My husband is a 1 year survivor of MDS. Yes it can be fatal, but with treatment he can live a long time. It sounds like your dad is depressed. He needs to ask for meds for this. I asked my husband's doc initially for the anti-depressants for my husband, because he was sooooo down!
They did help. He has been redecorating the house since the summer. He cannot drive due to pain meds, so he does things here at home while I work. He is just 53. You can get information from the aa/mds association. They will send you all kinds of info. They will update you with info on new meds and promising treatments.
Do you go to the appointments with him? I am there at every one. If I cannot go, my daughter will go for me. This way I hear what the Doc has to say.
My husband responded after 4 treatments of Vidaza, along with neupogen and neumega. He continued to do well. Then when he took a month off this counts dropped. This put him in a funk. He bounced back though. Some people take five treatments to see results. Others need to try a different tac.
The doc can tell you what is best for your dad's situation. There are so many variations to this disease that it goes by individual.
I will pray for your dad and you. Get on the websites and in the printed info, and get a positive attitude yourself. It is hard but it will help him.
Linda