SOMETHING I CAN'T DO - - -

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NOTE: This message was originally posted at the "OUR ETERNAL STRUGGLE" web site on Thursday 09 March 2006.
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Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

Yes, born in 1946, I'm a bona fide member of the "Baby Boom" generation, and a little over a month ago, I observed my sixtieth birthday.

(You'll notice, I did NOT say "celebrate".)

One of my major disappointments in becoming sixty years old is that I'm no longer eligible to donate bone marrow.

Many years ago, I became a member of the National Marrow Donor Program.

A lot of years have gone by, but I was never asked to donate.

Now, I never will be.

It's especially disappointing to me because I wanted to try and copy Jesus, the Christ.


 

Jesus Christ suffered more than any mortal man could suffer, in order to save all men.

I'm not Jesus Christ, so I was hoping to endure just a little pain in order to save just one life.

But, it never happened.

So, I'm writing this e-mail in hopes that it might inspire others to do what I cannot.

If you're young enough, and in good physical health, please consider volunteering to donate your bone marrow.

Yes, there is some pain, but isn't it worth it?

On another subject, but somewhat related, the medical folks stopped letting me donate blood several years ago.

They think my medication might be hiding symptoms of a disease or parasite still unknown to medical science, acquired when I was a soldier in the old Republic of Viet Nam.

So, I can't donate blood.

That's too bad, for regularly donating a pint of blood is one of the healthiest things a man can do.

Each donation immediately lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.

So, I just rely on occasional severe nosebleeds to do the job.

When I get a nosebleed, instead of attempting to stop it, I step into my shower, turn on the hot water, and just let the blood run until it eventually stops on its own.

I figure that might help.

Did you know Attila the Hun died from a nosebleed?

I was watching a program on television and learned that death from severe nosebleeds is a lot more common than most folks realize.

Apparently, a lot of females are affected, because a side effect of plastic surgery restructuring a nose, is creation of an aneurysm, which can unexpectedly burst many years later.

I wonder if guys have that same problem, since we get into fist fights and get our noses punched and/or broken over and over?

So, if you haven't already been doing so, please donate your blood on a regular basis, and also sign up to donate bone marrow.

Also, if you have volunteered to be an organ donor at the moment of death, be sure to TELL someone, preferably your next of kin.

Just having the information notated on your driver's license is not good enough (or so I've been told).

It's on my driver's license and I've told everyone I can think of, whether or not they are related, that when I pass on, if any of my organs can be salvaged and harvested, then I definitely want them donated.

Who knows, but what YOU might save someone else's life!

Wouldn't that be super neat?

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400 

NOTE: "My controversial and unpopular personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan." 

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