January 7--day 6 (stem cell bank?)

My mom is funny--she makes me smile. She was out shopping today on her way up to San Francisco for her shot. She was buying birthday presents for everyone who has a birthday from mid-January through May, although in May she should be nearing normal. 

The interesting thing about stem cell transplants, even when using your own cells is that you lose any immunity you've built up. For example, if you've and the chicken pox and are now immune to the disease you may no longer be immune to chicken pox. The same goes for every darn virus you've ever had. That part stinks. 

But think about it . . . medical science has come so far that you can use your OWN stem cells to heal your own cancer. Beautiful and wonderful. Now I just wish that we could make a stem cell bank the same way we make a bone marrow bank. I'm not talking embryonic stem cells. I'm talking about the stem cells--the new cells--that our bodies produce every day. I would gladly give a million bag-fulls of my stem cells if it could save someone or prolong their life. 

This weekend there is a bone marrow donation drive in our town. I'm going to be in that line. What about you?