My life journey was radically altered in December of 1996 when I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma – a blood cancer. I had resigned my job at Compaq Computer in Houston and moved to Fort Worth with Vicky to attend seminary…with four preschoolers in tow! The good news – the cancer was slow-growing. The bad news – it was incurable…and based on the statistics at that time I had about 10 years to live. I was 33.

After 10+ years battling the cancer, including countless rounds of chemo and a host of experimental drugs…I was running out of options. My last bullet was blood, or more precisely a new blood factory. But someone special would have to give it to me.

The procedure is called an allogeneic stem cell transplant – which involved destroying my flawed blood factory and immune system and replacing it with someone else’s. That person was James – the only genetic match for me in the worldwide database of potential stem cell donors. James was the only person on the planet who could save my life.

Fortunately, James was willing to give his blood. But not just blood – special blood! James gave me blood stem cells. Blood stem cells are “pluripotent” – which means they can become all types of blood cells – including red, white, or platelets. They are the “blood factory”. James’ stem cell blood was sent to MD Anderson and infused into my body on Dec. 20, 2011.

After forty days, James’ blood cell factory had replaced mine – giving me new life. I think about James often. I owe him a debt I cannot pay. My life and blood are now and forever entangled with his. Just like with Jesus.
Thank you God for the blood.

toodling and noodling…
stan

Fun Facts

• Each blood cell will make a complete cycle through your body in jabout 30 seconds.
• In an average life the human heart pumps 1.5 million barrels of blood (that’s enough to fill 200 train tank cars).
• Scientists discovered that blood circulates thru the body in the 17th century.
•  Advances in microscopes led to understanding the cell components of blood in 18th century.
• George Washington was bled to death by doctors. Bloodletting was a common practice well into the 19th century to get rid of “bad blood”.
• The blood types were discovered in the early 19th century – revolutionizing blood transfusion practices.
• Hematology developed as its own science in the 20th century – with dramatic increases of our understanding of blood diseases and treatments – including stem cell transplants.

Much honor to Dr. E. Donnall Thomas – the “father of bone marrow transplantation.” His work in the 50’s literally saved my life by paving the way for bone marrow/stem cell transplants to treat leukemia and other blood cancers like lymphoma. He died in 2012.

Blood is special to me. And to you…and many other living creatures. But especially special to me.

In an era of artificial body parts, blood remains sacred. It retains “exclusive to nature” status. There is no such thing as artificial blood.

Our body has an amazing blood factory which sustains us each moment from birth to death. The factory is in our bones, where blood stem cells produce millions of new blood cells every second. This factory completely replaces our blood supply (about 9 pints) every 100 days. In fact, every cell in our body is replaced about every seven years. I am on the 9th physical copy of “me”!

Our blood circulates through a vessel network so intricate that it can reach every cell in your body to supply vital oxygen and nutrients and carry away waste. The network is over 100K miles long (which could circle the globe twice)!

My life journey was radically altered in December of 1996 when I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma – a blood cancer. I had resigned my job at Compaq Computer in Houston and moved to Fort Worth with Vicky to attend seminary…with four preschoolers in tow! The good news – the cancer was slow-growing. The bad news – it was incurable…and based on the statistics at that time I had about 10 years to live. I was 33.

After 10+ years battling the cancer, including countless rounds of chemo and a host of experimental drugs…I was running out of options. My last bullet was blood, or more precisely a new blood factory. But someone special would have to give it to me.

The procedure is called an allogeneic stem cell transplant – which involved destroying my flawed blood factory and immune system and replacing it with someone else’s. That person was James – the only genetic match for me in the worldwide database of potential stem cell donors. James was the only person on the planet who could save my life.

Fortunately, James was willing to give his blood. But not just blood – special blood! James gave me blood stem cells. Blood stem cells are “pluripotent” – which means they can become all types of blood cells – including red, white, or platelets. They are the “blood factory”. James’ stem cell blood was sent to MD Anderson and infused into my body on Dec. 20, 2011.

After forty days, James’ blood cell factory had replaced mine – giving me new life. I think about James often. I owe him a debt I cannot pay. My life and blood are now and forever entangled with his. Just like with Jesus.
Thank you God for the blood.

toodling and noodling…
stan

Fun Facts

• Each blood cell will make a complete cycle through your body in about 30 seconds.
• In an average life the human heart pumps 1.5 million barrels of blood (that’s enough to fill 200 train tank cars).
• Scientists discovered that blood circulates thru the body in the 17th century.
•  Advances in microscopes led to understanding the cell components of blood in 18th century.
• George Washington was bled to death by doctors. Bloodletting was a common practice well into the 19th century to get rid of “bad blood”.
• The blood types were discovered in the early 19th century – revolutionizing blood transfusion practices.
• Hematology developed as its own science in the 20th century – with dramatic increases of our understanding of blood diseases and treatments – including stem cell transplants.

Much honor to Dr. E. Donnall Thomas – the “father of bone marrow transplantation.” His work in the 50’s literally saved my life by paving the way for bone marrow/stem cell transplants to treat leukemia and other blood cancers like lymphoma. He died in 2012.