More Searching / Donor Drives

Well, what can I say? Not much new on our end… The two potential donors that they had found both came back as temporarily unavailable, which is a big bummer (meaning they could be moving, sick, having a baby, etc). So they started the search process again last week (new donors are added daily) so we should hear something soon. So far, chemo has been very easy for me, the only hard part is my numbers get very low about a week and a half after the chemo, when I will have to go in for blood and platelets because I will get a bloody nose that won’t stop. I’ve met some great people in my chemo room and all the nurses have been amazing. I am very blessed that chemo is going well for me and that I don’t get sick like most of the people I have met. We only have one more round of chemo left, which will start around the beginning of April; after that we will be waiting for a donor. The reason they are only doing 4 rounds of chemo is that 4 is the ideal number- after this it’s either going to come back or not.  But because of the severity of my leukemia a transplant is needed no matter what.

 

Kat and I have decided to take a trip after I recover from my last chemo session, we will be heading to the Big Island of Hawaii for a week. This will be our honeymoon and time for us to relax and have a good time before we get involved in a transplant. Other news – my parents are organizing a donor drive with the City of Dana Point. If everything goes according to plan, we are hoping to register anywhere from 100-200 new donors to the database with the testing costs waived. So please stay in contact with my parents as well as checking the site for any updates, I believe its going to take place late April. Kat and I are also planning a donor drive here in Portland, I am trying to get Jamba Juice to try and help sponsor it, and Kat’s working on maybe having one at her mall where she works.

 

I just want to say thanks to everyone, all of you have been a blessing in my life. The support, comments, mail and phone calls have been amazing. I couldn’t ask for a better group of friends and family supporting me. The only thing I ask is that if you are healthy and willing – become a marow donor. Save my life or someone’s life, it’s the greatest gift you could give anyone. (www.marrow.org)

 

At the coast