Ever donated bone marrow?

[Goldie]

Lately I have been donating blood whenever I am allowed to. But I have also been thinking I would like to start the process for donating bone marrow. Unfortunately, there is so much information to read, it is a bit overwhelming.

So I was wondering if anyone here has ever donated bone marrow, and can give me their experience of the process, or know of someone that did donate. I like the idea that my blood could save a life, so the opportunity to knowingly save someone's life, or forever change it for the better, sounds amazing.

Also, if you have donated, how did you feel about corresponding/meeting the recipient? I have read that it can be as open as both parties want it to be.

Any information is appreciated. I am just tired of reading website articles, and would prefer to get a firsthand experience.

Thanks all,
Drew

Here is a good link on this. In the old days it was a very painful experience to have bone marrow taken from the patient ( big syringe and the use of small sledge hammer to get the syringe into the pelvic bone...been there done that) but as I understand the procedure has evolved into a non painful experience but it is still no walk in the park.

There is a lot of preparation for the person who is to be put in the registry as this just isn't something where you walk in and give a sample. Bone marrow is one of those substances in our body that gives Doctors a lot to digest as far as what goes on inside of our own and how it matches up with somebody else. I have to take my hat off to you about being a donor because the end result is that if there is a match between yourself and the prospective patient you will undoubtedly save a life. This is a very admirable thing to do.

Link,,,,http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/When_You...ion/index.html

[MortonMilo]

I just donated last month! It was 3 years in the making. A life changing experience. Would love to talk to you about it if you're interested. PM me and we can chat...

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by MortonMilo

I just donated last month! It was 3 years in the making. A life changing experience. Would love to talk to you about it if you're interested. PM me and we can chat...

That is truly an admirable thing to do.
Would love to read about it if you would be willing to share with all via a post.

[MortonMilo]

Blueface...I'd be happy to share my story. If I can get even one person to get motivated enough to join a marrow registry, I'd feel accomplished.

I donated earlier this month (May 3rd), after a 3 year build up to it.

I signed up to a registry in May of 2007, while traveling in the Middle East. A drive was being held at the hotel I was staying at, and the procedure was a simple swab of the inside of my cheek with a qtip. Quick and painless. After getting home, I completely forgot I had joined the registry....

...until I got a call in June of 2008 letting me know that I was a possible match for somebody. After a little bloodwork, the doctors let me know that I was a confirmed match, but the patient wasnt quite ready for the procedure.

In February of this year I was informed that the patient was ready for the transplant. It's hard to put to words exactly the feelings that I experienced at that moment, but it involved a lot of excitement and energy. I immediately changed my lifestyle...I wanted to make sure I'd be in good health to give the recipient the best chance I could. I stopped drinking alcohol, started eating healthier, and started working out as much as possible. Anything to give my body the best conditions to produce as many stem cells/bone marrow cells as I could! I also felt myself being just a little bit more cautious in the rest of my daily activities...driving slower, checking both ways before crossing the street, etc.

About a month prior to my donation, I was flown to the medical center at which the donation would be taking place in order to receive a full physical, as well as bloodwork, chest xrays, and an EKG...the works! All results came back as the doctors had hoped and my donation was scheduled for May 3rd.

With advances in medical science, theyve changed the way a lot of donations are handled. While some are still done the old fashioned way with a needle into the hip, a lot more are now done through a procedure called Peripheral Blood Stem Cell donation. Basically, in the 5 days leading up to my procedure, I was given daily injections of a drug called Neupogen, which stimulated my body's production of stem cells/marrow, and put it into my blood stream. I could literally feel my bones pulsing with the pressure of an overproduction of marrow! There was a little discomfort with my bones creaking, but I knew it would all be worth it. A few days of pain to help give someone a lifetime...no question in my mind.

The night before the donation I had a lot of trouble sleeping. The combination of feeling my bones wanting to explode from excess bone marrow as well as the excitement for the donation were too much. I spent the night browsing marrow donation websites, reading every firsthand account I could find. The biggest common feeling everyone shared was that being a donor had changed their lives in a positive way. In a few short hours, I was sure I'd be feeling the same.

On the morning of May 3, I received my final injection of Neupogen, and the donation began. I was hooked up to a machine with an IV in each of my arms. It took the blood from one arm, filtered out the required stem cells, and then put the rest of the blood back in the other arm. The only discomfort I felt was from not being able to move my arms for the 8 hours I was hooked up to the machine. Outside of that, I was quite comfortable! I spent the majority of the day watching the machine count how many stem cells had been collected, and watching the IV's take and redeliver my blood. By the end of the day, my donation was ready--a small bag containing half a liter of a pink frothy liquid. It was incredible to realize that the single bag contained someone's life.

Watching that bag, I felt like a proud new parent--I was too nervous to let the bag out of my sight and amazed that it had come out of me. I hovered around with my donation coordinator until we signed the bag over to the courier. With a quick signature, the bag--my recipients future--was handed over.

Since my procedure was quite recent, I have yet to hear from my recipient. I have been told that I should expect an update on their status any day now (since its been nearly a month), and I'll get an additional update at the 6 month and 1 year mark. Beyond that timing, if the recipient wishes, our contact info can be exchanged. I know the rules around this vary state to state, country to country.

Overall, it has been an incredibly positive experience. It's still hard to fathom how I've been able to help someone's life for the better, but I come a little bit closer every day.

Best I can say is that I would hope someone would be willing to do the same for me, or my family, were we to be in the same situation.

If anyone has any further questions, or wants more info, dont hesitate to shoot me a PM.

For further info, or to look for bone marrow drives in your area, check out giftoflife.org (the organization I did mine through), or marrow.org (the national registry).

[bobarian]

J, Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Blueface]

Wow!
Amazing experience.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Too often the wrong people are called role models or heroes.
In my book, you are clearly both.
You should feel awesome indeed for what you have done for a total stranger.

Something I would certainly consider but not sure with all my ailments and meds I take regularly, to include thinners, I could ever do that. Will certainly ask my Dr. on an upcoming appointment.