Young man searching for Bone Marrow donor

bistor · Guru

RE: Young man searching for Bone Marrow donor

Lahtina · Foro Master

bistor wrote:

I can't donate, though I used to... canadian blood services has become pretty anal about who donates. You probably can't donate either, Julie. I've never heard of people with rare blood types not being allowed to donate though.

So you're saying I MIGHT be able to?

Julie · Comandante

bistor wrote:

You can't donate if you've been in France more than a year since 1980. Britain it's even less, and the EU for 4-5 years...you probably qualify. Yes, it's because of BSE.

I know, my friends wanted to register but since they left France only in 2004, no way Jose !

But I competly understand that they're taking all these precautions, it's about helping and maybe saving someboy's life so you need to be extra careful.

bistor · Guru

You can't donate if you've been in France more than a year since 1980. Britain it's even less, and the EU for 4-5 years...you probably qualify.

Yes, it's because of BSE.

Julie · Comandante

bistor wrote:

I can't donate, though I used to... canadian blood services has become pretty anal about who donates. You probably can't donate either, Julie. I've never heard of people with rare blood types not being allowed to donate though.

Well, if it is because of "la vaca loca" thing or "la grippe avaire" I wasn't in France when it happened so I might be ok.

Anyway, I'll fill out the form and veremos !

bistor · Guru

I can't donate, though I used to... canadian blood services has become pretty anal about who donates.

You probably can't donate either, Julie.

I've never heard of people with rare blood types not being allowed to donate though.

Julie · Comandante

Ok, I just recieved the brochure andeverything is very well explain, just sign in in the web site and you'll get it. Don't worry, it doesn't mean that you'e already enroll. At least take that step to be more inform if you find that there is to much info on the web

How do I donate bone marrow ?

Bone Marrow is removed from the large bones of your pelvis using a needle. You will be given an anesthetic (either general or spinal) to ensure that your experience no pain during the collection procedure. Most pple need only a mild pain reliever after the procedure to alleviate discomfort.

They probably put it in a way where it doesn't look so painful, but I had it done in the "sternum" and it's more a discmfort than real pain.

Lahtina · Foro Master

Julie wrote:

I guess you would have to ask to an Hematologo. A mi me sacaron una prueba del sternum cuando tuve Problemas de plaquetas, no duele, es mas bien una sensacion rara. You might want to do the test and find out.

Si, porque me encanta sentirme rara.

Julie · Comandante

Lahtina wrote:

So if bone marrow is the tissue found in the soft centre of the bones. It manufactures blood cells, including red blood cells (which carry oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infection) and platelets (which help to stop bleeding). Then, with my rare blood type, my bone marrow is most definitely not compatible.

I guess you would have to ask to an Hematologo.

A mi me sacaron una prueba del sternum cuando tuve Problemas de plaquetas, no duele, es mas bien una sensacion rara. You might want to do the test and find out.

Julie · Comandante

I just signed in ! Let's see what happened next.

Motown Junkie · TOP Guru

McOSIRIS wrote:

Motown Junkie wrote: Sometimes I wonder if anyone sees my posts? Whatever I post, seems to be repeated after. I feel so ignored...... anyways.... moving on.....

Good you saw it!!!

Lahtina · Foro Master

So if bone marrow is the tissue found in the soft centre of the bones. It manufactures blood cells, including red blood cells (which carry oxygen), white blood cells (which fight infection) and platelets (which help to stop bleeding). Then, with my rare blood type, my bone marrow is most definitely not compatible.

McOSIRIS · Comandante

Motown Junkie wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if anyone sees my posts? Whatever I post, seems to be repeated after. I feel so ignored......

anyways....

moving on.....

Lahtina · Foro Master

I know that I can't donate blood because I have a rare blood type... does the same apply for the bone marrow?

