Mark,
It sounds like you are in a great area of the country to receive good, up-to-date care. I found out about 4 years ago (fall of 2003) that my platelets were elevated (730,000), then a year or so later I learned that my gastroenterologist had done blood work in late '99 and my platelets were 682,000 way back then! Evidently my platelets have been elevated for at least 8 years. My hematologist did a bone marrow test, then sent me and the results to Emory in Atlanta in January 2005 for a second opinion. The hematologist there concurred with my hematologist's findings and suggested I start taking a daily aspirin if my platelets went over 1,000,000. They have gone as high as 987,000. When I found out about my platelets in 2003, I agonized for a long time about this problem -- it was about all I could think about, and always just below the surface of what I was doing or thinking. It was a blessing that I had those 4 years of "ignorant bliss" of not knowing from '99 to '03! Now I just live my life and don't worry too much about it. I know that generally my life expectancy should be fairly normal. It's really better to know about it than not to know, as we can try more diligently to live healthier lives... I try to eat well, take my vitamins faithfully and I know that I need to exercise more! I do take walks and I take the steps at work regularly. I have considered the enteric coated aspirin... The web site noted below is an interesting article regarding "All Aspirin Poses Risk of Bleeding" dated 9/8/07 -- another reason I hesitate to take aspirin regularly:

query.nytimes.com/gst/ful...A960958260

I take many nutritional supplements daily and a digestive enzyme with breakfast and supper (and sometimes with lunch). I am a firm believer in the use of antioxidants! I take a multi-vitamin, Vit. E, Vit. C, Calcium, Garlic, Lecithin and CoQ10 with fish oil.

You said something that concerned me... You said, "At the time she told me to also start aspirin I had mentioned some stomach pain..." Have you had your stomach checked? I had some stomach issues in '99 due to a bad beef stick that I ate and wound up with gastritis and esophagitis and helicobacter pylori bacteria. I took the medication to clear bacteria up, but didn't go back to my gastro doctor until about 5 years later. Well, the esophagitis had gotten worse and the diagnosis now is Barrett's Esophagus -- scary, as it CAN sometimes lead to cancer of the esophagus. I am more diligent now about seeing my gastro doctor regularly! You may need to have an endoscopy done to see if there are any problems going on with your stomach or esophagus. Better to catch it early and take care of the problem than to wait until it gets really bad! (What is it about turning 40 and all of a sudden there's more health issues to deal with?!)
Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book! But, please, get that stomach pain checked out (and read the article on the web site noted above about aspirin!).
Best Wishes,
Sharon