Day Zero

August 17, 2018

Our family's journey with AML started April 11.  Everything between then and now was working up to this day...stem cell transplant.  MILove's donor was her youngest brother, The Right Reverend. 

MILove and The Right Reverend on Day -4

Ten genetic factors are taken into consideration when looking for a donor.  He and she were a perfect match.  He has always held a place of great fondness in my heart.  He stood with Mr. Snark as a groomsman at our wedding.  He was at MILove's side when FILove passed and in his official reverend capacity, he spoke words of comfort and peace when we laid FILove to rest.  It's as if part of his purpose on this earth is to be present in these most significant moments.  He is genuinely kinder than just about any other human being I have ever met.  He was already on the donor registry list and while I don't know for certain, I doubt he gave a second thought to giving his big sister a fighting chance at a few more years on God's good earth.

Looking somewhat like the fabled "Stay Puft Marshmallow Man," our blessed donor was tucked in under blankets that trapped air blown over him by a small heater.  A warm body makes the donation process easier.  It was suggested that donors wear loose, comfortable clothing.  His answer for that was a hiking kilt.  His nurse said she had donors show up in pajamas but never in a kilt.  Points for originality!

The transplant took place in room number thirteen.  Some might be suspicious of that number.  Not us.  Not her.  Her birthday is the thirteenth.  Her first chemo treatment was on the thirteenth.  So the fact that a second chance at life was delivered in Room 13 was A-OK with us.  What wasn’t A-OK was how cold that room was!  That’s why God made blanket warmers.












At 4:15PM, Nurse Christy hung a bag that delivered 6.65 million stem cells to MILove's body.   Fitting that it was Nurse Christy to be with us, since she was with us on Day -7.  Some would look at that bag and only see the 6.65 million stem cells harvested from The Right Reverend.  For me, it was the culmination of everything that MILove had experienced since April 11.  In that bag, mixed with the stem cells, were great expectations, hope, and love.

Love that didn't require a second thought.
Love that didn’t expect anything in return.
Love that transcends any adjective I could assign.