The bone marrow drive went well. I went to one fire station in a private community and ended up at another because that fire station didn't know anything about the drive.
We signed up eight people for the national marrow list.
At other firestations in the OC, other people signed up. So not too bad. My friend Gina is pleased but she continues to fight for better awareness of what signing up on the national registry means. Gina lost her son last November to a dreadful genetic disease called ALD.
In the past weeks, I have met a few people who were actually lucky enough to be picked, gave their marrow, and saved a life.
We back people might not yet be able to sign up. I found I was not since I have had back surgery in the past two years. But when i am elgible, I am signing up (70% of the time, the procedure is done through a plasma phoresis process where stem cells are filtered out of the blood and there is no hip puncture involved).
You can learn more at
National Marrow Donor Program.
On to other matters, the lovely sciatica continues to hang on. Often, I sit down on a chair and have to get up because one leg or the other falls asleep. My feet also go numb when I walk. Sitting with my legs under me or trying to sit on the floor brings on the same effect. I recertified for my ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) certificate on Thursday and also did my regular CPR thing and we were doing CPR on dummies on the floor and I was inwardly aware of my feet and legs tingling and numb. Seems like some nerve impingement is going on. It is getting a bit tiring and old.
My PT put in for a home TENs unit through a script from my doc and so if insurance will pay for that, I can use it at home.
I used a portable one at PT so I could do more exercise. The reasoning is that i do more exercise, i loose more weight, I get stronger abs and back muscles and that translates into a more stable back.
I was allowed to do seven minutes on the eliptical trainer. Not much, considering in the not so distant past, I was able to run for an hour (this was before back pain and back surgery).
There is nothing worse (well, not really, but it seems like it) than a person who is used to high intensity exercise, not being able to exercise like that. I mean one mile walks do not cut if for me. But they seem to be the amount that is tolerated by my back currently.
I haven't had the charley horses in my calves lately but this morning at 4:45 one hit and out of bed I sprung. Seems to be a common problem after disc surgery. Sure woke me up and my husband.
Well that's the update.