New topic
Printable| Author | Message |
I'm Thinking of Being a Bone Marrow Donor I wrote this post on a thread in the P&R Forum, but wanted to bring it over here because I want to get some feedback on bone marrow donors...and I'm more likely to get more here than over there.
"I'm putting my body where my mouth is, actually...I'm signing up to be part of the National Bone Marrow Donor Program. It's something I had wanted to do long ago, after reading an article in the newspaper about the lack of "minority" bone marrow donors (apparently you're far more likely to find a marrow match within your race than you are within other races...). I had read up on the procedure and was going to go thru with it, when I found out my sister had cancer. *sigh*...I told her of my plans, and...(hard here...)...she asked me in this very helpless tone of voice if I'd hold off on doing so, in case she needed me as a donor for her instead.  ...It sounded so hard for her to ask that of her little brother... Of course I said "yes"...but as it turned out, she didn't need my marrow...she died a little over a year later.
I've been thinking of being a marrow donor again lately...partially in honor of Debbie  ...but mostly just because I can."
If anyone has ever been a bone marrow donor, can you enlighten me (us) on what to expect?...Would be deeply appreciated. 
(ps~ Thank you, MrBliss, for the info you've given so far...  )
. [This message was edited Wed Oct 29 21:44:46 PST 2003 by Byron] | |
- E-mail - orgNote -  Report post to moderator |
That is a very nice thing for you to consider. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Byron, what an admirable thing to do. I'm so sorry to hear about your sister.
I know nothing about bone marrow donation except that it's said to be one of the more physically uncomfortable tissues to extract from a doner. That, combined with a general ignorance of the importance in donating, makes marrow especially tough to come by. Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.” | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Very, very cool Byron! 
If/when you get some info from the Donor program, will you report back to us? Thanks!  I'll ask one of the nurses and/or the OB/GYN in our office about donating marrow and get back with you, too![This message was edited Wed Oct 29 22:25:55 PST 2003 by AnotherLoverToo] | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I'm a organ donor with my car licence. So if anything happens to me...they now that they can use my organs. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
althom said: I'm a organ donor with my car licence. So if anything happens to me...they now that they can use my organs.
Who wants organs from a cheap australian hooker such as yourself  | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Seriously though good luck with it all Byron | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
NotoriousJ said: althom said: I'm a organ donor with my car licence. So if anything happens to me...they now that they can use my organs.
Who wants organs from a cheap australian hooker such as yourself Well, if he's a hot Aussie ho, I know a lot of guys who might like one organ in particular. Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.” | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Lammastide said: NotoriousJ said: althom said: I'm a organ donor with my car licence. So if anything happens to me...they now that they can use my organs.
Who wants organs from a cheap australian hooker such as yourself Well, if he's a hot Aussie ho, I know a lot of guys who might like one organ in particular.  | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
that is very good and brave !
here in the netherlands, there was this big campaign where they gave everone the opportunity to say yes or no to being a donor, this to find more donors. they said when you die, and you don't have a donor card which states either yes or no, your family doesn't have to make a difficult decision about your organs. unfortunately, as it came out, people who have had gay sex in the past half year are not allowed to give anything. this is the case with blood especially. if i died and my boyfriend came with me to the hospital and the medical staff found out that my partner is of the same sex, they would not take any organs from me. i was quite upset when i found out... but Byron, to stay with the subject, yes SIR! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Thanks for the thoughts and the info...*smile* Keep it all coming...I'm hoping to make the call either today or tomorrow, depending upon my work schedule.
Finding someone who's been a bone marrow donor must be harder than I thought. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I've have never donated marrow and am not on the register but I think it's a brave and wonderful thing to do and you got me thinking about putting my name down also. Unfortunately I went online to find out more but I can't become a donor because I'm diabetic.
I know very little about the actual procedure - I don't believe it's a breeze ... it can be painful for the donor but it's a very worthwhile thing to do. I wish you luck Byron. Again, I think it's an amazing thing to be thinking about and it would be wonderful if this thread motivates some more people to sign up too. Kiren xxx | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Byron said: Finding someone who's been a bone marrow donor must be harder than I thought.
There's a difference between BEING a bone marrow donor and applying to be a marrow donor. Applying is just a blood test and a few other tests. They put you on a list and then if you ever match up, THEN the marrow-donor part comes in, which, at least ten years ago, was a pretty painful procedure - it beats DYING, but it scared me away from being one for 5 years. But, now, I AM a bone marrow donor. On the list at least. For 5 years now. No one's ever called, which leads me to believe then, that (a) they lost my file and/or decided my marrow was worse than that of the person needing it, OR, (b) a match is rare. Offering to be a bone marrow donor is a very big deal, and you would be doing TWO great things if you sign up - showing folks that it's NOT so bad to try to help save someone else's life, AND of course, helping to save someone's life. The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
otan said: Byron said: Finding someone who's been a bone marrow donor must be harder than I thought.
