More about the Marrowthon

I just completed my registration for the Be The Match registry, and my kit is on the way!

I only think this is noteworthy because I am SCARED BEYOND REASON of donating marrow. Hear me out on this one.

So 5 days before Rick died he had a bone marrow biopsy. The procedure was not foreign to him, he was a pro at it. Me, on the other hand, I had never seen one done. Not generally being put off by blood and guts I figured I could handle it. WRONG! I was ok when they jabbed the needle around in Rick's back to distribute the local pain meds. I was ok when the doctor started putting the needle in his back to obtain the biopsy and Rick said he could feel it. I was ok when the doctor plopped the globby specimen on the slides right in front of me. When the doctor said "This is no good, we're going to have to do it again" I hit the floor. Passed out in the exam room. From what I can gather, they went ahead with the second try and left me on the floor. When I came to Rick was sitting up on the end of the exam table, calm as could be, and I was surrounded by nurses.

As awful as that experience was, and knowing that one possible means of donating through the registry could be a marrow donation (as opposed to a peripheral blood stem cell donation, which is done much more like donating blood, and comparatively a piece of cake), I still signed up. I am, honestly, nervous about the prospect of being a match for someone. HOWEVER- knowing that by doing so i could safe someone the agonizing grief of losing their spouse or life partner that i have been going through over the last 13 weeks, I hope to some day get the notice.

I hope that some of you who are reading this have already joined, but for those who havent, please consider it. If I can put my fears aside I hope some of you can do the same with whatever is keeping you from joining. You still have a week to sign up for free, but the registry will ALWAYS need you, even if you arent ready now.