Thursday, September 02, 2010
Okay folks....this is my first ever blog on Sparks. Or anywhere for that matter! Whoot! I always find it more interesting to read other people's blogs, and to encourage them. However, it's good to give and take. And so, here is the blog that I want to share for the first time.
I received a phone call a few weeks ago from a woman who had pulled up my name and information from the national bone marrow/stem cell registry. I was surprised, as my name had been there since 1995 from a previous time that I had given blood for a local drive.
She told me that I am a possible match for a person who has multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood. She then asked if I was still interested in pursuing this opportunity to be a donor.
At first I said "yes"!
Then, the reality of my goals that I have set for myself this past year came to the forefront of my mind. That goal is to train and run for my first half-marathon this November. I am not a runner by nature. I have done 5K's by walking, with a bit of running thrown in. I tend to throw up at the finish line because I push it at the end. Competitive by nature, I want to beat the person ahead of me. (I even compete with people coming out of Sam's Club if they are ahead of me in the parking lot, pushing their cart, I must walk faster and get ahead of them...they just don't they are my competition!) I don't like having to deal with bladder issues when I run. So...for me to decide to try this goal of running is a big deal to me.
I have been in "real" training the past few months, and even have a 10K in a couple of weeks that I have registered for. I am set.
Then the phone call. And a decision to be made.
If I am a complete match, and the patient and Doc decide to go forth, there will be two options. One is a blood transfusion ( I am not medical, so stay with me here) where my blood would be drawn out, and the stem cells taken from them, then my blood put back in my body. A lengthy, one day procedure. That is after I take daily shots for 5 days to pump up the goodies that are needed.
The second option is for a needle to be in my hip to draw out the bone marrow for the patient. This is under general anesthesia. Either option; and I will have a lengthy recovery with soreness, some pain, and a few weeks of not being able to be as active as I want. Depending when this might be, this would directly interfere with all training and the races that I have signed up for.
At this point I have passed the on-line medical health questionnaire, and my blood has been drawn for further testing.
However, the answer would still be "yes". I am blessed with a healthy and strong body. I have been blessed with a supportive husband and family. It is an opportunity to give that gift to another who is in need of healing and to be given a second chance.
I will have other opportunity to reach my goal. I pray that this person will have an opportunity, either with me or another person who would be the right match, to be given that chance for a lengthy life.
I now have a new goal for this fall.
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