how cool would that be if i am a match!?

had an uber shitty day at work and then got the call from the donor program in colorado where i used to live. just so happens we are going out there next week to visit family and i can do the next round of testing while on vacation.

just the chance to be able to help someone in this way has me on a high....

just had to tell someone as my family is tired of hearing about it!

Very cool.

I have been signed up for years but have never been called.
Good luck to you and the potential recepient.

good luck! and thanks for doing this!

To everyone....

if you haven't signed up as an organ donor please do it! You may be able to help someone (like my dad).
Also, give blood.

We can all make a difference

Good for you! Great for someone!



My brother is alive, and whole, because someone cared, and acted on it.


M

That is the most caring and giving thing I've ever heard. I didn't realize that they look for people to do that kind of thing. I must be living in a mud hut. You guy's rock!

My best friend's father died of bone marrow cancer...not pretty. When he was diagnosed I became a donor. I also am an organ donor (I ride a motorcycle ) and I donate blood. Since I'm A- I get called religiously every 3 months by the little ol' Red Cross ladies

Hospitals refer to motorcycle riders as organ donors. I give blood but marrow? I have heard it is really painful and decided not to subject myself to that. When and if I die, they can have anything they want. Good for you for doing it, I just dont think I could.

i thought about the pain issue as well. they use general anesthesia to harvest the marrow so you are out when the draw is done.

besides, the way i figure is i can get over some pain, the person needing the donation, can't get over dying.

Good for you!!! I'm a multi gallon blood donor, they even gave me a 12Volt air compressor for the 914-6 after I gave 20 pints. I used to do the plasma thing, but after a couple of years (every 2 weeks) my veins scarred up too bad. Now just the blood every 2 months.

It doesn't really hurt guys, and it's a great excuse to veg out for the rest of the day, put that honey do list away, I gave blood today, I'm weak, lol.

that is great!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, everyone pull out their license and see if you have designated yourself as an organ donor...if not go CHANGE IT.

Last summer I lost my sister-in-law waiting for a double lung transplant. And she lived in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area!

QUOTE (rick 918-S @ Feb 17 2005, 05:16 PM)

That is the most caring and giving thing I've ever heard. I didn't realize that they look for people to do that kind of thing. I must be living in a mud hut. You guy's rock!

I wasn't aware of that either

Unfortunately, I'm an "undesirable" when it comes to blood donations because of the medications I have to be on (found out 9/11 when I tried to donate). Truely wonderful thing you're doing!

Man...
My sister had 2 donors
She beat a very bad case of childhood cancer, had the last rights given, hole bit.
I am a large framed man that can pass out at the site of a needle, litterally, I give blood all the time, because my sister can't. She is alive, heathy, married and very happy, because of people like you, and people on the list.
I am not a religious man, but I do believe in Karma, and you and the other people on the list, got some serious positive comming your way.
How does someone say thank you for giving me a chance to know my sister ?
I'll try
Thank you
WBR
Joe

Hey Scott B,
You're a good guy for doing this, but where do you sign up ? Hospital? Blood Bank???

As a medical person I want to clear up a couple of misconceptions I saw in this thread. First of all if you want to donate marrow you have a sample drawn and tested and you are on a list called a bone marrow registry. Potential matches are then screened against your original sample. If a potential match is found they test you further and if a close enough match is found they will do a physical on you and further tests before they move forward.

Since most of the Bone Marrow Registrys are worldwide your recipient could be from anywhere. I donated and the recipient was a woman in Melbourne Austrailia. They flew me from California to Washington D.C. twice for this.

It is a giant leap of faith for the recipient since they are irradiated to kill off all of there own diseased bone marrow before they can recieve yours. If your marrow doesn't produce red blood cells or is rejected they are dead. Truthfully, they are close to death at this point anyway.
You don't actually do anything accept give blood samples until you are found to be a close match. When you do give bone marrow it is generally a concious sedation proceedure. That is you are given a benzodiazapine and a sedative narcotic to keep you from having pain or memory. It is possible to still have pain but you have only to ask and they will give you more pain medicine. Because the benzodiazapine is an anterograde amnestic you generally don't remember being awake and talking to the practitioners in the room. If you insisted this can be done under a general but it is best to do the least invasive method if you can handle it...

All of the dry medical details aside, when you get the letter from your recipient a year down the line it is the closest thing I have ever seen to being a true hero in my life. You walk around for weeks with your feet off the ground.

I applaud you. Good luck in the second round of matching...

Rob

This is a wonderful thing you're doing. I hope many (including myself), take this to heart & follow your lead.

That's awesome Scott!

If you have time when you're here next week, let us know. Especially if you get some time on the weekend. The local 914 guys have been pretty active lately. Weather's been pretty nice also.

All I can say is Wow... and...



Let us know if you are a match!!!!

way to go!!!

i am a registered maroow donor too!

And you can get anything else Aaron has, anytime, I am going to part him out.


M

QUOTE (redshift @ Feb 17 2005, 10:28 PM)

And you can get anything else Aaron has, anytime, I am going to part him out. M

i give blood every 51 days too

what do you need miles? a kidney? 10k or a 3,2 six

I need a pancreas, and a gall bladder.


M

QUOTE (redshift @ Feb 17 2005, 10:31 PM)

I need a pancreas, and a gall bladder. M

make an offer: please dont insult me

Blood or marrow donors are cool.

I can't wait until I can give again - I'm on the restricted list until the end of September. Too much travel outside the US where disease is rampant.

Ok Aaron, I'll give you 18 schillings for the pancreas, and up to 30 fennig, depending on the condition of the bladder.

4 quid.. take the lot..


M

QUOTE (redshift @ Feb 17 2005, 10:54 PM)

Ok Aaron, I'll give you 18 schillings for the pancreas, and up to 30 fennig, depending on the condition of the bladder. 4 quid.. take the lot.. M

send me the funds via paypal.....

No, you send me the pancreas, and I'll send you half of it, then you send the bladder... and I'll email you a Nigerian money order.


M

hey gint,

this is going to be a quick trip, basically monday through friday without a lot of social time. i will be back out in may over memorial day weekend so i will try and hook up with the colorado contingent then.

i just heard that my initial round of typing placed me at a 6 out of 6 antigen match for the patient!

in speaking with the transplant coordinator, the next round of testing will be to confirm what is already known and do some further testing. she said i am 85% there for this guy. this is an urgent request so if i do ultimately match, things should move rather quickly. good news!