Saving a life is easier than you think Published Aug. 5, 2009 By Chief Master Sgt. John R. Gillette 305th Air Mobility Wing command chief JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The Bone Marrow drive has been in full swing for the last few weeks and it is quickly coming to a close. Over the last couple of weeks you have seen an article from a donor and a recipient. Tech. Sgt. James Westdrop was diagnosed with leukemia and survived only because someone took the time to register to be a bone marrow donor. Tech. Sgt. Chad McCollum was one of those people that registered several years earlier and was fortunate enough to donate and save someone's life! I got a call to donate earlier this year after being registered for nearly 14 years. My bone marrow was harvested (this is the technical term for the collection of the bone marrow) by the traditional method, that is, extracting the marrow from my pelvis. People asked me if it hurt and the answer is "yes" but I could not imagine any level of pain that would deter me from saving another human's life. I think the greatest deterrent to registering is the fear of the pain if you actually donate. But I can tell you that the myth is worse than reality. The morning I donated (Thursday), I went in the hospital early in the morning and was prepared for the harvest. I elected for general anesthesia rather than the spinal tap and I literally woke up a couple of hours later and the procedure was complete. I spent the night in the hospital to restore my fluid level and then I was released the following day. That same day, my wife and I spent some time shopping and going to a couple of local restaurants. I drove home from Washington D.C. on Saturday and I was back to work on Monday ... officially. (I actually came in Sunday to clear some of the correspondence that had collected during my three-day absence.) The hospital kept me on pain killers for 48 hours as a precaution, but once I was home I stopped taking them. It was uncomfortable to sit for a few days but I was back in the fitness center and 100 percent recovered in a couple of weeks. It's been five months since I donated and there are no side effects or limitations to my activities. There is no doubt that I would donate again if asked. Register now and make your decision to donate - or not - when you get the call. The bone marrow center understands that donating is not for everyone and they give you the opportunity to decline at many stages in the process. I am asking you to take the time to sign up by contacting your unit POC, or give Sergeant McCollum a call at (609) 754-8296 so he can get you a registration kit. Squadron POCs: Tech. Sgt. Nina Allen, 87th Force Support Squadron Master Sgt. Dolsey Abadia, 87th Aeromedical Squadron Staff Sgt. Jeremy Lentz, 305th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Master Sgt. Kimberley Bock, 87th Aeromedical Squadron Staff Sgt. Tina Hicks, 818th Contingency Response Group Airman 1st Class Victoria House, 87th Dental Squadron Master Sgt. Victor Johnson, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Tech. Sgt. Natalie Rancourt, 87th Medical Group Tech. Sgt. Tracey Dooley, 817th Contingency Response Group Staff Sgt. Jodi Grimm, 305th Maintenance Operations Squadron Staff Sgt. Lakeisha McKinstry, 87th Contracting Squadron Master Sgt. Todd Bates, 87th Civil Engineer Squadron Tech. Sgt. Deborah Gililland-Swartz, 87th Air Base Wing Tech. Sgt. James Westdorp, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Staff Sgt. Heather Sippel, 305th Maintenance Squadron Tech. Sgt. Dennis Wallace, 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron