Hi Suzieq, In the realm of things it really doesn't matter what charges were made to your insurance company because your alive today and CML free.
I will tell you that Andreas, your donor did not really care if he was or wasn't paid because there is yet something else going on here that I know. It is how much he was really paid, and you didn't even notice it. Think about it... He knows that he saved your life by what he did! That is his "pay off" Don't you think? There was a prophet in biblical times by the name of Hillel that said, "He who helps save ones life is as he has saved the entire world" I will tell you a story, however I can't mention any names. There lives a woman in Michigan (a very close friend of mine) who had an unrelated bone marrow transplant from a person that is actually a celebrity. This woman would always try to get in touch with her donor but it was not permitted until at least five years had elapsed, and then only if the donor wanted to. She, just as you wanted to thank her donor, but she finally found a way, which I will not go into. Do you know what he told her? He was happy that he was able to save her life! Also it just doesn't work the way you mentioned about the highest "bidder" getting the marrow. You should already know that if there is a person that has a good HLA match to a specific donor then that is the person that is going to get the marrow. This is not like someone can pick and choose any donor to "Buy" their marrow and "Sell" it to the highest "bidder". There has to be many specific markers in order for the marrow to be implanted into the best candidate for it. You and I share something very unique. We are very rare human beings that have had our blood types change, and both donors as well as both of us are CMV negative. You from A- to B- and me from O+ to B+ Now, how many people on this earth can claim that? Basically the only difference is in my day there had to be a 6 out of 6 HLA match, and now it is a 10 out of 10 HLA match. Very lucky people you and I are Russell... GOD bless, Marty Gartenberg On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 7:02 PM, Russell <[email protected]> wrote: > Suzieq, > > Great question, never really looked at it that way but you can almost > certainly bet that The Hutch billed my insurance company big time for > not only the marrow, but the cost of the single courier who's job it > was to fly with the marrow from Dusseldorf to Seattle. > > I know Andreas, my donor , was not paid for his painful 3 day stay in > the hospital. My wife and I have often wondered what we could do for > him and his family as small compensation for saving my life ; we have > tried to communicate with them but despite growing up with German > speaking relatives my communication attempts have not been successful. > It's been 5 years now and we still discuss going over for a visit to > thank him. > > I suppose 3K is small compensation for a donor considering that > perhaps that person may be unique in all the world in their ability to > save one's life. As long as it didn't turn into a capitalist free for > all where suddenly the next person on the list doesn't get the marrow > but the highest bidder DOES. I was very fortunate to find 5 perfect > 10/10 matches, all from Germany, with the deciding factor being my > donor was also CMV (cytomegalovirus) negative as was I. > > My blood type changed from A neg to B neg as a result, and other than > a strange new affinity for liverwurst and Mercedes automobiles I'm > doing just fine right now, and completely CML free. > > Russell > > > > On Feb 24, 12:20 pm, Suzieq <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello fellow CML'ers: > > > > This was seen in today's USA Today in front page of their Life > > section. "A Bone Marrow Price Tag?" it's all about a lawsuit filed in > > California last October argues that the government should not put bone > > marrow in the same category as solid organs such as kidneys & other > > organs. A hearing is set for March 15th in LA. > > > > A California based moremarrowdonors.org wants to start a pilot project > > in which it would give donors $3000 toward a scholarship, rent or > > mortgage payments or a charitable contribution in their name. It > > would all be done through donations. > > > > All this is to try and generate more donors.........I'm wondering how > > our group feels about this. At first, I was a little taken > > back....then, I thought, well if it brings in more donors, it would be > > good. I mean, we already pay those for plasma......so why not the > > marrow since it grows back. But, then I read on down and I see where > > this might lead to. As some skeptics talked about what's to stop from > > later on trying to have the law removed where they can start selling > > organs. > > > > This article is in Wed.'s Life section of the USA Today if anyone > > wants to go and read it for yourselves before making a judgement > > call. Like I said, I am torn on the subject. > > > > Keep On Looking Up, > > Suzieq > > -- > [CMLHope] > A support group of http://cmlhope.com > ------------------------------------------------- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "CMLHope" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope > -- [CMLHope] A support group of http://cmlhope.com ------------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CMLHope" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope
