[DebS]

Hello all,

I have been reading and reading everyone's stories and posts for some time now. It has really been getting me through the past months. I felt that if I didn't post my current story that it somehow wasn't real. Now I see that was wrong as I could use some support right now. The reality has set in big time!

Doug had a BMB this past Tuesday and as we feared the MDS is moving to AML very quickly. His blasts are still low at 3.8% so I thought we might be okay. However the Hg and platelets were plummeting. His Hg is 7.6 and platelets are at 38 after having a platelet transfusion on Tues. That was his first platelet transfusion and he has had only one blood transfusion since this whole thing started at the end of December. So we have been lucky for awhile. We were able to have a somewhat normal life and do some things like traveling to Yellowstone in June and spending time with friends and family this summer. However, that is all about to change. The doctor told us that there will be lots of transfusions in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, there is good news. His brother has been tested and he is a 10/10 match. We were so grateful and blessed with that news. I know that we are very lucky.

What I wanted to know is if anyone knows anything about Loyola for a SCT. We had wanted to go to UW at Madison but there is a dispute with his insurance that has been going on for 7 months!!! Otherwise we would have had a plan in place and been ready to go. Now we are going to Loyola for a consult next week. We do have friends and family there so that will be good. Anyplace else, we would have been on our own.

I know in reading these forums that there are those of you going through a whole lot more. I am praying and thinking about you all. God bless!

Thank you.
Deb