Blood transfusions

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

So many of us have different reactions to the similiar drugs for CML. I

never had a transfusion in my life until I started SKI, but have had several

since I did start getting them. I wish I didn't have to, but when it becomes

necessary, my body just seems to cry out for them.

The norm here is wait until your HGB goes below 9. Today mine was 10.l, higher

than normal. One doctor used to use my Hct numbers to decide if I needed

Aranesp or Procrit. That required my getting a cbc every other week and a

Procrit shot every week. None of the oncologists in this area keep Aranesp

because they claim the patients don't request it, but I liked it because I only

needed a shot every other week. I am on Medicare, too, and once I have been

given 2 units of blood, I have to replace the rest until the end of the fiscal

year, gut that is hospital policy. I hae never been asked to replace the blood

at MDACC. People don't line up around the block to donate blood, as there is

always a shortage of it. The irony of it is I was a regular contributor of

blood before I was diagnosed. I went to the hospital for x-rays and then went

to the blood bank and they refused my blood because they said I may need surgery

and would need my blood. The following week, I was in ER with a very bad attack

of GERD. The doctors must have sent a copy to my internist who called and

alerted me that there was something wrong with my blood count to come in and get

tested again.

I have a niece who is a nurse in the Tampa area, but don't know where she works,

but has been in neonatology and dialysis for most of her nursing career. The

corporation she worked for was owned by doctors. She worked out of New Orleans,

but they sold their interests there and she was offered a job in their Florida

offices, so that is how she got to Florida. She loves it there. When she

built her house, it was of cement, so she's not worried about high winds. Take

care.

Blessings,

Lottie