TV Buff · TOP Guru

Yesi wrote:

WOW I can't beleive it got to your ears TVBUFF, I actually know this kid, my boyfrieds mom works with his mom and she has seen all the suffering she has gone through. Anyway I am in that list I will go do all the testing soon. I will let you know if it hurts. Thank you all for doing this, this is a good kid and if we can help that is great. Yesi

Wow, that's great that you know him. Please tell your bf's mom to tell his mom that people here in the GTA are doing something about this and that we wish him all the luck finding a donor.

@ Genie: there's always the option of doing the arm thingy, so I think I'll go for that one, even though I'm scared ShiTless of needles.

Yesi · Guru

TV Buff wrote:

Danilo Mercado is 23-year-old young man of nicaraguan background. He lives in Kitchener. He was diagnosed when he was 19 years old, and after years of chemotherapy treatments, his family is now looking for a bone marrow donor amongst the Latin American community. For more info, call Canadian Blood Services @ 1-866-533-6663. Donors can be between the ages of 17 to 50 years old.

WOW I can't beleive it got to your ears TVBUFF, I actually know this kid, my boyfrieds mom works with his mom and she has seen all the suffering she has gone through. Anyway I am in that list I will go do all the testing soon. I will let you know if it hurts.

Thank you all for doing this, this is a good kid and if we can help that is great.

Yesi

GENIE · Foro Master

Motown Junkie wrote:

TV Buff wrote: GENIE wrote: ITS GREAT IM ACTUALLY REGISTERED SO I DONT NEED TO REPEAT THEY ALREADY TRY TO MATCH IT AND THEN CONTACT U IF UR A MATCH TO ANYONE!!! BUT OMG IT HURTS!!! I DID IT BACK IN 2001 FOR A FRIEND AT THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR HER CUZIN WAS IN NEED AND WE ALL DID IT BUT HOLY I THINK ITS MORE PAINFUL THEN CHILD BIRTH AND I HAVE DONE IT TWICE SO I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!!! But the lady told me that the pain only compares to falling on ice. And I asked and asked "but does it hurt?" Every other question, I would ask her that. Really? It hurts that much? You think she would tell you the truth? She wants to bring in people not scare them away! lol Would you sign up if she said, "Oh #@ck yeah, hurts like a b*tCh!!"?

BUFFY I HAVE A HUGE PAIN TOLERENCE! MAYBE IT WAS JUST THAT DAY BUT MAN IT HURT TO ME! EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT I SEEN A GIRL GO IN AND FAINT BUT THEN I SEEN A MINI CHICK I MEAN LIKE CONFUS SIZE GO IN AND COME OUT LIKE THEY JUST GAVE HER A NEEDLE! SO PAIN TO EACH THERE OWN BUT FOR ME THAT DAY IT HURT!

Motown Junkie · TOP Guru

TV Buff wrote:

GENIE wrote: ITS GREAT IM ACTUALLY REGISTERED SO I DONT NEED TO REPEAT THEY ALREADY TRY TO MATCH IT AND THEN CONTACT U IF UR A MATCH TO ANYONE!!! BUT OMG IT HURTS!!! I DID IT BACK IN 2001 FOR A FRIEND AT THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR HER CUZIN WAS IN NEED AND WE ALL DID IT BUT HOLY I THINK ITS MORE PAINFUL THEN CHILD BIRTH AND I HAVE DONE IT TWICE SO I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!!! But the lady told me that the pain only compares to falling on ice. And I asked and asked "but does it hurt?" Every other question, I would ask her that. Really? It hurts that much?

You think she would tell you the truth? She wants to bring in people not scare them away!

lol Would you sign up if she said, "Oh #@ck yeah, hurts like a b*tCh!!"?

TV Buff · TOP Guru

GENIE wrote:

ITS GREAT IM ACTUALLY REGISTERED SO I DONT NEED TO REPEAT THEY ALREADY TRY TO MATCH IT AND THEN CONTACT U IF UR A MATCH TO ANYONE!!! BUT OMG IT HURTS!!! I DID IT BACK IN 2001 FOR A FRIEND AT THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR HER CUZIN WAS IN NEED AND WE ALL DID IT BUT HOLY I THINK ITS MORE PAINFUL THEN CHILD BIRTH AND I HAVE DONE IT TWICE SO I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!!!

