Welcome to our CaringBridge site. We've created it to keep friends and family updated.
Bill has been managing Myelodisplastic syndrome (MDS), a disease in which damaged bone marrow cells have a hard time creating one or more kinds of blood cells, for over 9 years (more info on MDS here (
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/myelodysplasticsyndrome/index)). Last year his blood counts became low enough that he had to have multiple blood transfusions. He began chemo, 7 of every every 28 days (in MDS chemo is continued indefinitely), along with a trial medication to help make new blood cells and the MDS stabilized for a time. The trial he was involved in ended much sooner than expected and the monthly chemo has been grueling. Bill's doctor said that if a bone marrow transplant was something he wanted, now would be the time. And here we are. The transplant or technically "graft" is scheduled for Saturday March 19th. You can find more information about bone marrow transplants here (
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/treatmenttypes/bonemarrowandperipheralbloodstemcelltransplant/stem-cell-transplant-transplant-process).
We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.
