How great is my misses!!!

[I_wanna_Shed]

After what seems like a spate of sudden sadness in this area of the forum, I thought I would post a feel-good story....

My wife has been religiously donating blood for over 10 years now. When she started, she ticked a box labeled "I would like to enlist on the bone marrow donor register". Now this register is used if there is someone who needs a bone marrow transplant (usually cancer patients). The odds of a match outside of immediate family are pretty slim (apparently not even twins will always match up).

She got a call just before our wedding last November, saying that there is a patient requiring a transplant that matches her bone marrow. Straight away she said she would do it - without a second of hesitation. She gave a final blood test which confirmed the match.

She was booked in for mid-January after our wedding for the operation. "Yeah, there will be pain, but it will only be for 2 or 3 days after the operation. Should be in and out within several hours" she was told.

More tests followed (and numerous stuff-arounds by our great hospital system).

So we go into the hospital. She goes in to the op theatre. The operation goes fairly well, the only hiccup was her blood pressure dropped dangerously low during the op so she was kept in for observation that night.

If you don't want to hear about how the op is done, skip this next paragraph. Some though may find it interesting.

They draw the bone marrow from your hips. They get a long, very sharp needle and poke this under your skin, on your back above your hips. They then insert the needle through the bone (told you it was sharp!) and draw out 5ml of marrow. They then draw the needle out of the bone, and while it is still under your skin, move it around to another section of bone, then take another 5ml. They take 5ml from one spot or else they start drawing blood along with marrow. So... 5ml at a time, that's 100 injections in each hip! A total of 2 x 100 withdrawals brings them to the required 1L.

When I saw her that night, she was as white as a ghost, and the pain.... oh the pain!!!! She hurt laying down, she hurt sitting up, don't even mention walking! She also needed a blood transfusion (in addition to the blood she gave earlier in the week). My wife took this all in her stride.... "all to possibly help saving a stranger's life" she said.

The next day she was able to go home. The pain continued at unbearable levels for nearly a week. Since she was told she should be right to be back at work on Monday (the op was on a Friday), she called the surgeon. His response was simply "Oh no, you'll be in pain for a while. Maybe a week. Maybe more. Goodbye".

This pain was bad. I needed to help her walk up our 10m hallway, and that would take almost a minute. Throughout the week this shortened to about 20 seconds.

She was back at work 1 week after the op, but having half days because her strength was low and she was still in pain. The pain was not totally gone until a month after the op.

Now, seeing the pain she went through, I am very ashamed to say that no, I could not do this for a stranger. That's what makes my wife so special. Nobody made her do this, she doesn't have a clue who the recipient is, she took a total of 2 weeks unpaid leave from her job to allow for the tests, the op, and further recovery. She was treated very, very badly by the hospital (that's another story). Not once did she complain or regret doing it.

Just last week she received a call from the Bone Marrow Registry. The recipient's body had accepted and was now grafting the marrow! This anonymous recipient was winning their long and hard battle against cancer, and was on the way to recovery! Why? Because of someone so kind and giving. Because of my wife.

My wife says that she would go through this again if her odds came up once more. I just thought I would post this here for those that are going through themselves or a loved one's battle with an ugly disease such as cancer. I hope this brings hope that yes, there are people so kind and selfless who will put their own, busy lives on hold for a stranger.

Keep hanging in there.

Cheers,
Nathan.

[johnc]

Nathan,

That really is a great story, I gather most blood donors are unlikely to ever get that call because the chance of a match is indeed very low. However should I ever get the call I hope I have the strength of character that your wife has displayed in helping a stranger get a second chance at life.

Send her my regards, John.

[m2c1Iw]

Nathan,
SWdefinatelyMBO is a GEM

[Groggy]

You deserve to be proud of her Nathan, please pass on my respect to her.

I did a big girlie squirm just reading that paragraph about the needle in the hip.

Good on her! Donors should get a tax deduction I reckon.

[boban]

She is something special.

[Glenn_M]

What a great story and a fantastic woman!
Thanks for telling it.

Glenn

[Schtoo]

Ouchie.

Pass on our regards to her please, tougher than most and worth holding on to her.


Would I do this for a complete stranger?

Tough question really, considering the pain (know about it second hand, my cousins gave/recieved bone marrow, and it worked) and other jerking around. It's even worse here, I don't donate blood simply because they may not accept it since I am not Japanese (not kidding ) and Mrs. Schtoo is not allowed to give blood anymore for two reasons, low iron and she was in the UK at a certain time when cows thought they were horses.


So, to answer the question, if I was asked would I go through this for a complete stranger?

They wouldn't have to ask twice.

I have my reasons, they are good enough for me and I am not going to go on about them right here.

Oh yeah, I have already warned everyone who can sign for me in certain circumstances that if they don't take out every useful bit of me when I croak, I will come back and haunt them for the rest of their days.

[ptc]

You have one in a Million.

[Tex B]

What an inspring story Nathan. You are really blessed to be married to this woman.

Tex

[rat52]

WOW!!!!!! totally awesome

I have to have gas just to sit in the dentists' waiting room.

[Dr.Zook]

Nathan,hold on to this one, she is a keeper. I have given over 5 gallons of blood so far, but I don't think I could do what your Misses has done. Give her a big hug and tell her GOD bless her for me.

[woodcutta]

Great story Nathan,

You could say her blood's (and marrow) worth bottling

woodcutta

[fred.n]

No doubt about it, she is a bloody ripper

what a really great selfless act.

[jmk89]

Add my admiration to all the others.

I have always thought about being a blood donor, but have always found a way to be too busy etc.

Your story of your wife's courage and selflessness has encouraged me to go out and give blood today. Am I going to tick the bone marrow donation box? Intend to, but I may chicken when I get there.

[K_S]

Mate, your missus has IT