[KellyDIL]

Hello Hugh,

My MIL was just diagnosed with severe AA. Although I don't have much info to offer you, I thought it would be good to get in touch with you to see if there are any similarities, etc. She lived in Bethany Beach, so not far! She is currently at GWU for ATG treatment (although I wish she had gone to Hopkins!) She is now in the ICU with pneumonia, but slowly getting better. She and her husband haven't been home for 2 months. She had a seizure while they were at a wedding in Virginia (the weekend of the big hurricane in August!) So thank goodness she was not in Bethany or she probably would have died! I think it is great that you are traveling to Hopkins although that drive must be hard. I hope you have some support from family and/or friends. My MIL is about 65 and has been living in Bethany full time for about 8 years. However, she lived in BB during the summer months for the past 35 or so years. She does not know the cause yet of her AA. Do you know what might have caused your MDS? I am concerned she might actually have MDS and not AA, but hopefully the MD made the correct diagnosis. I hope the treatments are going well for you and perhaps we can keep in touch to pass information to each other? I read about a great MD at Hopkins who helped completely cure some people of AA with the use of Cyclophosphamide I believe. What doctor are you using? With diseases as rare as AA and MDS I feel like it might be worth that extra hassle of going to Hopkins or GWU, as I haven't seen the best healthcare in Delaware (I've lived over there for the past 3 years, but now moved to Charlottesville). Take care!

Kelly