Thank you Henry. Welcome.

Let me a minute to refresh where I'm at. I've returned twice to the hospital for overnight stays, the last being a week ago After. the first shot nothing really happened and my hemoglobin actually went down when I had the blood work last Wednesday before the second shot. I went in to the hospital and got three additional pints. When I left, my hemoglobin was 9.3 and I felt much better.

Today I went for the third shot. From what I have read and heard from medical friends, Aranesp works reasonably quickly but in terms of bone marrow this means 2 to 6 weeks or so. I was hoping that I could at least maintain or maybe drop only a tenth or two. I awaited the bloodwork results and found I was at 9.8. My joy knew no bounds. We'll see where we are next week and what the Doc has to say and go from there but this was at least encouraging and I ain't felt too encouraged lately.

To all my fellow travellers aboard this thread...........Please keep posting. I think of you all and check in often. I think I'm going to leave a note more often though........even if I have nothing to say. Best thoughts to all and a request for Nigel to give Jane and Ann a "Spaw Hug" and I'll send him a really big hug to pass around. Matter of fact, ALL of you need to be considered as "Spaw Hugged!"


Spaw