Tammy,

I just checked with Candy again. We can't do a platelet donation on Nov. 17th because we have to wait until the 20th when we're eligible to give blood again. So............. let's start making appts. for Saturday, Nov. 24th! That is my wedding anniversary and I would LOVE to go in and give platelets that day.

Here are the stipulations:
You have to be in their database which means that you have to have given blood with them. If you were at the blood drive and received your new eligible day to donate (Nov. 20th) you are eligible to donate platelets. Also, if you have given blood before.

However, since that time, you cannot have had any tattos or piercings. You also have to have been off antibiotics or antifungal medicines for one week prior to Nov. 24th. You can't be on any new medications or have gone out of the country to anywhere there is Malaria or Yellow Fever. You also cannot take aspirin products or baby aspirin 48 hours before giving blood or platelets. Excedrin is full of aspirin products. Safe medications are Tylenol, Ibuprofin, Motrin and Advil. So, if you take baby aspirin each day, just don't take it two days before giving blood.

Remember that in giving platelets, they only take a small percentage from your body and then return the blood to you. So, you recover faster than giving blood.

They try to make it FUN! They have a database of over 2,000 movies. Candy laughed when I asked if we could eat during the movie. She said as long as we can eat with one hand since the other one will be occupied. EACH person gets to watch their own movie....she said some people come in just to see the free movie ;)

We can make appointments for 17 people for the Research Park location for Saturday, November 24th. 3 appts for 8:00, 2 appts. for 8:30, 3 appts. for 10, 2 appts for 10:30, 3 appts. for 12:00, 2 appts. for 12:30, and 3 appts for 2:00. It would be fun to carpool. For example, 5 people could go together for 8:00. Three would start at 8 and 2 more would start at 8:30 and then the 3 would wait for the last 2 before going home. That would save money on gas and it would be a group experience. The same could happen for the 10:00, 12:00, and 2:00 appts. Note that the 2:00 appts would just be for 3 people. There won't be any 2:30 appts.

We can make about 6 appointments for the Murray Location on Saturday, November 24th. There are 11:30 and 1:00 times left. It will be closing in a few months and will be replaced by a new facility South.

Please post which time you'd like and/or which location. Post it as a group if you want the times together. You can make the appts yourself by calling 584-5272 and talking with anyone there. But, to avoid confusion, it might work better this first time to post the times that are taken so people don't take someone else's times.

Or, email me at teachersfocus@aol.com. In order to make an appointment, you have to give your first and last name and birthdate (including year). I am happy to make the appointments if you give me this contact information. Please don't post this information on this blog. (Identity theft...)

I can call on Monday with the appointments that you email me. I'd love to drive 4 other people on Saturday, Nov. 24th....any takers?

That means that the blood drive would have to occur the week after this or the first week of December. Let me know if you want to plan this or I'll talk with my two boys. For an Eagle Project, they have to be a life scout and the contact information is Jennifer.haycock@aruplab.com The business phone is 801-583-2787 x2649.

Candy told me that there is a baby at the U who is receiving 7 units of platelets a day and and an adult who needs 5-7 units. Those are just TWO individuals who need platelets on a regular basis. She mentioned that after years of donations, some people have to stop giving platelets so they are in constant need of donors. When this happens, they have to appeal to people and ask to pay them for this much needed donation.

69 of us donated blood and are eligible to donate platelets and blood again starting Nov. 20th. Can we get 23 appts for Nov. 24th out of those 69? And then we can all donate blood again the week after or so. Maybe we can get more than the original 69 for the blood donation this time...

WE'RE KILLING CANCER BY GIVING LIFE!

Barbara

Barbara and Tammy and fellow cancer-killers,

I will not be in town the week of the 24th, and since there aren't a LOT of spaces to donate, I would be glad to head up a group to donate on December 1st. (Tammy--I'm leaving on the 15th--so I can't do the Free Hugs on the 17th...however, the 10th sounds just fine to me;) ) If you cannot make it on the 24th (it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving), I would be more than happy to help get things set up for the Saturday after. If this isn't good for anyone else, I'll go by myself. I think they also have some kind of a club where you can become a frquent donor and you get a free pin if you go so many times. Ha ha ha. :) So in short, I apologize I'm skipping town, but I'm going to see family, so I figure that's allowed, right?

