It's not a first step for me, or for anyone I know, but it is for a stranger with Myelodysplastic Disorder. This means the cells in her bone marrow are damaged and cannot produce new blood cells. Some of the cells that are produced are not normal, so the body destroys these. This disease often leads to leukemia and can be fatal; however, with a matching donor, stem cells may be added to her blood stream thus allowing her doctors and God to repair her body, so she may produce new blood cells on her own.
The first steps started with my husband who underwent an extensive physical and then took two shots a day, every day for five days. The shots filtered stem cells from his bone marrow to his blood stream. He could actually feel the stem cells moving and developed aches in his back which led to trouble sleeping.
Today was the big day. Mitchell spent four hours hooked up to a machine that removed stem cells from his blood and then placed the blood back into his body with an added saline solution.
The procedure was a success with the collection removing double the stem cells needed. This means that they might be able to freeze the stem cells for later use.
Mitchell is already feeling a little better and will be home tomorrow. Thank goodness my husband was willing to take the first steps to help a stranger fight cancer.