There's a difference between BEING a bone marrow donor and applying to be a marrow donor. Applying is just a blood test and a few other tests. They put you on a list and then if you ever match up, THEN the marrow-donor part comes in, which, at least ten years ago, was a pretty painful procedure - it beats DYING, but it scared me away from being one for 5 years. But, now, I AM a bone marrow donor. On the list at least. For 5 years now. No one's ever called, which leads me to believe then, that (a) they lost my file and/or decided my marrow was worse than that of the person needing it, OR, (b) a match is rare. Offering to be a bone marrow donor is a very big deal, and you would be doing TWO great things if you sign up - showing folks that it's NOT so bad to try to help save someone else's life, AND of course, helping to save someone's life. Yeah, I've found out both of those things, Otan...part of me believes, though, that since "minority" donors are so scarce, that I might be called to donate sooner than most. I also have heard it's a rather painful thing to experience...and when I first read that, it made me hesitate as well. If they require someone to go with me, I may be out of luck...but if they do not, I'll easily go alone. (I'm not very big on asking people for help/assistance..) I can deal with pain, especially when the pain is connected to such an ultimate good. Kiren, I also agree...hoping this might get a few people at least looking into signing up to be on the marrow donor list. If so, then I'll be happy I started this thread.  | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I'd have to work through my abhorrence of pain before doing something like this. But it's awfully noble.
Anyway, though, I'm forbidden to donate blood because I'm gay. I'd guess the same applies to other tissue. Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.” | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Lammastide said: I'd have to work through my abhorrence of pain before doing something like this. But it's awfully noble.
Anyway, though, I'm forbidden to donate blood because I'm gay. I'd guess the same applies to other tissue. That's sad...(although I'm assuming there's some ample medical reasons for this being so...). | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Lammastide said: I'd have to work through my abhorrence of pain before doing something like this. But it's awfully noble.
Anyway, though, I'm forbidden to donate blood because I'm gay. I'd guess the same applies to other tissue. You GOTTA be kidding. Surely there's plenty of gay folks that need bone marrow transplants. Good point Byron about the minority thing - I didn't think about that. And I agree about the pain thing - I'm a king-sized girlie about pain, but after watching friends die and ALSO seeing my mom and my ex wife survive cancer, I decided I could take pain for a day if it helps to save someone else's life... but they BETTA RECONNIZE! The Last Otan Track: www.funkmusician.com/what.mp3 | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
If you are doing it to help another have a better life it's got to be good.
heal one [This message was edited Thu Oct 30 8:38:08 PST 2003 by CtheUncanny] I GOT YA, I GOT YA, I GOT YA PUNKASS! REPEAT | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Do it Byron, don't think about doing it.
There is nothing greater than giving someone else a chance at life... Let me know what you find out... ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect, it means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections... unknown | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
| Byron! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Byron said: Kiren, I also agree...hoping this might get a few people at least looking into signing up to be on the marrow donor list. If so, then I'll be happy I started this thread.
...*smile*...... *smile*...
 | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I am one already, that is they took the sample and I'm in their register of donors.
I decided to become one after my best friend's mother's best friend died of skeletal cancer. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Byron said: I wrote this post on a thread in the P&R Forum, but wanted to bring it over here because I want to get some feedback on bone marrow donors...and I'm more likely to get more here than over there.
"I'm putting my body where my mouth is, actually...I'm signing up to be part of the National Bone Marrow Donor Program. It's something I had wanted to do long ago, after reading an article in the newspaper about the lack of "minority" bone marrow donors (apparently you're far more likely to find a marrow match within your race than you are within other races...). I had read up on the procedure and was going to go thru with it, when I found out my sister had cancer. *sigh*...I told her of my plans, and...(hard here...)...she asked me in this very helpless tone of voice if I'd hold off on doing so, in case she needed me as a donor for her instead. ...It sounded so hard for her to ask that of her little brother... Of course I said "yes"...but as it turned out, she didn't need my marrow...she died a little over a year later.
I've been thinking of being a marrow donor again lately...partially in honor of Debbie ...but mostly just because I can."
If anyone has ever been a bone marrow donor, can you enlighten me (us) on what to expect?...Would be deeply appreciated.
(ps~ Thank you, MrBliss, for the info you've given so far... )
. [This message was edited Wed Oct 29 21:44:46 PST 2003 by Byron] God bless U man  NOTE: THIS ACCOUNT IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE CONTACT “K A M  L L E” | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ok, I just tried calling the numbers provided, got a voicemail message...left my number, hopefully will hear back sometime today before 5:30. By the way, anyone interested in becoming a donor, here's where I started off:
http://www.marrow.org/ I'm actually somewhat excited about doing this... (oh, and btw, finally heard from my brother...). Thanks for adding the posts to this thread ...it keeps me encouraged and motivated to follow thru. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Byron said: Ok, I just tried calling the numbers provided, got a voicemail message...left my number, hopefully will hear back sometime today before 5:30. By the way, anyone interested in becoming a donor, here's where I started off:
http://www.marrow.org/ I'm actually somewhat excited about doing this... (oh, and btw, finally heard from my brother...). Thanks for adding the posts to this thread ...it keeps me encouraged and motivated to follow thru. a worker in my church had breast cancer, the only thing that ended up saving her life was a marrow transplant (it had spread, as is typical). That was over five years ago, and she still is working, happy, healthy. Byron, what you are doing is courageous and admirable, what a giving heart! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
althom said: I'm a organ donor with my car licence. So if anything happens to me...they now that they can use my organs.
not to go off topic, as I go off topic, but at least in the US, when you sign your license, it doesn't mean a whole lot unless your family knows that you want this to happen. Families are allowed to make the decision, signature or not. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
i think it's cool you're willing to do that byron! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
