Good News Only Thread

[Cathleen]

With so much bad, difficult and/or sad news I thought we could all share good news. I know when I have a particularly bad day good news can turn it all around and remind me how lucky I truly am. So, good news only, please.



I just heard an amazing story about organ donation. It started with one woman who wanted to donate a kidney to someone she read about in a newspaper.


Mar 21, 2007 2:50 pm US/Eastern

Three Lives Saved In Triple Kidney Transplant

Dr. Mallika Marshall
Reporting

(WBZ) BOSTON: A stranger's gift of life has enabled doctors to peform a three-way kidney swap and save three patients' lives.

Lisa Dubois originally wanted to donate a kidney to someone she had read about in the newspaper, but she wasn't a match for that patient.

But thanks to a program coordinated by the New England Organ Bank, Lisa ended up giving a kidney, and a new chance at life, to a 21-year-old stranger named Ryan on February 27.

Then Ryan's mom, who wasn't a match for him, gave one of her kidneys to another patient, Rene Ravenelle.

Rene's brother, Bob, donated his kidney to a third patient, Chris Santamara, who was on the waiting list.

Another incredible factor - the precise timing that it took dozens of medical personnel to perform the three transplants all at the same time.

"It takes a village to make this happen, the team work involved by it starts with the donors," said Dr. Nina Tolkoff-Rubin of Massachusetts General Hospital.

The doctors and patients say the donors are the true heroes in all of this - especially Lisa Dubois - the stranger who made this amazing kidney swap a reality.

"I'm just so happy that I helped someone, it's best gratification you can get."

All of the donors and recipients are doing great and they're hoping that their story will encourage more people to become organ donors. That's because there are still some 95,000 other people on the waiting list.


src

 

[Quoll]

With so much bad, difficult and/or sad news I thought we could all share good news. I know when I have a particularly bad day good news can turn it all around and remind me how lucky I truly am. So, good news only, please.

Aaah Miss Cate, once again you have been tiptoeing through the mindfield that is my mind, this is a thread that I have often thought of starting, but unfortunately I tended to vacillate between this and a "Fuckwit of the day" thread, I think this is a better option, it will be my pleasure to contribute.

 

[Cathleen]

Aaah Miss Cate, once again you have been tiptoeing through the mindfield that is my mind, this is a thread that I have often thought of starting, but unfortunately I tended to vacillate between this and a "Fuckwit of the day" thread, I think this is a better option, it will be my pleasure to contribute.

Maybe we share a mind -- at least we can use it as an excuse sometimes.

Have you ever heard of the Darwin Awards? Link

If we had "Fuckwit of the day", I'm afraid I'd qualify and I know my family would contribute too often. But I do think it's a good idea for a thread.

 

[KokopelliRises]

Giving blood once saves up to three lives. What a great thing to give, the gift of life to someone who needs it desperately. I was just reminded of this by the organ donation article.

 

[done_got_old]

I like this Cate! Perhaps I'll find something to contribute.

 

[Cathleen]

Giving blood once saves up to three lives. What a great thing to give, the gift of life to someone who needs it desperately. I was just reminded of this by the organ donation article.

So true, and an easy thing to do for most.

I like this Cate! Perhaps I'll find something to contribute.

I'm certain you will my friend.

 

[Stiffy Says...]

I was just offered a promotion earlier this week...well, a new job at the same organization that is the equivalent of a promotion in prestige and pay...

 

[pleasteasme]

I was just offered a promotion earlier this week...well, a new job at the same organization that is the equivalent of a promotion in prestige and pay...

Congratulations Stiffy

I won an award that my students nominated me for and they wrote some awful nice things about me!

 

[Stiffy Says...]

Congratulations Stiffy

I won an award that my students nominated me for and they wrote some awful nice things about me!

Sweet! good job!!!

 

[honeypot104]

I've just received 2 job offers in the space of 48 hours. The only downside is that I can only choose 1!

 

[Cathleen]

Excellent news and congratulations to both of you.

 

[EJFan]

a baby squirrel was rescued from a tree... its family all fell victim to an owl or something apparently. the people who rescued it started feeding it from a bottle but soon the family's maltese began nursing it (it just had a litter) and is now raising the squirrel as its own.

 

[Cathleen]

That's so neat. Animals really never cease to amaze me.

 

[wally2450]

I put bird food out daily in one spot. Several doves, other birds and two squirrels all dine at the same time. Not really news but uplifting to the soul! (mine anyway)

 

[center_stage]

I got a 96 on a term paper that I was extremely nervous about. I'm a freshman in a class with a bunch of juniors and seniors and it's refreshing!

 

[Cathleen]

Lots of good news here, thanks for sharing everyone.

Honeypot, have you made your decision yet?

Center Stage, way to go on the paper! That's excellent.

Wally, I reap the benefits from neighbors feeding the birds. We've had a lot of doves lately. I'm looking forward to the hummingbirds.

 

[dcraz]

Most excellent! *subscribe!*

A thread full of good news? Free of drama and despair?

And full of some of my favorite people (Cate , DGO , PTM )! This thread will make stalking so much easier...

For me, this thread is good news!

 

[pplwatching]

. . .

 

[Cathleen]

YouTube Helps N.H. Woman Find Bone Marrow Donor

Karen Anderson
Reporting

(WBZ) DERRY A family in Derry, New Hampshire is celebrating life and saying thanks to an anonymous person overseas.

We first introduced you to Leigh Buckley after her friends put her story on YouTube.com to find a bone marrow donor needed for her to survive.