Yay Barbara for getting this organized, and Yay all of you who are going to participate. Oh, and one more Yay! for Tammy who has kept all of this going and continues inspiring so many!

Katie

Tammy,
We think that this is an awesome idea! I wonder if there are any Utah County locations...We could get a group down here too! Thanks so much for getting people excited about 100daysoflove! It has already made a difference!

Tammy,
I live up in Roy and have a troop of Junior (4-6th grade) Girl Scouts who are looking for Service Projects. They are too young to donate blood, but are willing and able to help in other ways. Please e-mail me some ways we could get our girls into this. We think you're an incredible inspiration, and this is just what we are looking for to do as a project.
Michelle
Terry

Tammy,

I am again amazed and inspired by you... I just got home from visiting with my friend Brendan. I sat down to my computer to read the recent comments on his blog and saw your comment. The way you are turning "pain into purpose" (your words) is so touching.

Thank you for reaching out to my friends in their time of need. Thank you for organizing this platelet drive to help Julie and others. Thank you for being the beautiful person you are.

With love and admiration,

Carrie

Tammy,
I ran the tagline and shirt ideas past lance. Since that is what he does all day...taglines! Hopefully he'll get you some ideas to think about. This is awesome.
brenda

Tammy,
You are doing just the right things, (as you have all along), in making a "purpose out of the pain" and contributing so much good to so many. Such service is great solace to the soul and inspires so much that is good waiting to come out in others! I don't know if the donor center wants to see my uncooperative veins again, but I would love to join "the gang" in any way I can be of service. I could chauffer, bring popcorn or treats (the kind easy to eat with one hand!), babysit, or help recruit volunteers. How about a cleaning group for cancer victims?
I am so proud of how you are plowing through all this 100 plus days and for the continued inspiration to others instead of being swallowed by the grief. I know Bryce is proud of you, too, and is close. Love, Ann

Dear Tammy,

My family and I are so sorry to have just gotten your heartbreaking news. You are, and will forevermore be in our prayers.

I remember seeing you and Bryce on several of your StoneRidge walks in the courting days. It was apparent then, watching you walk and talk, how enamoured you two were with each other. It strikes me now that at that time, he, with the help of throngs of angels, was choosing you to not only be his wife and mother of his daughter, but his pillar of strength in this cancer battle. He needed you with him through this fight; and although your pain must be unspeakable, there might be some solace in the fact that wow you did not let him (or the angels) down for a minute.

I, along with everyone else touched by your story, am in awe of your awareness of your position of influence, and your choice of its use. I am catching the vision, especially the 100 days thing - thank you.

Our prayers are with you.
You are so strong.
You can do it.

Love You
Emily Christensen Tolton

Tammy,

What timing! Charlie and I were just talking the other day about doing an AlloSource sponsored blood drive in honor of Bryce for those employees who didn't make the previous drives. The Red Cross did our last one with their mobile bus parked out in front of the office. ARUP has a minimum number of people that need to sign up in order for them to bring out the bus. Their facility is just across the street so I think we could go over there. It probably wouldn't be too hard to get a few employees to go after work one day or even do the Saturday thing. Do you have to wait until you are eligible to donate whole blood again before you can donate platelets? I couldn't make the original blood drive so I went a few weeks ago on my own at the Research Park location. If you have the same people over there that were there when I donated, they should already be aware of Bryce's story as I told them all about the purpose of why I was donating that day. If you ask for a girl named Alma, she does an excellent job at poking and hasn't blown or missed a vein on me yet. Because of when I donated I am not eligible to donate again until the 15th of December but would love to help in any way I can.

Unfortunately I am not good with Taglines and such, but you kow me, just tell me when, where, and what and I'm in. If you want to coordinate with Charlie about combining this with the AlloSource blood drive, I can get you his email address if you don't already know it. Maybe we could give people the optionof platelets or blood. Don't have 2 hours? How about 20 minutes? Just a thought. It would be awesome to overwhelm them with Brycee banded people. All wanting to donate.

