Anyone here ever donated Bone Marrow? I want to do it

[Drastic]

Two types of donations these days:

MYTH:
All bone marrow donations involve surgery.
FACT:
The majority of donations do not involve surgery. The patient's doctor most commonly requests a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation, which is non-surgical and outpatient. If marrow is requested, it is a surgical procedure, usually outpatient. 

MYTH:
Pieces of bone are removed from the donor.
FACT:
Pieces of bone are not removed from the donor in either type of donation.

A PBSC donation involves taking the drug filgrastim for five days leading up to donation in order to increase the donor's needed blood-forming cells. On the fifth day, blood is taken from the donor through one arm, passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells, and returned through the donor's other arm.

In marrow donation, no pieces of bone are taken; only the liquid marrow found inside the bones is needed to save the patient's life. 

From yonder marrow.org site.

[jpinard]

@bahimiron

I donated marrow when I was much, much younger. I recall it being absolutely terrifying, but hurting far less than some of the other things that were done to me that year.* The procedure that TheTrunkDr describes is an alternative, but it ain’t what I got to do. SlyFrog pretty much describes it! But as a kid there was enough anasthetic that I barely noticed what was going on and then afterward it didn’t ache much more than a tetanus shot.

*A spinal tap. I specify just in case someone gets funny ideas about what I meant.

I don’t understand,. If they don’t use general anesthesia why would someone with breathing issues like me be automatically ruled out? Why would someone with sleep apnea be ruled out? A lot of very healthy people have that. I would assume when they give regional anesthesia they also give you a mix of sedative drugs not unlike a Colonoscopy?

[Bahimiron]

@jpinard

I don’t understand,. If they don’t use general anesthesia why would someone with breathing issues like me be automatically ruled out?

It’s possible that my case is simply different for one of two reasons. It was eighteen years ago. I was twelve.

[Angie_Gallant]

I was going to get myself registered when my friend was suffering from leukemia, but they don’t allow people who have had thyroid cancer to ever donate marrow.

[Dave_Markell]

@Drastic

A PBSC donation involves taking the drug filgrastim for five days leading up to donation in order to increase the donor’s needed blood-forming cells.

Heh. I helped develop that drug at Amgen, which is where I joined the bone marrow donor program. One of our co-workers needed a transplant, and the company encouraged everyone to sign up. Many did, but less than I would have thought.

[Drastic]

Nifty. I imagine part of the problem is word isn’t really out about it. I’d always thought of marrow donation involving someone punching a large-gauge needle into your pelvis, and didn’t know about the cell-harvesting thing until just today.

Of course, I’m also projecting when I hear about things to cover when everyone else hears about them. Because that never steers anyone wrong.

[Eightball]

After looking at the Medical Guidelines, I’m fairly sure you don’t qualify, jpinard.

If you have serious breathing problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, sleep apnea or cystic fibrosis, you are not able to register.

[Aeon221]

I’m signing up to this thing.

7. (Men only) In the past 5 years have you had sex, even once with another male?

“Well, this one time… but it turned out she was just really hairy.”

The only issue I’ve got is that they want fifty bucks to sign up.

“Hi, thanks for offering to donate some of your life essence. Pony up!”

[Bahimiron]

Raise that money by donating your other life-essence.

[Aeon221]

@bahimiron

Raise that money by donating your other life-essence.

I’ve been seriously considering that in recent weeks. It beats the ever loving shit out of working.

[Tim]

@marrow.org

blood is taken from the donor through one arm, passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells, and returned through the donor’s other arm…

Oh man, I hope not. That’s how they start everyone for platelet collections, but after a few smooth sessions like that, they gave me the option of using only one arm. Sometimes it feels a little weird when it reverses flow, but there is nothing in the world that makes your face itch like having a needle in each arm for 2 hours or so. One of which is trickling in an anticoagulant that usually makes your hands, feet, and face tingle like they’ve “fallen asleep”.

@marrow.org

7. (Men only) In the past 5 years have you had sex, even once with another male?

I find the EVEN ONCE qualifier hilarious too. It’s on a few of the other standard questions for blood donations, but you just know it’s pretty much there for the dude on dude sex question.

After I knew the interviewer a little bit, I did say "Yeah, actually I do have a question about this one, paying for sex with money or drugs… So, a minivan is cool? What about a kitchen remodel?

@Aeon221

The only issue I’ve got is that they want fifty bucks to sign up.

“Hi, thanks for offering to donate some of your life essence. Pony up!”

Yeah, that is a little weird. I got the impression they’d waive it if it’s a hardship for you. And I’m pretty sure they were only asking for $25 when I signed up.