Bone Marrow FTW! \o/

Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:06:34 AM

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I was watching an episode of Extreme Home Make-Over a couple weeks ago. The family which was chosen for the make-over had quite a story. The Mom (of three kids) was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was, I believe, 34 years old. She was lucky enough to have found a bone marrow donor, and the fact that he had donated literally saved this woman's life. It saved the Mom of three kids. It saved the wife of a devoted husband. It saved a daughter. You get my point. This man's selfless actions impacted the lives of an entire family.

Well, the Home Make-Over people decided to surprise the woman by bringing her donor to meet her. When I saw how she clung onto him...how she cried with such emotion...how HE cried with such emotion. Ugh. My heart felt like it was literally weeping. It was at that exact moment that I said to myself, "I've got to do this!"

I got on my computer the next day and looked up the website that was mentioned on the TV show (Be The Match) and looked around. Honestly, I didn't do too much looking other than to find the link where I could sign up. That's exactly what I did. Once I found out that I'd passed all of the physical qualifications, I filled out the form and hit "Yes". I've never felt so good hitting a 'send' button in all my life.

I got some mail the other day. It was an envelope with four swabs and instructions enclosed. I had to swab the insides of my cheeks, place the swabs in a little thingy the sent as well, stick a "HAZARDOUS" sticker on it, and mail it off. It went out in the mail a couple of days ago, so as soon as the registry gets my envelope and enters my info into their system, I will be receiving an official Bone Marrow Donor card in the mail! \o/ I cannot even begin to describe how incredibly ecstatic I am about this. The thought that I could perhaps save someone's life?! faint How could I not do it? If it were one of my kids or another loved one, you bet your ass I'd be praying for a donor. Well, here I am! yes

The thing is, though, that I might not even be called. They may never find a match for me. That's okay, I suppose. I mean, yes...I really, really want to help someone, but hey. If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be.

There are basically two different ways I can become a donor. One is through blood...they pump you up with all sorts of meds that increase the something-or-other in your blood. After two weeks of being on these meds that make you feel like crap, they cycle your blood through a machine which takes the something-or-others out and then your blood is pumped back into your body. I've read tons of stuff about it, but still can't even remember the exact names for stuff. rolleyes

The other type of bone marrow donation is surgical. They knock you out, and then remove bone marrow from the under-side of your pelvis...which they get by going through your lower back. On average (from what I've read), there will be three injection sites on each side...for an obvious total of six openings...but uber tiny openings. They say that YES, it will be pretty painful. It'll apparently feel like you've got a lower back ache from hell for about a week. Ummm...SO?! I think a week of excruciating pain is more than worth it to save someone's life! bigsmile

Okay...gonna shuddup now. I'm just really, really excited! yes I hope & pray that I'll be someone's match. o

P.S.
I threw the "Bewbs" tag in there for all bewbie lovers to have some eye candy in the upper-right. p

Up Yours, Skywalker!The 8-Bit Bird! OMG!

Comments

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:14:57 AM

Here, they just take blood out of you.. like, needle in the arm, IV, and into a bag. It's a lot less painful lol

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:27:13 AM

Not to get bone marrow, they don't. wink

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:28:00 AM

Yeah, but I was talking bout blood donation p

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:28:59 AM

Yes, and people need to do that as well! yes

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:30:12 AM

That I wouldn't mind doing. Bone Marrow, however, is supposed to be the most painful operation in the world. You can keep your giant needles, I just like drawing blood p

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:33:18 AM

Nah, that's a bogus claim. I've done plenty of reading to know that's horse shit. Plus, I've given birth...no drugs. I can do this - no sweat. lol

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:34:57 AM

Well, not the most painful, but pretty fucking painful p

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:42:34 AM

lol Oh well. They'll dope me up. bigsmile

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:47:39 AM

lol Nicee bigsmile

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 12:54:05 AM


yescool

Mad Scientistqlue Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:41:06 AM

Leukemia at 34? confused.
I always understood that leukemia is a childhood form of cancer. left. *shrugs*.
I've only donated blood just over fifty times. awww But now that I'm taking a beta-blocker, I'm not allowed to donate anymore. irked.

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 3:37:44 AM

*shrug* I've no idea, Aadil. All I know is what they said on TV. I thought it was more of a childhood thing, too, though. confused

That really sucks. down Sorry to hear it, but it's so awesome that you've donated as much as you have! bigsmile

Charles SchlossChas4 Wednesday, June 9, 2010 5:30:11 AM

http://files.myopera.com/Tamil/Smilies/Cool.gif -

The eye candy is lollipops?

L2D2 Wednesday, June 9, 2010 5:58:23 AM

I admire you for your decision, Karen. I'm not sure whether I hope you'll be a match for someone, or that you'll never be called on.