I made Charlie laugh when I told him this story, but donating blood products during the holiday season has always been important to me since I was in high School and I saw an episode of 90210 where Dillon took I think Kelly to donate blood for their Christmas Eve date. Several years prior he had been in a car accident and blood had saved his life. It was his way of saying thank you. At the end of the show, if I remeber right they gave some statistics of how many people need blood over the hlodiay season. I think Charlie probably laughed because I, a guy, was admitting that I watched 90210, but he got the point. At this time of year we often forget about donating with all the hustle and bustle of shopping and parties and the like. Please donate! Like they say, "The life you save may be your own!"

We Love You,

Mikey

I am so in. I want to do whatever I can to help. I wasn't able to participate in the last blood drive, but I've donated with ARUP before. Does that make me eligible for the platelet drive? If so, sign me up! I'll do whatever location Tammy's doing (Research Park?). I'm all about the gang idea, too. We can make cute t-shirts and punk people, only it will be good punking. Great idea. In honor of Brycey! I miss Brycey...

Tammy and All,

Please post what day you want to go (Nov. 24th or Dec. 1st) and which location if you are going to make your own appt. OR email me the information at teachersfocus@aol.com. and then I'll post which times are still available.

I have only had 1 person contact me and it turns out she isn't eligible to give platelets.

So, if I don't hear from anyone within a couple of days, I will make my own appt and maybe I'll see some of you there.

I've never donated platelets before and I know most of you haven't. It might be more fun to do it together the first time and then the next time we'll know what to expect.

To answer the Holly's question, yes, you can donate platelets if you've donated blood before. You should be in their database.

If you know of people who donated blood at the last blood drive who don't check out this site, please contact them and see if they'd like me to sign them up.

I like Mikey's idea about the bringing treats....licorice goes well with a movie!

Thanks,
Barbara

Whoops! The treat ideas was Ann's....I didn't mean to sign Mikey up for anything!

Tammy:

I wouold love to help out with anything but I can't donate for some reason they don't like me. My students at the College laugh everytime I pull up your site about the bottle of sun block that is a great t-shirt Idea well at least my 16 year old students would like it. Let me know whatever I can do to help.
Ashlan

Of course I'm in! I'll be thinking of good Gang names. I'm sure there will be TONS of people that want to take part in this. And you know the shirts have to be orange for B-Town :) There are endless ideas for projects, especially with the Holidays coming up. Time to organize a meeting! You're the president, but let me know if you need someone to take minutes :) You're awesome Tammy. You know Bryce is so proud. I don't know how you do it.

Sign me up! I'll go on December 1st at 3:00 p.m. at the University location. Barbara, let me know if you would like me to set up my own appointment and take care of things for the December 1st trip since I think you are going the week before.

Tammy,
We're still thinking of you, and hoping you're healing well. We love you and hope to see you soon!

Katie

Hey Katie,

Sounds great except there is no 3:00 time. The last time is 2:00...work for you? I'll sign you up if you email me your birthdate including year.

Yeah! Julie Folkman is signing up as well....come on everyone....pick a day and a time and let's do it!

2 hours of our time may mean extra hours, days, weeks, months, and years to a recipient.... or even just a difference in the quality if not the quantity of life. In fact, Candy said that some donors have such a high count of platelets that they are able to donate more than one unit at one sitting....think of that precious little baby at the U of U who is depending on us!

When I gave birth to my son Jon I had lost a lot of blood and was told I needed a blood transfusion but they were low on donors at the time. I was anemic for a year. My uterus had ruptured and I had bled internally. I was out of breath whenever I walked about 30 steps. How grateful I would have been for a blood transfusion... I didn't know enough then to advocate for one...(not enough oxygen going to the brain at the time ;) I was a poor college student and stay at home mom. Every time I went for a check up they told me I was severely anemic and shouldn't be walking.... why nobody did anything about it, I'll never know...I just kept eating liver and taking supplements and eventually I had enough energy to take care of my two bundles of joy....

Let's take a chance and give platelets if we can...it might not make much difference to us, but it definitely will to the person who receives them!

