[Alice P]

My husband's hematologist agreed to try a little experiment, although he had doubts about the outcome. John was admitted to the local hospital on Monday with a Hgb of 8.8 (and barely able to walk). He had 4 units of pRBC infused overnight along with a bag of platelets (13,000 upon admission). He was discharged Tuesday morning and, today, Wednesday, while I was at work, John spent most of the day outdoors. He drove himself into town, went to the bank, post office, and bakery. He started up the tractor and took a ride around the property. When I came home, he was messing around in his workshop. This is the first day he has been able to do much but lie in bed since October. I'm not sure how high his Hgb got or how long the benefits will last, but the extra red cells sure have given him a reason to enjoy life again. He goes for a CBC tomorrow. I am looking forward to receiving those results and sharing the results of the transfusions with the doctor.