Be The Match Bone Marrow Donation

My donation is done, and the stem cells have been sent on their way.  I am hoping that the cells have reached their destination and the recipient has received her transfusion.  Unfortunately, as I mentioned before I won't know anything for at least 30 days and it will be at least a year before I know her status.

I'm still a little sore today, specifically my knees ache.  Not from the donation but from the medicine that remains in my system.  As far as the donation sites in my arms, I can't even tell where the needles were.  The nurse that put the needle (blood out of my left arm) and catheter (blood back in in my right wrist) was awesome.  He did a really good job that at first I wasn't even aware that he had even stuck me.

During the donation, I was talking to the nurse and he mentioned that when he first started doing this in 2001 he could count the number of donors that came in a month on one hand.  Now he says there are 4 or 5 donors a week.  He also mentioned that when they first started taking the donations they were not necessarily as nice to the donors as they should have been.  As the science has progressed and these organizations have started to recognize the benefits of taking the donations in this manner (through the blood draw) they have also started to really pamper the donors as much as possible.  I would have to agree with his statement because while I may have been achy and sore, anytime yesterday during the donation I asked for anything there was at least three people willing to get it for me.

We were also entertained by the day 1 resident that was in the lab observing.  This future doctor kid was awkward at best.  He kept asking the patients that came in, "So what are you in for?"  I was waiting for one of the old guys to tell him "I just wandered in to see what you were doing."  At one point this doctor was asking a patient what exactly the symptoms were to his cancer.  The patient looked at this kid like his was crazy and A and I couldn't help but laugh.  When the patient finished telling him, the kid looked at the guy and said "Tell me how you say the name of your cancer again."  I wish I could have taken a picture of this guy's face because it was priceless.  Confusion and worry.

Well like I said, I'm done!  I did my best to add some positive thoughts to my donation because I'm sure this lady could use all of the help she can get.  Where ever, who ever you are, I'm rooting for you!

Now only time can tell.

Have you signed up yet?  You should.  You never know who you could be helping.  It could end up being someone you actually know.  It could even be a kid that turns out to be the greatest president we've ever seen or someone that decides to create flying cars.  Be The Match.

www.marrow.org