Wow!!!!! What a week it has been!!!! Starting on Monday I received 2 shots of Neupogen everyday. The Neupogen causes your body to hyper produce white blood cells and stem cells and then release them into your blood stream. Monday and Tuesday went fine and I felt very little by way of side effects tot he medicine. On Wednesday morning at about 2 am I woke up with stabbing pain in my hips and back, it hurt so bad that I didn't get anymore sleep that night, and the next few days were definitely not my favorite. Wednesday night they prescribed me some Hydrocodone to help with the pain, and that did make things better.... but then I had to deal with the side effects of the pain killers :)
Anyway, Thursday rolled around and we jumped a flight to San Diego California!!!! The flight was jam packed and the mix of motion sickness, neupogen pain, and pain killer nausea made it for the longest hour and a half of my life!!! hahahahaha But we survived :) Amelia was absolutely amazing and did everything for me all weekend and took care of me at every turn and I owe her everything!!!
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| Amelia and I on the plane |
When we landed in San Diego we were picked up in very nice car and taken to the Hilton in La Jolla!!!! IT WAS REALLY NICE!!!!! and the most convenient part is that it's next door to Scripps Hospital where I did my donation.
Friday morning started bright and early!!! We got to the hospital and they had to run some blood tests and give me my last two shots of neupogen before we could start the actual Stem Cell collection process. At about 9:30 they brought me into a room and hooked me up to two huge IV's, one in each arm, they then hooked me up to a machine that draws my blood out, separates it into all its different elements, collects the stem cells in a bag, and then puts what is left back in me through the other arm...... The order was to process 22 liters of blood, the average male has anywhere between 4-5 liters of blood, so that means they had to cycle my entire blood supply through the machine 4 or 5 times, which is pretty crazy when you think about it :)
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| All Hooked up!!! |
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| The Dream Team |
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| Sleeping away the hours |
Three hours later, the whole donation was done and there was a beautiful bag of creamy tomato soup that they told me was full of my stem cells. I signed the bag guaranteeing that they were my stem cells, and they were on their way to wherever in the world they're going!!!
Through all of this process I have had some amazing people at my side helping me through all of it!!! My wife Amelia has been my greatest and best support helping me through every step and putting up with me even when I was whiny. The awesome staff at Scripps Hospital who helped me through every step of the donation process especially nurse Stacy who was there the whole day of the donation. The Amazing organization of DKMS and all they did and do to match donors and recipients all over the world and save lives every single day!! Especially my Donation Coordinator Hannah De Simone, who helped me through every step. And finally my cousin Stephen Griener and my father in law Lee Kolts for being the immovable beacons of faith hope and love that inspired me to go through with such an amazing experience.
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| T-Shirt given to me by DKMS |
I really hope one day I'll be able to meet the young man that I donated too, but more that anything I hope that this little sacrifice can bring peace and healing to his life and to his family!!!!
