Gene’s update: 3-25-10

Miracles and prayers answered: A Donor has been found!

The phone has been ringing, and we have been resisting. When we got a call from the transplant nurse at Scripps, I was almost afraid to pick it up. She called to inform us that they had located a donor! She cried with me, and said it was herfavorite part of her job. It really is quite a miracle, because Gene was an especially difficult match. They had hoped for an “8 out of 10” match, the lowest they can go in matching the 10 HLA markers. They found a “9 out of 10 match”. What we know is that it is a 36 year-old woman. We do not know if it is domestic or international. And in keeping with the Donor Registry procedures, we will remain anonymous to each other for at least 12 months, and after that only by mutual agreement. We know that this person has gone for the blood testing and has agreed to be a donor. They are hoping to set up the transplant in the next 4 – 6 weeks. Part of the time must include getting Gene in a bit better shape to receive the transplant, not including the “conditioning” regimen that he must undergo prior to the actual transplant.

This is such incredible news, as Gene’s condition would not have allowed a tremendous amount of time to go by. Interestingly, it is not a result directly of the Donor Drive at SDSU 2 days ago, nor of the efforts underway to organize one in Grant County and Albuquerque, but I believe it is the energy that went into that drive, that helped locate this donor, and the work, some tremendous work, has been done for the next person in need. You may remember reading that on any given day there are 3,500 people searching the registry, hoping to find a donor. I also believe that it is a result of all the incredible prayer and energy that has been directed our way. Thank you can’t begin to express our appreciation.

As amazing as this news is, and we are still absorbing it, the battle is far from over. The transplant is still 4-6 weeks away and Gene’s leukemia is in resurgence. Ideally, a transplant would not be performed unless he was in remission, and the potential for a favorable outcome is greater if he is in remission, but this is the only hope, and it keeps our hope alive.

For TeamGeneGC and TeamGeneUNM/ABQ, don’t stop the efforts to sign on donors, please. For one thing, all along the effort has been to increase minority representation in the Donor Registry, with Gene possibly benefiting. It looks like he will benefit from the efforts and energy that went into getting the word out somewhere, so keep the energy going. Also, this young woman is human, and anything could happen. She still has not had the final physical check out, and it still weeks away, so something still could come in the way of this donor working for us….but it looks so promising, that they gave us the word, and I am sharing that word with you.

The timing of this news could not have been more crucial. Although Gene is confident, that all will be okay, I have more information, and as a result, more doubts. I had been struggling to maintain my hope, and this news is a powerful message for me, about faith.

I hadn’t even had a chance to publicly acknowledge all of the hard work and effort that went into the SDSU Donor Drive. For those of you who know Nadine, Susan and Lori, you know they are an amazing team who’ve accomplished so much when their energies are combined, and the successful drive is yet another reminder. Gene and I are so incredibly grateful to them and to all of you who worked, and are still working, to get the word out. I am not sure if the apparent location of a donor changes anything about the online drive, I hope not, and continue to spread the word! As I said before, I truly believe that this was part of the energy field of prayers and effort and energy….Gene found a donor because of your work….the timing speaks to that for us. Please keep the effort, energy and prayers in force.

The transplant process and the year following it are daunting, to say the least. We still have the mountain to climb, but the donor is the ticket we need to start the journey. As I said, we are still processing the emotion, trying to understand the gift we’ve been given, trying to acknowledge the support and help you’ve offered.

Our time at home has been more emotional than I had anticipated, as was leaving the hospital. Yesterday we were just exhausted, and glad for the food in the freezer! Today we are both feeling a bit better. Gene’s temps have been staying below the fever level, today lower than the day we got home. Gene is pretty sick, and being in our home routine kind of draws attention to that in a way that the hospital did not. But this time is also a gift, and although there have been tears, of sadness, and of joy, it is a special time. The news makes facing what we will be told on Saturday so much easier.

So, we need miracles, and they are happening, as a result of the incredible network of support that we have. Thank you, thank you, thank you….stay with us!

¡Gracias a Dios!