But the lady told me that the pain only compares to falling on ice. And I asked and asked "but does it hurt?" Every other question, I would ask her that.

Really? It hurts that much?

GENIE · Foro Master

TV Buff wrote:

I just called Canadian Blood Services. This is what I was told: - Anyone can join their registry, because if you become a donor, they can use your bone marrow not only for this young man, but for many others, sincer they're an international registry.- You need to be between the ages of 17 to 50 and be in good health. You'll need to fill out some forms that can either be mailed to you or you find on www.blood.ca. You'll fill out a consent form and an assessment form. Sign it and mail it to them or bring it to any Blood Services agency. They'll call you and set up an appointment to come and give a blood sample.- You'll then be put into a database, as you're joining their registry. If they find a match for you from any of the patients, they'll call you and you have a choice of these two procedures:-- A surgical procedure, where they extract bone marrow from your lower back/hip. I asked about side effects and she said that there's tenderness in the area and bruising for about two weeks. No long term effects.-- There's also blood extraction through your arm, where a machine extracts what it needs and then puts the other elements of your blood back in your system. Side effects for both procedures is fatigue for maybe a couple of weeks. She says the whole procedure is equivalent to two whole blood donations. If anyone is interested, please go to www.blood.ca, print the forms and send them to their mailing address as soon as possible. They'll take it from there. Like I said, if you donate, this could potentially save not just this guy's, but another person's life. Apparently, Latin American donors are few and far between and they need to increase the pool of donors, 'cause ethnicity plays a big part in who is a match.

GUYS THIS KILLS!!!! ITS GREAT IM ACTUALLY REGISTERED SO I DONT NEED TO REPEAT THEY ALREADY TRY TO MATCH IT AND THEN CONTACT U IF UR A MATCH TO ANYONE!!! BUT OMG IT HURTS!!! I DID IT BACK IN 2001 FOR A FRIEND AT THE COMPANY I WORKED FOR HER CUZIN WAS IN NEED AND WE ALL DID IT BUT HOLY I THINK ITS MORE PAINFUL THEN CHILD BIRTH AND I HAVE DONE IT TWICE SO I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!!!

TV Buff · TOP Guru

Motown Junkie wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if anyone sees my posts? Whatever I post, seems to be repeated after. I feel so ignored......

There, there...

We see you.

Julie · Comandante

LaDyBuG wrote:

@ JULIE DO YOU MEAN "EPIDURAL"....THE PREGNANCY ONE?

That's what I meant

@ MJ, of course we do

Motown Junkie · TOP Guru

Sometimes I wonder if anyone sees my posts? Whatever I post, seems to be repeated after. I feel so ignored......

TV Buff · TOP Guru

I just called Canadian Blood Services. This is what I was told:

- Anyone can join their registry, because if you become a donor, they can use your bone marrow not only for this young man, but for many others, sincer they're an international registry.
- You need to be between the ages of 17 to 50 and be in good health. You'll need to fill out some forms that can either be mailed to you or you find on www.blood.ca. You'll fill out a consent form and an assessment form. Sign it and mail it to them or bring it to any Blood Services agency. They'll call you and set up an appointment to come and give a blood sample.
- You'll then be put into a database, as you're joining their registry. If they find a match for you from any of the patients, they'll call you and you have a choice of these two procedures:
-- A surgical procedure, where they extract bone marrow from your lower back/hip. I asked about side effects and she said that there's tenderness in the area and bruising for about two weeks. No long term effects.
-- There's also blood extraction through your arm, where a machine extracts what it needs and then puts the other elements of your blood back in your system. Side effects for both procedures is fatigue for maybe a couple of weeks. She says the whole procedure is equivalent to two whole blood donations.

