Kitty asked in a private email whether Wes's doctors knew he was taking generic
Alagebrium. A comprehensive file is kept on each patient, accessible by the
dialysis nurses and by the renal doctors. This includes a list of
non-prescribed medications, including in Wes's case Alagebrium. Wes's renal
specialist has never commented on any of Wes's non-prescribed medications. so I
suspect he does not know Wes is taking Alagebrium.

He did apologize some months ago for having said Wes had a bad heart. In August
2007, he admitted Wes to hospital for a suspected heart problem. The problem
turned out to be indigestion. When I walked into the ward to see Wes, the renal
specialist and a cardiologist were positioned by his bedside waiting for him to
have a heart attack, and asking him if he wanted to be saved. It would have
been hilarious if I did not have some lingering doubt whether Alagebrium would
protect his arteries as well as the research studies indicated.

These doctors could be excused for suspecting Wes had a bad heart. People with
kidney disease and people with diabetes have a high incidence of cardiac
problems. However, an angiogram performed the following day showed no plaque
and no heart problems, apart from a sticky valve that Wes has had for years that
had not worsened. Wes had an ultrasound of the heart about 12 months later.
This also received a good report. The cardiologist's comment: 'You are a very
lucky man.'

I don't know whether the renal specialist has ever asked himself why Wes does
not have heart problems in spite of his medical history. He has never discussed
it with us. We are certainly grateful to have access to generic Alagebrium -
Jessie Neagle