Bone Marrow Donor Update

January 14th, 2011

If you are a regular reader of my website you know that one of my biggest life list goals that I completed was being a bone marrow donor.

A few months ago I received a card from the lady I had donated to.  Because of privacy rules, they couldn't give me the real card, and it was whited out with her information.  I remember I was having a really bad day, and when I opened the card I just bursted into tears.  Here was this stranger calling me an angel.  Me?  Really?

Then last month, I was having another real rough day at work cause we just had two kids pass away back to back.  That day I was approached by the educator asking if I could speak in our BMT (Bone Marrow Transplant) meeting about updates on our new computer system that I am part of helping implement.  I was caught off guard, and told her that I would be extremely busy during that hour and I would try my best.  The director even went up to me asking if I would go to the meeting..."Wow"  I thought..."Pressures on...I need to make it to this meeting."   So I run and give some chemo, and then run to the other end of the unit to go to the meeting.  I go in, and they stop the person lecturing, and say, "We actually didn't need you to speak about the computer system at all...we wanted to surprise you and your BMT colleagues wanted to thank you for being a Bone Marrow Donor!"

I was in SHOCK!  They handed me a necklace and a card filled with kind words! 

I wore the necklace during the first transplant I did (meaning giving the cells to the patient) since receiving it, and I have decided that each transplant I will wear this necklace, and I will tell each patient the story of how I got it. 

Then today I received a call from the bone marrow donor center that the lady I donated to signed the privacy release forms (I had signed it a few months ago).  I will get her contact info, and she will get mine!  It really is all coming full circle....

Be An Organ Or Bone Marrow Donor

This is exactly why I made this list!! Two years ago I put myself on the bone marrow registry after it had been on my life list.

A few months ago I was called by the National Marrow Donor Program cause I was a possible match for someone. I went in to get a few labs drawn and they told me that only 1 out of 12 people that reach that point end up being a match and a donor for a patient. Months go by and I assume I am part of the 11 of 12 that don't end up donating.

Then in early July I get a call telling me that I am a match but that the patient was not ready for a bone marrow transplant. Three hours later (no joke) I get a call saying that it was a mistake and that the patient does need the transplant!

Before the donation I had to get numerous blood tests, urine samples, x-ray's, ekg's, and a physical exam. I also had to go to the hospital every morning to get 2 shots of neupogen in my arm for 5 days. I was in a ton of pain because of the medicine....and I refused all the pain medication they offered me (what can I say...I'm a pretty stubborn person!). Basically you feel like you have a horrible case of the flu and your back hurts, your ribs, everything! I would stand up and the pain would just shoot through my entire body and I wouldn't be able to move! But I remembered why I was doing it, and it made everything more bearable.

Blood getting drawn from my 14 gauge IV. HUGE IV! The PICC nurse had to place my IV's using an ultrasound! Apparently I only had 2 good veins in one arm, and only 1 good one in the other.

The machine that filtered my stem cells and took my blood out and put it back in. :)

Yesterday I donated my stem cells to someone who has a blood disorder that essentially turns into a form of leukemia (AML) if not treated by a bone marrow transplant. For the procedure I had to get 2 huge IV's placed into both arms and be immobile for 4 hours (they even had to give me ativan to relax my veins). 20+ pokes later, a severe case of hypocalcemia, heart arrythmias caused by the hypocalcemia, and tears shed from being in pain was so worth it. I only had temporary discomfort, but I gave this random stranger a second chance at life. :)

I am not allowed to donate any blood for the next year in case my donor needs more cells from me. Also...once we hit the year point we both have the opportunity to meet each other! Exciting! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!

My bag of stem cells. A second chance at life for someone :)

After the procedure with all my bandages. Thanks Amrita for keeping me company during the procedure.

Date Accomplished:  August 4th, 2009 

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