[PattiDean]

Hello Beth,

I have been following your thread, and it is almost as though I am reading about my husband, Dean. I am not up to date on many of the different treatments available as my husband was diagnosed June 27 with MDS - RAEB-t, his blasts were 17%. We are just in the beginning of all of the ups and downs of this awful disease.

My husband has only had one session of Dacogen, July 9 - 13, he is scheduled to begin his second session tomorrow. He seemed to do fine during the week he was receiving treatment. His labs were as follows:

WBC 1.0, RBC 2.71, HGB 9.3 and PLT 19 - July 9, first day of Dacogen
WBC 1.7, RBC 2.45, HGB 8.7 and PLT 15 - July 13, last day of Dacogen

On Saturday, July 14 he went to the hospital to be transfused with 6 units of blood and 2 units of platelets.

On July 15, Sunday, we met his oncologist in the office so he could give my husband an injection of Neulasta.

On July 16, Monday, my husband was very weak and his body was trembling, he stayed in bed all day.

July 17, Tuesday we had an appointment with the oncologist for lab work. They drew the blood and immediately they told us to get to the hospital. Dean's lab showed:

WBC 0.3, RBC 3.01, HGB 10.1, PLT 3

Dean was so weak, he couldn't even stand up, he tells me he doesn't even remember going to the hospital or even me visiting with him. Dean was in the hospital until July 24, he received transfusions almost every other day and Neupogen injections everyday. They had him in isolation and removed his PICC line, so his arms were black and blue from drawing blood and his veins began to collapse or hide.

Everyday after being released from the hospital, until yesterday, we drove to the oncologist's office for lab work and Neupogen, even on the week end.

On Thursday Dean had another transfusion of blood and platelets. Friday was the best counts Dean has had since his dx. The doctor told us we don't have to come to the office this week end for labs or Neupogen, it felt good to finally have a quiet week end.

WBC 2.5, RBC 3.35, HGB 10.3 PLT 43

Dean is to begin his second session of Dacogen tomorrow. He is apprehensive because of what happened after his first session. The oncologist also wants to begin Dean on Revlimid, but we have to go to the VA to see if they will cover it. Dean receives all his other prescriptions through the VA.

My husband is still very weak and tired, he tries to get up and do something, but he begins shaking and gets short of breath. We feel like we will never get our lives back, and your last post said exactly how I feel. It is just Dean and I, he is my best friend and I don't know what I will do when he is no longer here. It frightens me. I know Dean is fighting because he doesn't want to leave me, but it is sad to see all that he has gone through since we found out he has MDS.

Your posts seem to say everything I am feeling, but I don't know how to put my thoughts into words. Thank you.

Patti