If anyone is interested, please go to www.blood.ca, print the forms and send them to their mailing address as soon as possible. They'll take it from there. Like I said, if you donate, this could potentially save not just this guy's, but another person's life. Apparently, Latin American donors are few and far between and they need to increase the pool of donors, 'cause ethnicity plays a big part in who is a match.

LaDyBuG · Comandante

@ JULIE

DO YOU MEAN "EPIDURAL"....THE PREGNANCY ONE?

Julie · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

Julie wrote: Bainaman wrote: We should all go and get the test done.... ......those who want to obviously...... Anyone in??? Holy crap, I know it hurts like hell but lets do it ! Baina, you're the offcial planner for this one I'm told I'm a follower......So I can't plan this.......I nominate Buffy.....since she started the thread!!! Does it really hurt like crazy??!!??

LB just gave the right description.

As for the hurting part, well really it depend how much pain you can handle. I already had that kind of needle inserted into my knee so I know I can take it and I tend to be pretty resistent to physical pain.

Yes, the needle it quite the same or the same as for "peridural' if I am not mistaken.

Motown Junkie · TOP Guru

LaDyBuG wrote:

OK ....SOMEONE JUST TOLD ME....THEY INJECT A NEEDLE IN THE LOWER PART OF YOUR SPINE AND REMOVE A BIT OF MARROW TO SEE IF IT MATCHES..... DOES THIS SOUND RIGHT?

Yup!

luna chiquitita · TOP Guru

MEH... about as much as a band aid being ripped from a hairy arm... SUCK IT UP OL' MAN! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

ok that was uncalled for.. even i recognize that.. anyhoo.. YA Buffers.. organize it and I'm there! I'm down for the cause.

Motown Junkie · TOP Guru

LaDyBuG wrote:

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE DIDN'T SEE THIS THREAD.... HOW DOES ONE TEST FOR AND DONATE BONE MARROW....

Every 3 months or so, I donate blood. When I asked about the bone marrow process, they DID claim that their is a pain factor and something about a needle in your back. I'm not quite sure because I toned out once they said the word "pain". I dunno, the word pain and needle in my back makes me either think of labour or being paralyzed. I think I'd have to speak to someone who actually donated bone marrow to consider donating.

Here's the website with bone marrow information:

http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/CBS%20Bone%20Marrow%20Registry

LaDyBuG · Comandante

OK ....SOMEONE JUST TOLD ME....THEY INJECT A NEEDLE IN THE LOWER PART OF YOUR SPINE AND REMOVE A BIT OF MARROW TO SEE IF IT MATCHES.....

DOES THIS SOUND RIGHT?

Bainaman · Foro Master

Julie wrote:

Bainaman wrote:
We should all go and get the test done.... ......those who want to obviously...... Anyone in???

Holy crap, I know it hurts like hell but lets do it !
Baina, you're the offcial planner for this one

I'm told I'm a follower......So I can't plan this.......I nominate Buffy.....since she started the thread!!!

Does it really hurt like crazy??!!??

Julie · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

We should all go and get the test done.... ......those who want to obviously...... Anyone in???

Holy crap, I know it hurts like hell but lets do it !

Baina, you're the offcial planner for this one

luna chiquitita · TOP Guru

I'm definitely in! Anything to help out! How do you get tested for this??

Bainaman · Foro Master

We should all go and get the test done....

......those who want to obviously......

Anyone in???

LaDyBuG · Comandante

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE DIDN'T SEE THIS THREAD....

HOW DOES ONE TEST FOR AND DONATE BONE MARROW....

TV Buff · TOP Guru

Danilo Mercado is 23-year-old young man of nicaraguan background. He lives in Kitchener. He was diagnosed when he was 19 years old, and after years of chemotherapy treatments, his family is now looking for a bone marrow donor amongst the Latin American community. For more info, call Canadian Blood Services @ 1-866-533-6663. Donors can be between the ages of 17 to 50 years old.