1 Liter of Bone Marrow... Coming Right Up!

In true procrastinator fashion, I managed to create and update a brand new blog right as the last moments ticked by before midnight when I had to start fasting.

Fasting? Yes. Fasting. Because I’m donating bone marrow at 8:30am at Stanford Cancer Center. Don’t worry. My brother, Ted, and I know how to handle emotionally intense situations, especially ones where food may become scarce. We pulled the “nutrition walk of shame” a couple hours ago.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, the “nutrition walk of shame” refers to when you roll up to the In-N-Out just South of the city, wait in line in the drive-through, and send the passenger to walk across the street to Krispe Kreme Doughnuts to grab a six-pack for an appetizer. The passenger (ie: Ted), then has to bring back a blatantly branded box of goodness, while dodging other judgmental drivers in the parking lot to make it back to the spot in line at the drive-through. Mmmmmmmm. Cheese fries.

So. Cheese fries, cheeseburgers, doughnuts. Pre-surgery meal, check!

And because food seems to be a weird digression from the most important part of this story…

In just a few hours, I am donating bone marrow to a woman I lovingly refer to as, “my lady.” I got the call that I was a match for “my lady” at the beginning of August. Obviously, I don’t know much about her. I do know, however, that she is a 63-year-old woman with AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia). I know that her situation is considered “urgent” and that she needs 1 Liter of my bone marrow to have a shot at some more time on this earth. I also know that she’s the same age as my mom… and that I would pray to God that someone who was able would give up 1 Liter of their bone marrow if she needed it so that I could spend a little more time with her…

So, here I am, face to face with the actual surgery. I can’t believe it’s here. Emotions are high and definitely a little scattered, but all-in-all, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to help someone else in this capacity during my lifetime.

I know I have given zero history or background in this post as it relates to the larger bone marrow story that has consumed the past three and a half months of my life. And for those of you who aren’t on Team in Training or who aren’t BFFs with the parents back in COMO, I owe you an update. But for now, I’m just happy that I figured out how to start a blog.

I’ll see ya’ll on the flip side… with complete details for your informational pleasure guaranteed.

Until then…