Leigh learned last week that doctors had found a perfect match.

"They just blurted out, 'You have a perfect match, we found you a perfect match.' I squeeled."

This was the news Leigh and her husband Andrew had been waiting for.

"The weight that immediately fell off my shoulders was like a two-ton brick," said Andrew.

"Ultimately it's life, the chance to continue going on in life with my husband, my girls," said Leigh.

Leigh, a 32-year-old mother of two, was diagnosed with leukemia in January. Because of an unusual chromosome, she needed a marrow transplant to survive.

The Buckley's church friends put her story on YouTube.com , urging people to join the National Bone Marrow Registry.

The also organized two local bone marrow drives which attracted more than 2,000 people. None of them proved to be a match, but someone in Denmark did.

"My number, their number and the matching qualities, when I saw that on paper, it really cemented it in my mind and in my heart, yes it's done," said Leigh.

"For me it's humbling to know that someone will be willing to go through this procedure to give Leigh a shot to make it," said Andrew.

Leigh hopes this will inspire others to sign up for the marrow registry.

"Go do it. It's a cheek swab. It's so simple."

Leigh hopes to meet her donor or have them see this story.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart, this just means the world to so many people."

The Buckley's now have a new focus to their donor efforts. They say there is a tremendous shortage of minorities on the national registry.

They say if Leigh had been a minority, she probably wouldn't have found a match.

For more information, you can log onto the National Marrow Donor Program's web site.

 

[SweetErika]

YouTube Helps N.H. Woman Find Bone Marrow Donor

Karen Anderson
Reporting

(WBZ) DERRY A family in Derry, New Hampshire is celebrating life and saying thanks to an anonymous person overseas.

We first introduced you to Leigh Buckley after her friends put her story on YouTube.com to find a bone marrow donor needed for her to survive.

Leigh learned last week that doctors had found a perfect match.

"They just blurted out, 'You have a perfect match, we found you a perfect match.' I squeeled."

This was the news Leigh and her husband Andrew had been waiting for.

"The weight that immediately fell off my shoulders was like a two-ton brick," said Andrew.

"Ultimately it's life, the chance to continue going on in life with my husband, my girls," said Leigh.

Leigh, a 32-year-old mother of two, was diagnosed with leukemia in January. Because of an unusual chromosome, she needed a marrow transplant to survive.

The Buckley's church friends put her story on YouTube.com , urging people to join the National Bone Marrow Registry.

The also organized two local bone marrow drives which attracted more than 2,000 people. None of them proved to be a match, but someone in Denmark did.

"My number, their number and the matching qualities, when I saw that on paper, it really cemented it in my mind and in my heart, yes it's done," said Leigh.

"For me it's humbling to know that someone will be willing to go through this procedure to give Leigh a shot to make it," said Andrew.

Leigh hopes this will inspire others to sign up for the marrow registry.

"Go do it. It's a cheek swab. It's so simple."

Leigh hopes to meet her donor or have them see this story.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart, this just means the world to so many people."

The Buckley's now have a new focus to their donor efforts. They say there is a tremendous shortage of minorities on the national registry.

They say if Leigh had been a minority, she probably wouldn't have found a match.

For more information, you can log onto the National Marrow Donor Program's web site.

I'm glad you posted this, Cate. I was on the local blood center's website a few months ago, and was going to get tissue typed, but the dates didn't work out or something, and I simply forgot. With your reminder, Hubby and I will go in ASAP to be typed, give blood and maybe plasma (especially since I think I'm a universal donor for one of those).

I also see that our center is asking for umbilical blood donations for stem cell transplants via the major local hospitals. That's something we'll definitely give too, when the time comes (hopefully in the next year or so ). Why throw the umbilical cord away when it can be used to try to save lives?!

 

[sutherngent985]

I'm glad you posted this, Cate. I was on the local blood center's website a few months ago, and was going to get tissue typed, but the dates didn't work out or something, and I simply forgot. With your reminder, Hubby and I will go in ASAP to be typed, give blood and maybe plasma (especially since I think I'm a universal donor for one of those).

I used to give blood pretty often...every 3 or 4 months or so...and was always getting calls from the local blood bank. I even organized a blood drive at my new job. But, I had a heart episode (they still arent sure if it was a heart attack) and with the meds Im on I cant give right now, and I never would have guessed how lousy that makes me feel. When Im able Im going to register at the tissue bank too.

 

[Denae]

My grandmother should receive her settlement funds in the next couple of weeks. She's happy to not have to go to court and the amount is very fair. She will not have to worry about paying for future medical procedures or therapy. I'm thankful that she lived and I'm thankful that everyone was reasonable in settlement discussions for her sake. She's 84 and her energy needs to be spent in better ways.

She's also seriously considering moving from her gangster, drug-ridden neighborhood. She lives in a bad part of L.A. and we've all wanted her to move for years.

 

[dcraz]

My grandmother should receive her settlement funds in the next couple of weeks. She's happy to not have to go to court and the amount is very fair. She will not have to worry about paying for future medical procedures or therapy. I'm thankful that she lived and I'm thankful that everyone was reasonable in settlement discussions for her sake. She's 84 and her energy needs to be spent in better ways.

She's also seriously considering moving from her gangster, drug-ridden neighborhood. She lives in a bad part of L.A. and we've all wanted her to move for years.

All good news Denae!

It's nice to hear about things working out. People being fair. Good things happening to good people.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Quoll]

I'm here.

 

[EJFan]

I'm here.

me too