Dave has always lived an active lifestyle. But in the years leading up to his diagnosis of PV, a type of myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), in 2011, he noticed a stark change in his stamina. At first, he didn’t think much of it, figuring it was from getting older. But when blood work taken during a routine physical exam raised a flag, he saw a hematologist and was diagnosed with PV.

Prior to his diagnosis, Dave held a physically demanding job as a police officer. When he wasn’t at work, he spent his spare time going out with friends, traveling to visit family, playing a weekly game of pool, frequenting the gym and participating in judo competitions.

After his symptoms presented themselves, however, his life changed. Dave explained that most days he still goes to the gym first thing in the morning, but as he described it, “by the time I go to bed I feel like I’m a 90-year-old man.” He talked about how his fatigue has made it difficult to spend time with friends or travel to see his siblings. He sometimes has difficulty concentrating when playing pool, forgetting if he should aim for the stripes or solids. He’s also had to give up competing in judo.

He vividly recalled a family trip to New York City, where he struggled with fatigue because of the extensive walking he was doing. They eventually found a nearby bar where they could sit down and rest, but walking to a barstool felt like he had to “wade through waist-high water.”

He also shared that many of his friends, neighbors and family still don’t understand how his PV makes him feel. “When they look at you, they don’t see a sick person. They see a healthy person.” he said.

As Dave shared his PV story with The Unseen Journey team, generative artificial intelligence (AI) experts turned his words into vivid visual depictions of what it feels like to live with his MPN symptoms. When looking at the AI-generated images, Dave could see his experiences in each of them and felt relieved to find a visual way to show the people in his life what he experiences living with PV.

Despite all the ways his MPN symptoms have affected him, Dave emphasized that he tries his best not to complain and to make the most of life. But that hasn’t stopped him from speaking up about his symptoms with his family and health care team, who help him manage his PV and track any changes he notices. He credits his healthy lifestyle and keeping his health care team informed for the success he’s had managing his symptoms.

Dave’s best advice to other people living with an MPN is to “make your life as fun as you can and as comfortable as you can.” Though he lives with his symptoms most days, you’ll still find Dave hitting the weights at the gym each morning, focusing on his next rep and his health.