Friday, May 18, 2007

What have I done??

So, I impulsively signed up to be on the national bone marrow donor registry. I don't know what prompted me to do it, but I did and I'm left with mixed feelings about it.
From what I understand, the procedure is rather uncomfortable and leaves the donor with a sore back for days after. But when I consider that so many children and adults (although admittedly it's the children that pull at my heartstrings and led me to sign up in the first place) in this country that can be helped or even healed through bone marrow transplants, I thought - these kids have CANCER - kids that are the same age (and younger) as my babies -- If I was a match for someone and could potentially give life-saving marrow to someone, shouldn't I do it? What if the shoe were on the other foot? And my baby needed marrow? Or my husband? Or me?

But it's uncomfortable. Possibly painful. It's inconvenient and could take a lot of my time and efforts.

I guess sometimes I just like to feel like I could do something meaningful.
Important.
Life-changing.
When's the last time I felt that way?

If you want to sign up, you can do so here: Bone Marrow Registry
Just enter in your name, address, general health information and they send you a kit to swab the inside of your cheek (to determine your marrow type) with a return address envelope and they add you to the registry.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe your words were -- "do something meaningful, important and life changing" --- Don't look now girl - but you do that everyday with your sons!

Anonymous said...

Wow...you never cease to amaze me!
I still haven't given blood because I don't like needles...every time I drive by the Red-Cross building I think "man, I should just suck it up & help someone..." but then I chicken out...you are an inspiration...I'm going to try to give blood before the summer's over!

Anonymous said...

Every time I hear about this, I mean to sign up...then I get busy and forget. I'm already an organ donor and I don't like needles or pain, especially in the back region, but if it could save a child...or a child's Mom, Dad, sibling, friend or Grandparent, it's worth it. So, even though you may save an adult's life, it ultimately affects a child also.

What gives with all the blogs--you must have backed up your own "hard drive" and freed up some space. I've been blogging slow lately but so has everyone else that I read--I thought there was some kind of spring fever going around. So, tell us, what're you ON? Must be good stuff! :0)

Anonymous said...

I'm not on anything....I find simple short posts on nothingness the easiest to write. So I might fire off 4 random things in one day.
It's the long, thought-provoking ones that take me awhile to formulate. You know, blogs about things like laundry trips, poop smears on the wall, etc. etc. that are so mind-boggling-ly intelligent that it takes me a few days to formulate good thoughts in writing.