I guess it’s about time I put up a post about what’s going
on. Back in November 2013 a bone marrow
donor organization called DKMS was visiting BYU campus and they had a little table set up
outside the Wilk… all they were doing was asking people to sign up to be bone
marrow donors. It was really easy, they
just swab your cheek and take down your name and info and that’s it. They told
everyone that less than 1% of all those who sign up to be donors are ever matched
to actually be a donor. After what Stephen had gone through and what my
father-in-law Lee Kolts is going through, I decided that if anyone on the face
of planet needed to sign up it was me!!! When I signed up I was definitely
willing, I just never thought I’d actually be selected.
Well,
back in march I got a call from the organization telling me that my DNA sample
was a possible match for a then 17 now 18 year old male with a form of
leukemia. They asked if I was still
willing to do further blood testing to see if I would be the best possible
match and I said that I would be happy to.
After processing my blood samples I was confirmed as the best possible
match and they then asked if I was willing to be the donor and have the young
man proceed with the necessary chemotherapy to perform the transplant…. I told
them that I would be happy to and that is why I’m writing this from about
30,000ft in the air on my way to Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, CA to have a full physical performed
to make sure I’m healthy enough for the donation and for a chance to meet the
harvest team that will perform the bone marrow harvest.
Apparently
there are two different methods to donating bone marrow. The first and now days most common is that of
a stem cell harvest or PBSC donation. This method involves the donor taking
shots of a medicine called filgrastim that causes the body to over produce and
release the stem cells into the blood stream. On the harvest day they simply
hook you up to a dialysis machine that removes you r stem cells from your blood
and then returns your blood to your body.
The second method called a bone marrow harvest involves a surgery where
they make a small incision in your lower back and then using a large gauge
needle they actually puncture your pelvic bone and extract your bone
marrow. The doctors for the young man
that I I was matched to have decided that the second method is the best
approach for him… so that is what I get to prepare for.
At this
physical they are going to go over the procedure more in depth with me and also
do a full physical including an EKG and I few other tests to make sure that I
am a fit donor. Another cool thing that
they are going to do is called an autologous blood donation…. That basically
means that I am going to donate blood to myself… while at this appointment they
will take somewhere from 1 to 2 units of my own blood so that when they do the
actual procedure they can replenish my blood supply with my own blood instead
of someone else’s . I thought that was
pretty cool!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment