Chronic anemia + sluggish bone marrow = frequent transfusions

[jml]

Hi Friends~
Would love to hear your opinions, feedback, suggestions...
After all these years on treatment, my bone marrow is just not able to keep up and I'm chronically anemic, especially these past 2 years. So fearful of developing MDS (like Robin Roberts) but I'm not going to borrow problems from tomorrow that I pray never come.

When I was first diagnosed 11 years ago, it was standard to pre-emptively treat with Procrit, then more recently Aranesp, but in the past year & half my cancer center opts for transfusions vs. epo. Apparently their stance is that the risk vs. reward is too great. I can't argue with that.
Fortunately there is no limit to how many transfusions one can have, but it's a pretty arduous process. First you have to get so symptomatic and your H&H have to fall low enough before they'll transfuse. It's such a bummer to know that you have to feel your energy deteriorate and the symptoms increase before you can get to the solution that makes you feel better. In the meantime, as my energy drains away, my house gets messier, dishes go unwashed, dog goes unwalked and the fatigue is impenetrable by naps, sleeping in and lying on the couch all day.

Just wondering if any of you out there have your own experiences to share?

Heading off to have labs drawn to check H&H and cross & type in anticipation of another transfusion, hopefully sooner than later.

Keeping the Faith~

Jessica