Good morning, rjperk633 (@rjperk633)

Thank you, thank you for all this information! I went over it all with my partner. Your messages have helped her refine many of her remaining questions. She's waiting right now for a call back from her hematologist's nurse. This is a whole new world for her, as you might imagine––as it is for me, too. As she'll not have her first week of chemo until next week, she and I are both trying to get a sense of what will be expected of us (when to be where? for how long? what to expect? etc.).

You mention blasts. She and I are trying to figure out just how much of the question of blasts impacts her particular MDS situation. The word, blasts, has been mentioned in passing, but not with enough explanation for us to be able to place the concept among all the other new names and numbers we're hearing. We've much to learn!

I did take my partner for a blood draw yesterday. Her numbers were low (hardly unexpected). We thought perhaps her doctor would phone when he saw the numbers and urge my partner to get yet another unit of blood, even before she begins her chemo; his nurse did phone, but told us, although the lab numbers might otherwise warrant a blood transfusion, the doctor told us only to watch for any new, alarming symptoms (bleeding); otherwise, continue to contend with the extreme fatigue until chemo begins next Monday.

Again, a MILLION THANKS from both of us for your super helpful messages!
Ray (@ray666)