ATG#3. It became clear that my aplastic anemia would continue to relapse, despite the great responses to ATG. By 1989, my counts had begun to drop again. In April of 1991, I was admitted for a third round of ATG. Similar response, similar problems with Prednisone; life went on similarly afterward.

Bone Marrow Transplant? and ATG#4. By 1997, I had relapsed again. Dr. Castro felt that it was time to consider a bone marrow transplant, though the odds were not good. I was now 41 years old, had had 3 courses of immunosuppression and steroids, countless transfusions, and a liver compromised by hepatitis C. We searched the National Marrow Donor Program registry and found two donors that Dr. Castro felt were acceptable for a matched unrelated donor transplant. I researched transplant centers, how to fund the transplant, and planned my funeral. In the end, I decided against having the transplant. I was worried about Graft vs. Host disease and the possibility that the quality of my life post-transplant might not be as good as what I had been lucky to achieve with ATG. Over 17 years, I had spent more time healthy than sick. In 1998, I was admitted for the fourth course of ATG. Again, I had a quick, good response and an impossible time with the steroids.