So it was one year ago today, March 24th, that my bone marrow donation happened. I have not received any updates lately on how my recipient is doing, but I am wishing him a happy first birthday today on his new life! While I will never be able to find out who he is, I am still grateful for the chance to save a life. I think of him every day and hope that he is enjoying life, healthy, and happy.
If you have not registered to be a possible bone marrow donor, please register. It's free and easy, and if you match someone it is a life changing experience.
Go to www.deletebloodcancer.org and request a kit in the mail. It's that easy!
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Six Month Update
I just received the 6 month update from my bone marrow recipients doctor in Paris today via Delete Blood Cancer. "The patient is recovering well, is proceeding as expected, and has no serious complications."
This is a great feeling to know they are improving and are alive today because of me!
I have still been volunteering at local events to help sign up others to be possible donors. If you have not swabbed yet, please visit the Delete Blood Cancer website and register. It's free, and you may be able to give someone a second chance at life!
This is a great feeling to know they are improving and are alive today because of me!
I have still been volunteering at local events to help sign up others to be possible donors. If you have not swabbed yet, please visit the Delete Blood Cancer website and register. It's free, and you may be able to give someone a second chance at life!
Friday, July 4, 2014
DAY 100
As I have mentioned before, when a bone marrow transplant takes place, it becomes a new 'birthday' for the patient. Yesterday was day 100 for my recipient, a huge milestone for them. This is the day they have been working towards since the transplant. Robin Roberts from ABC mentions the importance of the date in this article. During the recovery process, the patient has to stay close to the hospital during those first 100 days, in case there are any problems due to a weakened immune system. Day 100 is when they get to go home, when they start to feel like eating and enjoying life again since the greatest risk of critical side effects is past. It's a long journey to this day, and often times a difficult journey filled with illness and other issues.
Once again, I start the day thinking of my recipient, hoping he is doing well, and hoping that he is now at home in a comfortable, familiar environment. Today is an important day for Americans, celebrating Independence, but I also think of my recipient, and his milestone and independence.
Once again, I start the day thinking of my recipient, hoping he is doing well, and hoping that he is now at home in a comfortable, familiar environment. Today is an important day for Americans, celebrating Independence, but I also think of my recipient, and his milestone and independence.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Houston, we have Engraftment!!!!
I finally received the long awaited call today. Delete Blood Cancer called and said they had a very brief update, which consisted of checkmarks on a form. The good news: Engraftment has occurred. This means that my blood stem cells have found their way to the spaces in the large bones and have started producing new blood cells for my recipient. What's really crazy is that experts are not completely certain how this amazing process works, but the cells just know where to go I guess. So my blood, is in him. Very strange feeling. I'm so happy to hear this news finally.
There was also some not so good news in the update, they mentioned that the patient is having some kind of complications. Nothing specific, so I don't know what it is. Since their immune system was non-existent and at best very weak now, it could be something like pneumonia, or just about anything I guess. I continue to pray that he gets better and better.
It's all starting to hit me now.... It was kind of surreal and strange, I just sat on a machine at Georgetown University Hospital on March 24th for a few hours and then my stem cells went off in a plane to Paris, France and went into someone else on the 25th. It didn't really feel like anything spectacular had happened at the time. I knew someone needed a bone marrow transplant due to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, but the separation and anonymity of everything kind of desensitized it all. But now that I have had an update from the patients doctor, I cried a little. Someone is really alive today and it's because my cells are making blood in them right now. I'm so happy today to hear this. It may be some time before I get another update, but hopefully I'll continue to get good news.
There was also some not so good news in the update, they mentioned that the patient is having some kind of complications. Nothing specific, so I don't know what it is. Since their immune system was non-existent and at best very weak now, it could be something like pneumonia, or just about anything I guess. I continue to pray that he gets better and better.
It's all starting to hit me now.... It was kind of surreal and strange, I just sat on a machine at Georgetown University Hospital on March 24th for a few hours and then my stem cells went off in a plane to Paris, France and went into someone else on the 25th. It didn't really feel like anything spectacular had happened at the time. I knew someone needed a bone marrow transplant due to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, but the separation and anonymity of everything kind of desensitized it all. But now that I have had an update from the patients doctor, I cried a little. Someone is really alive today and it's because my cells are making blood in them right now. I'm so happy today to hear this. It may be some time before I get another update, but hopefully I'll continue to get good news.
