Stem Cell Donation Log #2

After the contact, what I was guided through was the simple donation procedure and the pre-tests required for it. In summary:

1) Blood test, electrocardiogram, urinalysis, chest X-ray
2) Afterward, depending on the test results, whether to change the schedule is decided; on the test day itself you're notified of the planned donation date.

In my case, the donation date was about a month after the test day. At the hospital I was referred to as a 'donor,' and whenever I went to any clinical department or test-related unit, my coordinator would mention me as the 'donor,' and the medical staff seemed to have basic knowledge about the tests needed for a 'donor.' Regardless of department or specialty, the term 'donor' seems to carry a lot of meaning. Before the tests, the things I was guided through were possible side effects, plus basic precautions for the tests, guidance on whether my blood vessels were good enough for drawing blood, the meaning of peripheral-blood cell collection, and so on.

For the week of the donation, I was guided through the secretion-promoting agents and such for peripheral-blood cell collection over three days.

The test cost came to about 1.5 million won, and the coordinator told me the recipient bears the full amount. Since I'd fasted that day, I came home eating the sandwich and coffee the coordinator gave me. It seems the donation will be over in about a month, so I'll write the next post after the donation is all finished.