Bone Marrow transplant donor, update.
I am a 6 out of 6 match for a patient. I am going to do this, barring threat of termination since I just got a new job…. hopefully they will understand.
Seems they are conducting a study with the stem cell collection, which was what the transplant center and patient’s Dr’s have requested anyways.
They will be shooting me with a drug daily, for a week to stimulate my marrow to make more stem cells, and force them into my blood stream.
This will cause my marrow to swell…. Seems that will be less than comfy, but not debilitating.
When I had my initial interview, I told them “whatever it takes”, but they still insisted on explaining everything in detail, which is understandable, praise worthy even.
There is a lot more to it than I thought, but I am still firm in doing whatever it takes.
Once I sign and turn in the paperwork, they will give me a physical, within 30 days before the donation (Late Sept), once that is approved we cross a line of no return.
They will start preparing the patient, which in essence means killing his own stem cells off, if I was to pull out of the program at this point, not only would I be denying him a chance, but would be putting him at even greater risk.
It is a weird feeling, the genetic code that God gave me may help save another human being’s life, all I have to do is agree to a week or so of discomfort, and 7 to 8 hours of being strapped to a machine that skims my stem cells.
I may find out the “who” after a year after the transplant, but I am still not sure if I want to…..