A couple of weeks have elapsed here and the bone marrow donation picture has evolved and sharpened. Just to recap here, I have been matched up as a compatible donor to an unidentified man suffering from a serious form of leukemia. After a couple of phone consultations, filling up about 22 vials of blood for testing and the most comprehensive physical exam I have ever endured, I am still the prime candidate to be a donor to one anonymous individual.
The donation method will not be the traditional marrow extraction which could be quite painful, instead a course of drugs will administered to me starting 5 days before the donation date. The drugs essentially kick my bone marrow's production capabilities into overdrive and start to move stem cells out into my blood stream. I'm told that the increased cell production activity will make me feel like I am coming down with the flu. Eventually I am hooked up to a blood separation machine for 6 or more hours and the stem cells are collected. It is the peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) that will be transplanted in hopes they will move right in and take over the patient's production of healthy blood cells.
The doctors have ordered some additional testing to be done very soon, not to determine any tissue matches, they are satisfied with that. But the extra testing is to certify that I am in prime health and the donation process is safe for me. I appreciate that.
Now quite a few people have told me that they think I am some kind of a hero for doing this, but I just don't see it that way. Just ask yourself: Would you go through a couple weeks of needle sticks, reading reams of documents and signing release forms if the end result was giving someone, anyone, a chance to beat cancer and live a longer, better life? I really like to think that most people would not give it more than a second before saying, "of course I will help!" The only thing I am sacrificing here is a little bit of time and a little bit of personal comfort. I know there are some people who would refuse to help and for them I feel sorry. They will never know the joy that I hope to feel someday when I finally get to meet the man who is walking around with my blood pumping through his heart.
To comply with the anonymity clauses in the consent forms I need to be intentionally vague about some things right now. I have already had some belly laugh moments and a few tears. I look forward to freely sharing those moments someday.
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