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If you’re like me, you’ve already got so many passwords, PIN codes and ID numbers it’s hard to keep them all straight.  And now I've got another one.  Although I probably won’t commit this one to memory, it is one of the more meaningful ID numbers I’ve had.  It says that I’m a potential bone marrow donor.

When Roger went through his transplant we didn’t have to go to the donor bank; his brother was a good match and a willing donor.  But 70% of patients that need a transplant are not fortunate enough to have a  match within their own family; they depend on the national bone marrow registry.  We became friends with the families of several  leukemia patients while we were at the LDS hospital in Salt Lake City.  Along with the anxiety of having a critically ill loved one, they have the additional stress of waiting, and hoping to be matched with a donor. Knowing them as people makes us want to do anything we can to help.

It’s easy to begin the process of saving a life and, contrary to popular belief, being a donor is not that difficult to do, but, it is a big commitment and one that should not be entered into lightly.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll blog about what it's like to donate bone marrow and hear from guest bloggers about their choice to "be the match."  Roger and I are honored to be in the midst of real life angels who are ready, willing and able to save the life of a stranger.  

Stay tuned.

--Candi

The First Step is Easy.

1. Get your starter kit in the mail: an ID code and a few Q-tips.

2. Swab the inside of your cheek.

3. Use the postage-paid envelope to mail it in.

Tough Enough For Two

At Roger’s 100-day post-transplant bone marrow biopsy, his DNA was 98% identical to his donor’s. A few days ago, we were speculating about whether he has any of his own DNA left by this time or if he is now 100% identical to his brother.  This is what passes for casual conversation at our house now.  Weird, huh?  The terms chimera (pronounced: ki-mira) and chimerism (pronounced: ki-merism) came up and Roger thought it was a subject interesting enough to blog about, so here we go.

The original chimera was a creature in Greek mythology, the offspring of two gods, composed of parts of two or more animals.  According to The Iliad (not that I can claim to have read it) it is "a thing of immortal make, not human, lion-fronted and snake behind, a goat in the middle, and snorting out the breath of the terrible flame of bright fire."   Something like this:

Fake.

The term chimera came to be synonymous with “hard to believe.”  Thanks to Photoshop, you see all sorts of funny examples of chimerism on the internet. They are clever compositions, but are just as hard to believe.

Fake.

In real life, chimerism occurs when an animal has two or more distinct populations of genetically different cells.  One animal, or one person can have two sets of DNA, but it does have to be within the same species.  A combination parrot/blowfish could never happen except in Photoshop. Chimerism is a condition that can be inherited or a mutation developed later in life, and it is not as rare as you might think.   Most chimerae or “mosaics” go through life without realizing they are chimeras.  The differences may be obvious (e.g., eyes of different colors, different hair growth on opposite sides of the body, patchy colored hair or skin tones) or the differences may be so slight as to be undetectable.  Affected persons are sometimes identified by the discovery that they have two populations of red blood cells.

Real.

Tortoiseshell cats are not a specific breed.  They are chimeras, resulting from the fusion of the genes for two different hair colors when the cat is developing as an embryo.

Real.

A bone marrow transplant turns the recipient into a chimera.  Roger’s new bone marrow is busy manufacturing new blood cells with his brother’s DNA type, so the DNA in his blood is different than that in the rest of his tissues.

Real.

In theory, this could complicate a criminal investigation.  “DNA typing” is based on the concept that every cell in the body contains identical DNA, but as we’ve just discovered, it's not reliable in all cases.  Did you see that episode of  Law & Order?  I offer a simple solution. Neither Roger nor his brother should go around committing crimes.  Ergo, no problem.

Chimera – offspring of the gods, it’s a beast to be reckoned with, tough enough for two.
--Candi

Roger Gets Antsy

Onward, to the future!

5 Months Post-Transplant

I’m no longer just clinging to life.  The days of drama have ended. 

It occurred to me that I haven’t contributed to the blog for some time. I thought I might offer an update on things, medical and otherwise. Back at home in Missoula, I’ve settled into a routine that includes twice-weekly medical appointments. On Mondays I have blood drawn and shipped to the Mayo Clinic in the mid-west for testing.  On Fridays I meet with Dr. Beatty and we review the blood tests and other lab results.  We entertain one another with light banter about things like just when I can begin to venture out into the world.

