Special Blood

Once the topic of bone marrow transplant (BMT) arose, the rest of the kids in the family became an important part of Michael's future.  Having a family donor as a bone marrow match is of great benefit when looking into BMT.

The four siblings went to their pediatrician one morning to get their blood drawn.  They were excited to see if they could help Michael and to get to miss an hour of school!  They each did very well.  They sat so still and didn't make a peep.  Kristen sweetly asked the nurses:  "Are you only going to get blood from my arm?  I have LOTS of bloods all over, and he can have it all!"  The nurses were impressed with their willing attitudes.  The kids certainly had a story to tell when they got back to school.

We waited to hear if any were a perfect match for about a week.  Then the call came . . .  Timothy is a perfect match for Michael!  It was a wonderful answer to prayers and made BMT a viable option for Michael.  Timothy's response was incredible.  He tells everyone who will listen that "he has special blood that can save Michael's life" and shows them all the imaginary hole in his arm where they found that "special blood."  He is looking forward to the anticipated time that he will get to spend in the hospital with Michael and all the attention that he'll get during the preparatory appointments in the meantime.  Michael's response was a bit guarded at first.  Since Timothy's greatest aspirations are to be a beautiful ballerina or a sparkling fairy princess, Michael was concerned that some of that insanity might seep in during transplant.  Once we assured him that he would still prefer basketball to bedazzling, he was excited.

The decision about BMT has yet to be made.  Michael will have another bone marrow biopsy in early October.  The results of that test will determine which course will be best for Michael.