Yesterday was my first birthday, ask me anything!

[Tripper11]

See if you can guess why.

:party:

[cspiguy]

1. You have been possessed by Beelzebuul and speak 3 languages

and can play the violin at Suzuki level - 8. Not bad for a one year old.

[Tripper11]

2. Thanks..I wish

but not quite.

Hint: Due to a former illness I get to start over again.

[sweettater]

3. You're a turkey

and made it through your 1st Thanksgiving? :bounce:

[Tripper11]

4. LOL.....thanks a lot!!!!

Nope, didn't even get "stuffed" last night!

[sweettater]

5. Are you going to tell us later?

You said you had an illness. Did you stop breathing and then resusitated? :think:

spelling: resuscitated

[KinkyDem]

6. Wharf Rat?

IT's an "illness" and they celabrate b-days.

[Tripper11]

7. OH yeah...I promise

It's pretty cool.

Another hint: On December 2nd I get all my immunizations again. Just like a 1 year old.

[Tripper11]

8. OK..here it is.

On November 27th of last year I recieved and Stem Cell Transplant for my leukemia which was in remission.
They refer to it as your birthday because you are essentially getting a brand new immune system. So in a sense it's like a re-birth of sorts. Thanks to my brother for this second chance at life by the way.
I literally sailed through it. No ill effects whatsoever. Some side affects can be quite horrendous and be with you for life, but I lucked out. The only thing that is "different" is that I have dry eye syndrome now. I use rewetting drops is all, and pretty much look stoned most of the time.
So cheers to great medicine and research!!!!

[trotsky]

9. Wow, congratulations!

It's so nice to hear about the success stories, and how medicine has taken us so far.

Regarding your dry eye syndrome, my wife has a mild form of that and was told she could have her tear ducts shut to help keep the small amount of tears she produces in the eye, rather than draining away. Is than an option for you?

[Tripper11]

10. Yes it is....

I will be speaking to my doc about it. What was explained to me is that very tiny barrel like devices are inserted into the tear ducts to help them produce more efficiantly. If I am not mistaken I think this is only a temporary thing.
But like I said before..for all the other possbile side effects I cold have had, I can "live" with dry eyes all the way. The operative word obviously being "live"!!!

[sweettater]

12. What a heartwarming story

I am so glad everything is fine now. This Thanksgiving must have been extra special for you! Congrads on your 1st Birthday! Sorry I called you a turkey.... :hug:

[Tripper11]

15. Don't sweat it....

I've been called worse! LOL

[blondeatlast]

13. Amen! A living, breathing testament

to the power of stem-cells. I'm on the waiting list for insulin-dependent diabetics, but I've got a long, long wait ahead of me (even longer thanks to shrub).

Spread the word, my brother! I will do the same, and I'm looking forward to celebrating my 1st birthday too! Sigh, someday.

[Tripper11]

17. Positive vibes heading your way blondeatlast!!!

I also sit on a Patients Borad to help make hospital stays easier for patients and have become more involved in helping others in similar situations.
If I ever see opportunities to extoll the benefits of stem cell research and transplants I am all over it!!! Even a Christian fundy can't deny my success! In this way it is nice to toss that in their face when they start ranting about the evilness of stem cell research.
The way I see it, stem cells are the beginning of something massive in the forward movement of cures for all types of health issues, big and small!

[demnan]

11. Congratulations!

Is a stem cell transplant better than a bone marrow one or are these two different things for different reasons?

Glad you have made it and are not feeling too many ill effects.

[Tripper11]

14. It depends on the ailment...

but I beleive that generally they try for stem cell transplants more then bone marrow for several reasons. The main one is that stem cells tend to graft much quicker, more efficiently and will fewer side effects then bone marrow,
Harvesting stem cells from a donor is far less painfull and more convenient as well. The donor does recieve growth factors prior to harvest which can cause some pretty intese upper body pain, but with a few mild meds, some extra rest and sleep, it disappears a day or so after harvest.

[blondeatlast]

16. Here's a great explanation by an "ordianry" donor;

May God bless her for her sacrifice, btw.

http://members.tripod.com/glowcanpick/glowstemcell.html

[Tripper11]

19. Wow...what a great account...

I could not have described it better myself!

[blondeatlast]

18. If anyone is interested, NIH is a great gateway

to lots of info on the subject.

http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp


Please read up, then advocate for more research funding. The controversies regarding SC research are strictly rhetoric--the truth is that embryonic SCs have no chance of becoming a human life.

FWIW, leukemia patients generally receive SCs donated by a related adult, but still, there is much promise for all in embryonic research.