Monday, June 9, 2014
76 Days post donation
It has been 76 days since the transplant and still no word from the patients doctor. Delete Blood Cancer has asked again for an update, hopefully we will hear something soon. I am hoping that they are progressing well as the important 100 day milestone approaches.
I did get some good news, the Bone Marrow Drive at Microsoft in Las Colinas, Texas, will happen on June 24th. Delete Blood Cancer will be there to help me register potential matches at work. Microsoft has even offered to pay for the processing costs of anyone that registers at this event! Delete Blood Cancer normally pays for the processing of the cheek swabs from donations, but Microsoft will donate the funds necessary for this! Many people never know the good things that Microsoft does behind the scenes, helping out at so many levels with charities.
This past weekend, I was wearing my 'Bone Marrow Donor' shirt provided by Delete Blood Cancer, and a man introduced himself to me while eating lunch at a restaurant in the hospital district in Fort Worth. His 13 year old son was diagnosed with AML three week ago and they were there to start chemo therapy. I shook his hand and wished them luck. He seemed in very good spirits. I felt really bad inside knowing the hard journey ahead of them, but deep down I know things are going to work out for them.
I did get some good news, the Bone Marrow Drive at Microsoft in Las Colinas, Texas, will happen on June 24th. Delete Blood Cancer will be there to help me register potential matches at work. Microsoft has even offered to pay for the processing costs of anyone that registers at this event! Delete Blood Cancer normally pays for the processing of the cheek swabs from donations, but Microsoft will donate the funds necessary for this! Many people never know the good things that Microsoft does behind the scenes, helping out at so many levels with charities.
This past weekend, I was wearing my 'Bone Marrow Donor' shirt provided by Delete Blood Cancer, and a man introduced himself to me while eating lunch at a restaurant in the hospital district in Fort Worth. His 13 year old son was diagnosed with AML three week ago and they were there to start chemo therapy. I shook his hand and wished them luck. He seemed in very good spirits. I felt really bad inside knowing the hard journey ahead of them, but deep down I know things are going to work out for them.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Almost two months post donation
So much has happened in two months, yet every day I still think of my recipient. I have asked DKMS for updates and we still have not heard from the patients doctor. I'm really getting anxious to hear how they are doing.
My wife and I volunteered at the Byron Nelson golf tournament to help register donors for DKMS. It was late in the day on the last day of the tournament, so it was challenging to get folks to stop as they are herding to their cars, but we were able to get some great people to register! We are trying to work in another opportunity to register at the Colonial Golf tournament this week if we can fit it in. The registration drive to be held at Microsoft is still in the works too. Hopefully, I can continue to have an impact with helping to save additional lives. I would love to be able to donate again and again, but I doubt I will match anyone else in the future, so helping out in other ways is all I can do.
My wife and I volunteered at the Byron Nelson golf tournament to help register donors for DKMS. It was late in the day on the last day of the tournament, so it was challenging to get folks to stop as they are herding to their cars, but we were able to get some great people to register! We are trying to work in another opportunity to register at the Colonial Golf tournament this week if we can fit it in. The registration drive to be held at Microsoft is still in the works too. Hopefully, I can continue to have an impact with helping to save additional lives. I would love to be able to donate again and again, but I doubt I will match anyone else in the future, so helping out in other ways is all I can do.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Day +31
When a bone marrow transplant patient receives their transplant, they get a new birthday. The transplant day is known as "Day Zero" for them, when they get a new gift of life from the donor. Each day after that is a new milestone of life. Each little step is celebrated and indescribable. The initial goal is to get to Day +100, which is a huge milestone on the road of recovery. This is when they typically get to go back home and start to enjoy a normal life and the highest risk of infections are behind them.
Today my recipient is on Day +31.
I still think of him every day. Hoping that they are feeling better. Hoping that the worst is over and they can begin the journey of enjoying a new life.
I contacted DKMS today and they said they have requested an update from the doctor and it will most likely be early May before we get feedback. The waiting is hard for me. I don't know that I will ever stop thinking of this whole experience. I am convinced that even though we have to remain anonymous, somehow, someday, we will meet.
Today my recipient is on Day +31.
I still think of him every day. Hoping that they are feeling better. Hoping that the worst is over and they can begin the journey of enjoying a new life.
I contacted DKMS today and they said they have requested an update from the doctor and it will most likely be early May before we get feedback. The waiting is hard for me. I don't know that I will ever stop thinking of this whole experience. I am convinced that even though we have to remain anonymous, somehow, someday, we will meet.
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