[milliken2]

Maria and Lola;

Thanks so much for the belated birthday wishes. And yes - it was a wonderful evening - one that I will remember forever. I have saved the wrist bands, tickets, etc, and put them in my journal. Sometimes those 'memories' need refreshing.

He has had a bad week - got a large bag of platelets on Tuesday - and the Dr. refused to order blood as well, even though his Hgb was 8.3 - and I am beginning to wonder about that. We had a blood draw this AM - and his Hgb was down to 7.1, and his platelets are still only 14,000. So, tomorrow, we go back to the hospital for 2 units of blood, one large bag of platelets, and the Desferal afterwards. This will mean an all day hospital day for him. I will get him settled, then come home and do laundry and probably mow the grass.

We have an appointment with a GI doc on the 23rd of the month - and I am going to have him get the upper and lower GI, and also request the camera endoscopy to make sure there is not a bleed somewhere. It seems that he has just been getting too much blood, and the transfusions don't even seem to give him any energy anymore. He's just exhausted all the time, and can't do a thing. and I don't think the Dacogen is doing a thing, except to make him weaker.

Thanks again for the well wishes- but it is Earl who needs the help and prayers.

Beth