Almost exactly 2 years ago I signed up to give some of my blood to be entered into the National Marrow Donor Program database. The blood would be used to search the country for people in need of my marrow, however after 2 years of searching they had found no one....Until a month ago.

Ive been contacted with the news that there is someone out there that is in need of my Bone Marrow and is a perfect match (or at least within the 95% range that the NMDP allows). Wow, awesome, cool! Ouch....When they called me and informed me of the match and asked if i would do some confirmatory testing to ensure that i was a match, and to ask if i was still interested i said of course. 3 weeks later i found out that confirmatory testing was succesful and they would need my definate answer immediately. Who am i to deny someone, when they need something that ive got alot more than me, right? So i said yes.....and than they explained the procedure

Im not going to bow out or anything like that, but has anyone had any experience with Bone Marrow Donation, that could give me an idea of what its gonna be like, instead of reading charts and what not that was sent to me.

The procedure that im gonna do is called Pheresis...I think. Anyways its a new experimental type thing where they give you a fancy drug called Filgrastim which makes your white blood cell count soar to 5 times the normal amount. Than they pump out your blood and take the good stuff and pump it back in.
Problem here is that they need high blood flow, so if my arms are lackin than they take it from my neck or chest. A frickin needle in the NECK!

So needless to say if any of you pimps no anything about this procedure please hook up a fellow pimp with some comfortin info.

Ahhh whats a little pain to save a life bro...You have been honored with the ability to give the greatest gift ever....Jump on the oppourtunity....You would want that if you were needing the marrow....Im sure the pain you will go through is nothing compared to what the person your saving endures....
Sorry I know this was obvious...but just had to put it in perspective....
I lost a loved one to bone marrow cancer....So I can relate...
Digi

Oh dont worry about me bro, I said yes immediately, and i have no doubt in my mind that it will help someone greatly. However i was wondering if anyone knows about the procedure personally. Im not big on the medical jargan so some things were pretty confusing.

Sorry about your loss Digi, maybe thats something PR could get into, i.e. putting up a banner for places that you can get drawn from to be put in the database. Its just a small vial of blood for the testing anyways.

Quote: Originally Posted by Sparky Oh dont worry about me bro, I said yes immediately, and i have no doubt in my mind that it will help someone greatly. However i was wondering if anyone knows about the procedure personally. Im not big on the medical jargan so some things were pretty confusing. Sorry about your loss Digi, maybe thats something PR could get into, i.e. putting up a banner for places that you can get drawn from to be put in the database. Its just a small vial of blood for the testing anyways.

http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/steps_of_donation.html

Wow thats a great link. Thanks DW, it put it pretty straight out there for me. I had googled but had just found more jargan i didnt understand. That doesnt look so bad at all....compared to the surgery.

BTW that doctor is feelin up that dudes ass in that pic..

Anybody else watch Rescue Me? I dont wanna bring it up, but im chuckling remembering that.

Man I ve always wanted to save a life but I can never do those blood things because IM Diabetic B
Man but if I wasnt I would be hopping on every chair just to give blood. When you give something that big it really makes you proud and happy. Its one of those hug feels you get when everything is going really good. Man tell us how it feels.

Question you have to ask is how much pain am I willing to go through to help another human? Personally, I can take quite a lot under those circumstances. One thing for sure is that it isn't going to kill you and the pain is temporary.

Just be sure to take a lot of photos and post them here.

Rob

P.S.

I would but I'm a PPD converter so I can't give blood. Long story.

Diabetic with Liver issues...I cant give eithier But I wish I could....sooo many die from lack of blood....

If i get a needle in the neck, im definately gettin a pic of that. This most likely wont happen till either mid december or late january. The plan originally was for Jan 3rd but my baby is due on the 4th of January......needless to say i would really like to be in the immediate area for that, and since the procedure is goin down in D.C. that might pose a problem. So there gonna talk to the patients doctor and see if that is cool. I just hope that his body takes to the marrow, cause if not its lights out.....that would make me feel like a bag 'o sh!t for sure.

Quote: Originally Posted by Sparky I just hope that his body takes to the marrow, cause if not its lights out.....that would make me feel like a bag 'o sh!t for sure.

Whatever the hell you do all I've got to say is this....DO NOT feel guilty if this person's body doesn't accept your bone marrow. In fact, you should feel proud that you did what you did in the first place.

Quote: Originally Posted by Sparky I just hope that his body takes to the marrow, cause if not its lights out.....that would make me feel like a bag 'o sh!t for sure.

Ya feel proud you gave him a chance to live theres nothing wrong when its a person time to go.