Stem Cell Donation Log — Final

1. The hospitalization schedule proceeds as follows.

1) Schedule notice: they ask whether you're available, and if you say yes, the date is confirmed.
2) On the day of admission, public transit / a taxi is recommended: they advise against driving since you may feel unwell after the cell collection.
3) Admitted that day, blood is drawn that day, your condition is checked, and the hospital meals begin.
4) On the early morning of the second day, needles for blood collection are fitted to both arms (silicone tubes about the length of a thumb).
5) Collection starts at 9 a.m.; it varies by person, but in my case the blood was circulated through a centrifuge for about five and a half hours. Why circulate the blood? After being given the stem-cell stimulant, the stem cells produced as a result spread and travel throughout the body, so the process draws nearly all of the blood in my body — said to come out at 1 ml per minute until 300 ml is collected — out through one arm while feeding it back in through the other.
6) After the collection, you return to your room. For that day at least, it's all rest. There's nothing to do; you only go through procedures like checking your condition, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. It varies by person, but in my case, aside from feeling tired after the collection, I had no other discomfort. Of course, the reason you have to keep the needles in is that if the amount collected falls short, some collection has to be done again on the morning of the third day. But in my case, luckily, all the stem cells needed were drawn in a single collection.
7) On the third day the needles are removed again, a bandage is applied, you pack up, complete the discharge process, and go home.
8) About four to five months later the expenses are deposited (the original expected deposit date, within 90 days, had long since passed (I'm not sure why; I was told it was backlogged).
9) Before receiving the deposit, I received a couple of thank-you certificates. My precise act was an 'unrelated-donor hematopoietic stem cell donation.' 'Unrelated' — that is, not a person bound by blood. The reputation of being a donor felt truly good.

2. What does it feel like after donating?

I'm filled with the thought that it's more rewarding than anything else. I teach students at a school, but this one donation made me far happier than teaching students at school. I don't really know why. Only, most recently — that is, in February 2023 — I had an occasion to introduce myself, and when asked what the most rewarding thing I'd done was, after a little thought I spoke of this 'donation.' For one, it's not easily done; you can't do it just because you want to; even if you get to do it, it can be canceled; and a lot of time and money goes into making the donation actually happen. Even so, the thought that someone would benefit and go on living made me glad. More than anything else.

3. Would I recommend it?

If you're afraid of needles, I can't recommend it. But if you're not afraid of needles, I recommend applying to donate. I wish happiness to all stem cell donors and recipients.