[quote][b]extramedullary hematopoiesis[/b]: red blood cell production outside the vertebrae. Red blood cells are derived from the stem cells in the bone marrow throughout the body. When individuals become severely anemic, there is not enough space in the ctive bone marrow to produce hemoglobin, and the body begins to make blood outside the bone marrow: in the spleen, liver, and sometimes outside the vertebrae, which can compress the spinal cord, leading to [b]paralysis[/b][/quote] I heard of paralysis happening to a painter (who died this past 2003 as a young man about 35). He was being seen for [b]prostate cancer[/b], and he had pain in his back & bones, but didn't get a diagnosis for that. He was paralyzed due to?

His family (after his death) said that he had all of the symptoms of this chemical exposure, 2-butoxyethanol - (& of course he was exposed to the chemical) but he didn't get an accurate diagnosis - they didn't know what was happening with his bones. Since there is a red blood cell anemia, I was wondering if the above definition was part of what is happening to these .... (either from very extreme, serious exposure to too much of the chemical even in a brief exposure, or in many mini exposures over a long period of time)?

The chemical that affects painters & many others is 2-butoxyethanol (a pesticide, solvent, poison). The first thing people notice who are affected by it is all the time [b]fatigue[/b] that no rest helps - No energy; then depression all the time, very grouchy personality changes ... This chemical, also known as ethylene glycol monobuytl ether, is known to cause hemolytic anemia, but I have wondered why it is so hard to find. The red blood cell counts come in borderline normal. Then I realized that it takes awhile for the blood system to get so bad that it shows up. The retic ratio should indicate if there aren't enough mature red blood cells, shouldn't it?
-Maggie

2-14-04

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?p=859662#post859662