Thank you all for your opinions, many times lay people suffering from a disease know as much, if not more about it than the experts! She still seems to be in pain after her transfusions, but she definitely sleeps a lot when she needs them, and even refuses to eat or drink. If we push her, she will usually throw up
. As far as the altitude is concerned, as far as I know you are absolutely correct. At altitude compromised individuals will have lower O2 sats. The only way we compensate is by making more RBCs to carry more oxygen, and she can't do that. The only people who have truly adapted are the sherpas! I see people come here to retire and soon after their health starts failing. We're moving to lower altitude when we get older, lol!