PART FOUR: Be a warrior NOT a worrier!

The journey to donation day is just that…a JOURNEY! Be prepared to experience ups and downs emotionally, and strive to be flexible.

I am very obsessive when it comes to planning, I like to have a plan A, B, C, and D. Do not worry if you cannot relate, your advocate will take care of all the plans for you. My mind started racing as I tried to do my advocates job in covering all the bases. My mother was having major surgery around the time the transplant was scheduled, so I felt very accomplished when a smooth plan of action was set. 

My phone rang and my advocate’s name showed on my caller I.D. This phenomenon eventually became a trigger for anxiety because I always assumed it was bad news after this point. I was told to grab my calendar because the transplant was being postponed. My recipient ran positive on a test that she needed to be negative on. “Oh no. Will she be okay? Will she be able to survive this transplant?” It will shock you how much love you can have for a complete stranger. I don’t even know her name, so she has fondly become known as “my little princess.” The news that my recipient may not make it to the transplant rocked me to my core.

I cannot emphasize enough how much you MUST seek out support during this time. Worrying about your recipient does not help them gain strength and survive transplant preparation. So, what can you do? Well, to be honest I didn’t have the answer until blessed support intervened. My dear friend has a mission to encourage children who are fighting cancer or disease. She came up with the wonderful idea to make superhero outfits as an outward acknowledgment of the strength these children have within.

My friend lost her mother to cancer. Instead of letting cancer have the final say, she found a way to help those still fighting…my recipient included. While the superhero outfit for my princess was being made, my friend prompted me to pray over her. The sewing machine worked the materials while I was working on finding strength in my heart for my sweet princess. Strive to be proactive while you are waiting to donate (You can write your recipient a letter, make them a gift, and/or pray over them!) 

That day I found so much peace and strength, which you will need to find, too.

The days leading up to the transplant you may:

-Learn to write in your calendar with pencil.

-Find that some people may not be as supportive as you need. That is OK…move along.

-Take lots of vitamins and get lots of sleep. Avoid people that are sick, regardless of if it hurts their feelings. I got sick the WEEK of the transplant date. Thankfully, Be the Match provided a team of doctors to get me well enough to donate.

-Miss out on some plans. Traveling right before a transplant is too risky.

-Feel immense pressure and responsibility because someone’s life now depends on you.

Regardless…I PROMISE you if you push through it, you will find that it is absolutely worth it. I would donate again in a heartbeat. These are all minor inconveniences in comparison to the LIFE you are offering someone. Take lots of deep breaths and remember… your recipient needs a warrior, not a worrier.