Today started off like any normal day, as always I found myself running late, hair uncombed, and wishing I had stopped for coffee. Even without my usual caffeine buzz, I attempted to muddle through the day. While on my lunch break though, my day got weird. While stuffing my face with a turkey and cheese wrap, I scrolled through all my unread emails. One in particular caught my eye, its tag line said, "You're a match!", at first I thought it was for some dating website, but I quickly reminded myself that,
A) I am a crazy cat and dog lady, and ain't nobody got time for that...
...and...
B) I never signed up for such a website, since my current relationship is 3 and a half years strong.
Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to open it. I quickly scanned the contents. I had been matched with someone who was suffering from blood cancer and desperately needed bone marrow. Since I am currently enrolled in the Surgical Technology program, helping people and healing them of sickness is pretty close to my heart. At first I froze and allowed the information to sink in. Around me, my classmates chatted and swapped stories of all the surgeries they had completed that day. Without explanation I simply announced, "I'm a match...". My teacher whirled around, bewildered. She immediately barraged me with questions. The moment she found out what I was a match for, I swear she almost cried. She immediately left to call her friend, who volunteers at DKMS after losing her nephew to blood cancer. The rest of my lunch break was a flurry of questions and phone calls as I contacted DKMS to figure out my next step. My teacher even took pictures and videos to put on Facebook. Luckily, I was able to kibosh the video before she pushed "upload". To my mortification, my picture on Facebook began to garnish much attention. People were "liking" it left and right, some even commented saying I was a hero. My biggest regret about this "fame" is that the picture is terrible. I am in my hospital scrubs and look like a sweaty weirdo. Thankfully I vetted pictures before I allowed it to be posted on Facebook. The first picture she took, the sign would have been out shined by my greasy forehead. However, the one she ended up posting is laughable, sorry about that!
However, after time to reflect, I know I am not a hero. I am just a 24 year old woman with a healthy body, BUT if we're being honest it's more like healthy(ish), I could afford to lose a few pounds. The surgery, although painful, is something I am willing to go through, if it means someone can get a life saving donation. Rest assured though, if they tell me I can't eat ice cream, coffee, Geaghan's wings, or beer, I just may quit.
So even though I am not keen on all this attention and lime light, I have begrudgingly agreed to document this journey. It may not be easy or pretty, but I will try to give my honest rendition of my experiences. My hope is that this information will give others an idea of what the donor goes through, and inspire others to "Get Swabbed" and make their own life saving donation.
If you want to "Get Swabbed", or just brush up on what the heck I'm talking about, go to the DKMS website: https://www.deletebloodcancer.org/
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