Hi, Dee.
Welcome to Marrowforums. Many of our members have found themselves in the same situation you are in: a parent who has been healthy and energetic gets short of breath, has trouble with stairs, and lo and behold, a diagnosis of MDS results. The most important thing to know about MDS is that no two people are the same and the statistics that you may read will not necessarily apply to your father. There are many treatment options out there today and people can live with MDS for a long time with a good quality of life.
If you haven't already done so, you should contact the
Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation and ask for their information packet on MDS. The Foundation has a wealth of information about the disease and current treatments options. Their specialists can answer a lot of questions.
Here at Marrowforums you will be able to hear first-hand how people cope with MDS--both from the patient side and from the caregiver side. You may even find people being treated at the same hospital or by the same doctor. Post your questions here and we will try to help.
Regards,
Ruth Cuadra