 The patient is a 78-year-old gentleman with no substantial past medical history except for diabetes.  He denies any comorbid complications of the diabetes including kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, vision loss, or neuropathy.  At this time, he has been admitted for anemia with hemoglobin of 7.1 and requiring transfusion.  He reports that he has no signs or symptom of bleeding and had a blood transfusion approximately two months ago and actually several weeks before that blood transfusion, he had a transfusion for anemia.  He has been placed on B12, oral iron, and Procrit.  At this time, we are asked to evaluate him for further causes and treatment for his anemia.  He denies any constitutional complaints except for fatigue, malaise, and some dyspnea.  He has no adenopathy that he reports.  No fevers, night sweats, bone pain, rash, arthralgias, or myalgias.