bone marrow registry

Chris and I wanted to share some information about bone marrow donation. Most of the other leukemia patients I've spoken with are having bone marrow transplants. I've been really lucky, since my doctor decided we won't need to do a transplant. But this is what we've learned about the BMT (bone marrow transplant) process for the Donor..

• Registry: Becoming a donor (through the National Marrow Donor Program) is much, much easier than we thought -- often with a just quick swab inside the cheek. You can actually sign up online, and they will send you the tissue-typing kit to do this at home.
• Donation: Although traditionally, bone marrow donation required surgery, a newer, less complicated procedure can obtain stem cells from your bloodstream. So they only need to draw some blood.
• The need: For the transplant to work, there needs to be a tissue type match. Surprisingly, 70% of patients do not have a match in their family. According to the NMDP, the most pressing need is for donors who are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, African American, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or multiple-race.

On a lighter note, it is day 2 of my "vacation" from the hospital, so I'm just laying here by the pool sipping my mojito. (that second part is actually a lie)
I did though wake up this morning with a bit of bedhead, which was so exciting. My hair is starting to grow back, and it's hilarious. So far, it is really sparse and fuzzy, and it's about 2 cm long. We assumed it would keep falling out, but it seems to be hanging on through these rounds of chemo. Hmmm... I guess we will see.

love,
h (& c)