Leukemia

Update

My BIL came home today. As you know, my husband was going into the hospital on Monday for the bone marrow transplant, well they did not do it yet. They ran tests, took 17 vials of blood, EKG's, and X-ray's. We will be going back to the hospital in late May for the bone marrow transplant.

My husband and I found out on Monday, the kind of Leukemia that Jason has is very deadly, only 22% of patients make it. It is AML, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. My BIL seems to be doing really well with the treatment, and coming home is a real good sign. My husband and his sister both were perfect matches for his brother, there are 10 markers that they look for when testing, and most of the time, sibling match at 4 markers. Well my husband and his sister both matched my BIL at 10, this is almost unheard of. Also, only 1 in 4 siblings are a match. So there is a miracle working here in favor of Jason.

I want to thank all of you that have kept my family in your prayers, and showing love at a time that there just seems to be no hope. My husband and I are both working on starting a foundation for Leukemia, for those who have no siblings, or no one to match them in their families, or for those that just do not have the means to help them, rather it be insurance that does not cover Leukemia, or no insurance at all. Believe it or not, there are families out there that will NOT donate to their own loved ones.

If anyone wants to get involved with a foundation here is a web site that you can check out. www.bonemarrow.org

I have always been into helping with any kind of cancer, and I would go to great lengths to help anyone in need. I am one of those people that would be very hard to match, I am O+, and I have no siblings to test, and because I am O+, there is even more of a reason for me to make people aware of what is going on out there. I can give blood to anyone, but I can only receive blood from a O+ person, and believe me there just are not enough people out there to donate.

When 9/11/01 happened I was donating blood on 9/12/01, and ever since that time, the Red Cross has been on me to donate blood, because I am the universal donor.

Don't ever think this can't or won't happen to you, or someone you love, because IT CAN. Take the time to get involved, and remember, it could be you, or your child that may need someone like me someday to help save your life.

Become someones HERO today, join the National Bone Marrow Foundation, or your local American Cancer Society.

http://www.bonemarrow.org/

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp

National Marrow Registry Program for becoming a donor.