Barbara

This is such a wonderful gift to give. I wish there was something I could do - since I can't give blood - I can give some time. Just let me know what is needed. Did you know that 10 gallons of blood saves up to 240 lives thru blood donation? (Donate Life has the info on their site). They also promote the 10 gallon blood donor. What a fabulous gift. Saving 240 lives! What about 100 lives one for each day of the 100 days? Math is needed here to figure that one out. Something to think about. Love you - Rhonda

I had some time to kill today here in the hospital with Julie so I opted to "Kill Cancer" while I killed time. I donated platelets for the second time today. I was thinking of Bryce today as well as my wife who took her second unit of platelets in 4 days this afternoon as well.

On a sad note... We lost another Melanoma Warrior today. Our good friend and partner in fighting this horrible disease, Gerald Boudreaux, took his place in heaven this afternoon. Ironically, he was just a few doors down from us in the hospital when he passed. Please keep his wife, Rachel and their two young boys (Christopher 13 and Matthew 9) in your thoughts and prayers as they begin this next phase of their lives.

Tammy,
I just wanted you to know they are praying for you in Buenos Aires and Manti and in the Benedict household. I also wanted to thank you for the idea of 100 days of service. I have a friend I do things with frequently, but I've been very busy lately and it's been a few weeks since I've talked to her. Saturdays are hectic, but because of the 100 days and a nudge from the Spirit, I decided I needed to make time for her. We got together for what turned into a 3 hour lunch. She needed someone to be concerned about her. Life was seeming overwhelming. I was glad for at least 3 hours she had laughter and variety. She and I are getting together again this weekend for a movie. Thank you for helping me to be a better person.
Love,
Marian and Sally

My internet has been down for 2 weeks, after an electrician and Qwest spent hours at my house Steve bought a new router. Anyway, I missed reading about Bryce even though I kept up in person and was at the funeral. Sometimes this blog makes me feel guilty (get used to that too Tammy) because I feel for Bryce but it is so familiar to my son Brady's story that memories of his journey overlap my emotions. I wonder how much this whole scenerio is consistent with all chronical/terminal patients. The outsiders can read and feel but not fully understand what it is like. It is like a secret/exclusive yucky club that no one wants to belong to, yet we benefit from all the stuff to be learned. I feel like I want to live a better more purposeful life because A. I have the health to do so...( you appreciate that) and B. I want to be with Brady and literally stand and hug him which I couldn't do in this life. Tammy, I am jealous of your journal entree's even though I appreciate them. What I would give to have done the same through Brady's journey. I guess caring for the other seven children was too overwhelming at the time. Even though I have lots of pictures of Brady with his friends I have none of me and Brady except in family portraits. Everyone reading this blog take note, Do not think your too busy or not "camera friendly" to do the picture thing. (One of my many regrets). I will continue to read your site as long as you write. You are so great in sharing this very private part of your life and you have made a difference in mine. Thank you, Earlene

Tammy and friends,
What a wonderful support group, the right kind of "gang"! I just wanted to let you know I am still planning on showing up with treats for anyone coming to the donor site on Nov. 24th (the request for licorice is noted!). Also, I put you and Danika on the prayer roll in Bountiful and your families this week when I was there. You are continually in our prayers. Hang in there! Love, Ann LeVitre

Hi Tammy and Dani,Still trying to keep up on the blog and wanting you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Never knowing where lifes lifes lessons are going to come from is wild enough and with this recent dose of reality and the great examples from both you and Bryce my eyes are opened to the endless lessons taught by the both of you. Often I find myself thinking about how blessed we are and how much we so often take for granted.. Lots of brand new realizations. I could be more specific but a simple thank you and an I love you will suffice I hope. I will always be there for you and hope that someday real soon you will come out for a visit. Talk to ya soon. Uncle Robbie

I love your energy that's being focused on love and good. I miss you're daily updates. I worry about you. I hope you're doing well.

New Information about Donation!

When I tried to sign up for platelets, ARUP couldn't take me because I haven't donated at their site before and they don't have me on their database. So, I've signed myself up for giving blood there on November 24 at 8 a.m.

