[Rosemary]

Hi! Just a word about the bone marrow biopsy. They had to scrape me off the wall when they said the doctor was going to do one, but he froze me first, and talked all the way through it, and it wasn't too bad. He told me I would feel some "pulling" when he got the bone marrow out, and I did, but no pain. Afterwards there wasn't any bleeding, just a bit of soreness at the site for a day or two, but nothing that stopped me doing my normal things. Now it seems to be different with everyone, as an MDS friend said hers was awful, or perhaps it's the way the hospital does them.
I am on Revlimid and my platelets and white count have dropped, but that is a side effect. It's hard to avoid bumps and bruises, and my hands and arms look a mess. I gather that platelet transfusions don't last long in the body, and the body can soon develop a resistance to them, which causes problems, so they are a last resort. If he isn't bleeding badly, it might be as well to leave them for emergencies.
Good luck to your father on his journey. I have been living with MDS over three years since diagnosis, and I carry on as normal, but rest in the afternoons. You have to listen to your body and don't push it too much if it doesn't feel like it.