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Dave,
Given Alan's RAEB-1 subtype, Vidaza treatment makes sense. Don't be surprised that his counts drop and fluctuate while you wait for a positive response. It's common for patients to need transfusions and Procrit to boost counts during this period, so try to keep an eye on overall progress and not worry excessively about daily blood counts. Easier said than done.
Yes, GVH is sometimes severe, but plenty of people (including my wife) have taken that risk when the other choices are equally risky. Not being able to take steroids is certainly a handicap on your treatment choices, so now I understand how HIV interferes with Alan's MDS treatment. Even at a top-notch center like Duke, it's hard to find physicians with expertise in the overlap of two diseases. If you have a chance to talk to multiple experts, don't be shy about doing so.
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