365 days ago this morning, my body was completely devoid of bone marrow. With my own marrow, I would have died. With marrow donated to me by an anonymous 29-year old somewhere in the world, I had a chance to live. On Wednesday, May 29, 2013, also known as "Day +0," my nurse and two representatives of the American Red Cross delivered my donor's stem cells to my room, hooked them up to my IV, and thus began my new lease on life. Stem cells are the core material of bone marrow. Bone marrow is what creates blood. My donor's stem cells floated around in my blood stream for a few days, looking for a new home. They ultimately found their way to my hollowed-out bones and set up shop there, creating Marrow that was ultimately create new blood for me. Just under two weeks after my transplant my blood counts started coming up, and I was on my way back. The O- blood that I was born with, and which had since become cancerous, was gone and my donor's healthy A- blood began flowing through my body. It's an amazing blessing, my gratitude for which I will never be able to adequately express. Every day I live is thanks to a selfless person somewhere in the world who decided it was important to help save a stranger's life. Whoever you are, wherever you are, you are my hero.
Praises to God for all His blessings. Thanks for sharing. Dan
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