A little over a year ago, I got a phone call telling me that I was a potential match for a patient with cancer. After talking to the center, I went and had additional tests and evaluations done. During the wait, I received a phone call letting me know that I was no longer needed for the donation. Honestly, I was a little bummed at first because I really wanted to help someone out, but knowing that the patient was doing well without the transplant was more encouraging.
About a month and a half ago, I headed to North Carolina for a week of training before traveling to South Carolina with 23 other guys and girls my age to work for CentriKid Camps. On the second or third day of training, I received a phone call from the donor center letting me know that there was an urgent request for me to donate bone marrow. After talking to the lady at the center, I was told that it was the same patient from last year (a teenaged girl with cancer). I literally started crying on the phone. I walked into the room with the 23 people on my team (who, might I add, I had only known approximately 3 days) and told them the news. Before I knew it, I had people hugging me, crying with me, excited for me, and asking all kinds of questions.
So... this is where the process really began.
The lady at the donor center informed me that since it was an urgent request, I would need to be at the hospital on the 24th of July. Okay, let's back up for a second. This just proves how sovereign and awesome our God is. My team's summer of camp ends on the 26th of July, but because the last week is a smaller week of camp, a few of us have the last week off. Prior to finding all of this out, I was bummed that I would have to leave my team early, but at this moment I was praising God because He knew that I would be needed elsewhere on that last week. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!
Alright, back to the story. Since I was in South Carolina for the summer, we had to figure out a way for me to get additional blood work and other tests done before the procedure. It was an uphill battle. First, they couldn't find a hospital that would allow for me to get the necessary tests completed, which I could never wrap my mind around. Of course, it costs a lot of money so that became an issue for a little while. Once during the summer, they called me to inform me that my blood had gotten lost in transit. Yes, I know! Literally, the strangest things were happening, but God continued to prove himself faithful. My teammates were the best. Let me just brag on them for a second. There were times when I was just about to give up on the whole process and then out of the blue they would encourage me. And man, they are prayer warriors like I've never seen before. On the day that my blood got "lost in transit" or whatever would be the correct way to state that, they said a prayer that it would be found. It went like this: "and Lord, please help them find Brittney's blood." Yeah, there were some giggles, but we were praying. Guess what? Three days later, I got a call that they had found it. I mean, I'm telling you, God is HUGE and He hears us when we cry out to Him.
It's hard to believe that so many obstacles came during the summer throughout the process, but now it's two days away from my procedure. Until now, I wasn't really scared or worried or any of those things. Now things are starting to sink in. I've never been under anesthesia before. I've never had surgery. I'm not even sure if I've been in a hospital overnight before. I do know one thing; if God brought me through all of the obstacles that tried standing in my way during the summer, then He will get me through this obstacle of being afraid. He's bigger than all of those obstacles anyways.
Something that has confused me a lot is that people have been telling me, "you're so unselfish" and "you're so brave." That's encouraging to me and super uplifting but sometimes it's hard for me to believe those words. Honestly, I think of this opportunity as an incredible blessing in my life, but y'all I'm scared. When I first signed up to donate, I was doing it more out of the "everyone is doing this", "I get to save someone's life", "I might not ever even have to donate," mentality, but now it has become so much more to me. Jesus calls us to serve others. If that means giving up something like bone marrow that my body will eventually replenish so that a teenaged girl who needs it in order to survive can receive it, than by all means, that's what I'll do. When people say, "this is such an unselfish act," I think to myself, "But I am selfish. What if it hurts me? What if it takes a long time to recuperate? What if I get really sick?" And the whole, "you're so brave," thing. Y'all, I'm a chicken when it comes to some things. I like new things and I'll try just about anything but there's always a slight fear. I'm not brave; I just know that Lord will sustain me throughout the procedure and the recovery. That's just me being honest. I know that this is something that the Lord has given me to do in order to help someone else.
I don't know what the next week or so is going to look like. I go in tomorrow for my pre-evaulation and consultation to discuss "doctor words" that I'm probably unfamiliar with. I have to be at the hospital at 6am on Wednesday and then I'll stay overnight while they monitor me. I will probably be sore for about a week after the procedure so I foresee a lot of reading and Lifetime movies in the future for me. I just ask for your prayers. Over the past few years, I have learned a lot about the power of prayer. We must rely on God for everything. He is our strength and our portion forever.
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