In addition to swallowing a mouthful of pills twice a day, I self-administer antibiotics and magnesium in a saline solution in two separate IV preparations, a process that eats up about two hours a day.

I’m in good hands.  Leukemia is Dr. Beatty's specialty.  He helped create the transplant center in Salt Lake City and he has considerable experience with post-transplant patients.  According to him, everything is progressing nicely; he likes what he sees.  My take is a bit different.  I am impatient to get back to work and to be able to socialize and travel. I want hair! I’m weary of waking each morning only to be greeted by the reflection of a stranger in my mirror. It appears to be a holocaust survivor, and to make matters worse, an old one.

Last night marked the end of the beginning. Candi and I attended a small get together at a friend's home. We talked, we laughed, we drank wine.  I had to keep my hands in my pockets as a reminder to avoid shaking hands with people, but for a first excursion out into the world, it was not bad at all.

--Roger

---

1 Potato, 2 Potato, 3 Potato, 4. . .

How could you resist a dish that features five different kinds of potatoes?

Long ago, those brilliant Peruvians perfected cultivation of the potato and passed it on to the rest of the world.  (Okay, perhaps they didn’t willingly share it out of the goodness of their hearts, it's more like the secret was stolen from them.)  The potato quickly became a worldwide staple.  There are still many more varieties of potatoes grown in South America than we will ever see in our neighborhood supermarkets.  I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like.  I would love to try them all. 

When I was a young bride, my older sister showed me how to cut up a chicken.  I naively asked her why I would ever need to do that and told her I would just buy pre-cut chicken.  Hoo-boy.  Pat was on my case with a big sister lecture about it being my responsibility to stretch the family grocery budget and get more flavor out of the chicken to boot.  I still prefer to cut up my own chicken, but these days I am ultra-ultra-careful about sanitizing the kitchen before and after.  I’m sure a pre-cut chicken would work just as well in this recipe, and take less time.

Columbian Chicken and Potato Stew takes advantage of the flavors and textures of five varieties of potatoes as well as fried chicken all in one pot.  Some potatoes turn to mush when boiled and others have a firm, waxy texture that holds up to long simmering.  This soup is all about the variety.  It simmers away on Sunday afternoon and I can relax, knowing there will be nice leftovers to carry us into the work week.

It tastes better than it looks!

 Columbian Chicken and Potato Stew

1 chicken, cut up and seasoned with salt and pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil for frying

2 small yellow onions, diced

4-5 cloves of garlic, finely diced

4 cups chicken broth

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced (about ½ pound)

½ pound each Yukon Gold, Red, Purple and Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 large tablespoon oregano

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

Top finished soup with Criolla Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Fry the chicken in small batches in a dutch oven just long enough to brown it.  Put it on a baking sheet and finish cooking it in a 350 degree oven until the juices run clear and some nice crispy brown bits form on the pan – about 15 - 20minutes.
2. Using the oil left in the dutch oven from browning the chicken, cook the onion and garlic until soft.  Stir in the chicken broth and russet potato.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potato falls apart – about 10 minutes.
3. Return the heat to medium-high.  Add the rest of the potatoes, the corn and oregano.  Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.   
4. Add the chicken back into the soup pot, scraping any browned bits from the baking sheet (but perhaps not all of the oil. .)
5. Whisk together cream and sour cream and stir them into the soup.  Do not let the soup boil after you add the cream.
6. Serve, garnished with Criolla sauce.

 Criolla Sauce

3 fresh jalapenos, chopped, and with ribs and seeds removed

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

6-8 green onions, chopped

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Put the sauce ingredients in the blender and pulse until smooth.  This sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Roger Puts the "You" in Thank You

Without the support of the good people at The University of Montana - Continuing Education, I could not have taken so many weeks away from work to spend with Roger in Salt Lake City.  We made them lunch today.  After so many people helped us, it felt good to do finally be able to do a nice thing in return. 

Roger was not able to see the crew and thank them in person, because he's not allowed to mingle yet.  But he worked all weekend cooking and sign making.

To everyone that donated their sick leave, covered my desk, and sent positive thoughts our way.

 

Soup

Lifesavers

Our friend Linda made cupcakes

Even with all that, Roger had a little time to celebrate his birthday.