However, Julie Folkman and Katie Higbee have donated with ARUP before and were in the database already. So, they are signed up to give platelets. Julie will be going in at 8 a.m. on November 24th and Katie will be going in at 2:00 on December 1st.

It costs about $300 to use the equipment to donate platelets. They don't like to use the equipment on people who are not in their database in case their platelet count is not good. They will be able to determine this when we give blood and see if we are eligible to give platelets later.

So, if you have donated with ARUP before and are in their database, please call 584-5272 and sign up to give platelets. It would be nice to do it at the times that Katie and Julie are donating for moral support!

If you haven't donated with ARUP, but donated with the Red Cross, please sign up for a time to donate blood there. 584-5272

Here is the link for the map and directions: http://www.utahblood.org/where/map.htm

**************************
THE FOLLOWING QUOTES COME FROM THE utahblood.org site

"Frequent Excuses for Not Donating Blood"

"I don't have time."
~Donating blood can take less time than going to lunch or watching a TV program. In less than one hour, you can help save up to three lives.

"I'm afraid of needles."
~The amount of pain you will feel when the needle is inserted is comparable to pulling one hair out of your arm. Once the needle is in position, the pain goes away. Any pain from the needle is far outweighed by the gratifying feeling of helping someone live.

"I hate the sight of blood."
~All you have to do is look away while the blood is being drawn. The bag is placed below the chair so you don't have to see it being filled.

"I might faint."
~Most people do not experience any ill effects from donating blood. Drinking lots of fluids and eating a well-balanced meal prior to donating will help prevent any reactions. Most fainting is the result of a psychological response. If you think you are going to faint, you probably will. Similarly, if you think you aren't going to faint, you probably won't.

"Someone else will do it."
~An estimated 80 percent of us will need a blood product by the time we reach age 70. That is a big number compared to the four percent of eligible donors who choose to donate. In addition, up to 70 percent of donors donate only one time. Many people don't realize blood donation is safe every 56 days.

~If each donor in our community made a commitment to give blood at least twice a year, Utah's blood supply would dramatically increase. We would also be able to supply more of the required five-day-fresh blood to the small children at Primary Children's Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children.

"Whose job is it?"
~This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that
because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

*******************

So, please join us in either giving blood or platelets on Nov. 24th or Dec. 1st. Don't wait for others to sign up....these were the only people who contacted me.

Ann has mentioned that she'll bring treats...make sure you post when you will be there so she knows.

Also, if you are curious to see how platelets are drawn, sign up to give blood and watch what the platelet donors are doing!

If you aren't able to give blood or platelets, be the moral support to a friend or family member who can. Drive them out there and tell them jokes while their blood is being drawn! :)

I hope to see a lot of you out there!
Barbara

Tammy,

Just wanted to let you know that you and Dani are in our thoughts and prayers. Hope you are doing okay. Lean on your faith at this time. I hope it will give you some comfort. When you need to talk, please call.

Love to you and Dani,
Suzan

Hi Tammy and Dani-
I just wanted to let you know you've been on my mind. I hope that you are geting along ok. You are always in my prayers. Bryce will hold a special place everyone's heart who knew him. Thanks again for sharing your lives with me.
love-kristin

Tammy

As I was watching the news last night they had a thing on tanning beds that was so interesting. They were saying that utah is in the top 5 of most deadly melanoma patients, also that there are over 50 cases of stage 3 melanoma patients that enter huntsman's weekly. Also that the type of rays that the beds put off actually mutates your DNA. They had a beautiful girl telling her story of tanning beds and melanoma (she was a weekly tanning bed visitor), to other young adults on the street at Gateway. Every single person later said they will continue to tan in tanning beds because they didn't think it would happen to them. WHAT!!!! I couldn't belive the statistics they were giving these people and they were ignoring the valuble information. I was shocked.
This then made me realize how incredible of a person Bryce was. There are so many people who will never step foot near a tanning bed again, and have started wearing sunscreen, and educating people around them. (Not to say the other girl on the news wasn't incredibley strong.) Bryce just had a way with people.
We love you Tammy!!