I am officially listed as an organ donor with the State of Texas Donor Registry. I've donated everything to them but my lungs, which are useless for anything except study by medical patients. If there is anything usable left of me after I croak, they are welcome to it---and if my skin, organs, eyes, anything helps someone, all good.

Haven't told my son about this but I need to as he is the one who would have to take care of the details after my death.

Good for you girl.

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 5:59:36 AM

Thank you so much, Linda! heart I've been an organ donor for years, myself. I never even thought about being a bone marrow donor 'til now, or I would have been on the list long ago. smile

L2D2 Wednesday, June 9, 2010 6:18:31 AM

Well, I had always put on my driver's license that I was a donor, but to really be one you have to register. When I signed it, it became a binding contract so that, if Chris too exception to my body being donated to science, he's just have to lump it because I am under contract. This is a conversation we couldn't have had twenty years ago, you know it?

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 6:19:46 AM

Oh, no doubt! So, wait...it's not good enough to just have it on your driver's license?!bigeyes Oh noes! I have to change that!

Dacotah Wednesday, June 9, 2010 6:21:02 AM

That's great Karen, way to go. heart
You said there is two ways to donate your marrow. One through taking med.'s and drawing blood, the other through surgery.
I'm also an organ donor but don't think I would have anything good left to donate.

KYrenKYren Wednesday, June 9, 2010 6:42:55 AM

Can only US citizens register there?
I've heard that many people don't donate organs that's why organ trafficing has become a big underground business.

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 7:01:24 AM

Thank you, Carol! heart The way I see being an organ donor is that even if my corpse is just used to help teach medical students, that's fine. I just hope they'll get SOME use of it. bigsmile


I'm not sure if it's US only or not, Kiran. I've heard about organ trafficing as well...pretty grim. down

ShallowMuse Wednesday, June 9, 2010 7:50:19 AM

Good on ya! yes
Frik that reminds me... i've been wanting to fill out one of those applications to be an organ donor for ages and just never get around to it.
Eh, with the organ trafficking, well as long as someone gets an organ i guess its fine.. Organ for me! Organ for you! Everybody gets an organ! party

KYrenKYren Wednesday, June 9, 2010 10:53:16 AM

Organ for you. Tada! up

http://www.maggotsack.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/organ.jpg -

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:48:18 PM

Karen, as far as I know, if you have it on your drivers license, your family decide what to give/not to give.

Dacotah Wednesday, June 9, 2010 4:10:45 PM

heart

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:24:41 PM

My family? Oh, great! rolleyes Lonnie doesn't believe in cremation and organ donation, my Mom and Dad would be too upset to want to give up my body parts, I think...and my kids? They're too young. I need to do a living will. up

heart wink

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:25:16 PM

P.S.
Thanks for the organ, Kiran! lol

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:26:48 PM

Me, I dont like the idea of my organs in somebody elses body. They worked for almost a century, give them a fucking break lol

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:29:31 PM

I've heard some trippy stories about people who have had heart transplants. They allegedly started to like some of the same stuff that the donor liked - but had no idea that their donor even liked it...etc. Stuff like that. I have no idea if there's any merit to it, but still...interesting concept.

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:32:08 PM

IDK. I just don't like the idea of it. Just seems creepy to me. I want my body buried, and then a tree planted over it. And buried intact too.

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:40:42 PM

A tree?! lol What kinda tree? Weeping willow? No, wait. I know. A big group of Pussy Willows, right? rolleyes

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:45:38 PM

Noooo I mean it. Although, they might have to set up a black zone after my soul leaches out and possesses the tree pssst

lol

What kind of tree doesn't matter. So long as it's not pink. It's my grave, so they can't remove the tree without desecrating my grave, which is against the law. My little way of pissing off future generations in need of paper

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:51:17 PM

lol That's pretty freakin' funny! More power to you. I say that you do some tree research to figure out what the most badass tree is. There are some pretty scary trees with big spike-like things. A house close to where I used to live had one. Man, that'd hurt if you walked into it! bigeyes

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 9:56:07 PM

lol That's not the point Karen. lol The point is that no matter what happens, there's one part of the world that they can't get their hands on.

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 10:27:13 PM

Yes, but that part should look as badass as possible! headbang

MConor Wednesday, June 9, 2010 10:31:11 PM

No head stone, just carved into the trunk "Fuck you loggers" lol

KarenNerak Wednesday, June 9, 2010 11:04:00 PM

HAHAHAHA! lol

CharlieBAMAToNE Thursday, June 10, 2010 5:27:03 PM

This is an absolutely fantastic post. I will consider doing this myself. I've already got on my calendar to give blood tomorrow when the BloodMobile is on campus. up

KarenNerak Friday, June 11, 2010 12:42:44 AM

Awesome! So happy to read it, Charlie! bigsmile cheers

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