs were normal. OK, normal for me. I may never make a lot of platelets again, alright? They're overrated. Who needs 'em, anyway? I never liked platelets very much and don't see why people get all excited about them in the first place. And, anyway, who's to say that the 120's aren't the optimum range? I mean, who put those people who set up the normal ranges for lab tests in charge anyway? I didn't rant to John--actually he told me he thought I was appropriately not excited about my mild thrombocytopenia. 

I then explained to him why I think I have an IgA deficiency which is actually a nice piece of general medicine. It's really important to me that he knows I'm a pretty good internist so I was pleased that he seemed to be able to see this fact when I laid out the story. I've never felt before like he particularly understood that. After we were done with the leukemia follow up part, he very kindly chatted with me for a while about hospice and I offered to have his fellows or students come down and spend time with me in the clinic or at the hospice house. He asked practical questions about scheduling, etc so maybe it will really happen.

It was so great to see him again.

Me, after the Great Island 5K a few weeks ago.

May there be many more happy reunions for us all.