Potential Bone Marrow Match

I have a special request. In April of 1998, I gave a tube of blood to the Bone Marrow registry. Since then, I have moved three times. I came home from work on Thursday to a voice mail message that I had to play twice. I was told that I was a potential bone marrow match for a 51 year old woman with leukemia.

I tried to call back on Friday. I got messages. My husband called to tell me there was a fed ex'd package at our door from the Bone Marrow registry. Meanwhile, my call was returned. The nice person on the phone asked me a series of health questions. She asked if I was willing to proceed with testing my DNA from the tube of blood from ten years ago. The preliminary tests show that I would be a good match but there are a few other things they have to test. She explained to me what it would entail. She said it is at this point that you have to decide if you are willing to go through with it. We would not want to give a patient false hope.

I am a Registered Nurse. Anyone who is a nurse or knows a nurse knows that nurses are not the best patients. I do not know why. The first thing I thought of was "Oh my gosh, there is no way I could do that. I do not want a large needle going into my bone" That was my selfish first thought. Then, I think of how I supported a computer application going live in the Bone Marrow unit in my hospital last year. Those patients are so sick. So many do not survive. My life's work is caring for patients. If I did not do it, it would go against what I work for everyday.

Please pray that my bone marrow will work for this woman who is sick that I do not know. Please pray that I will work on my health. If I am a match, I want to be in the best possible shape I can to make the procedure easier.

For some reason, this sort of feels like a red thread. Even though this is not an adoption, I already feel connected to her.

To join the bone marrow registery, click here.