Bringing 5,000 people with me...

[jcliff]

I'm pretty sure that Burners can best appreciate the mind-blowing nature of this:

Two weeks ago I developed Acute Axonal Motor Nueropathy. Essentially, I contracted a virus that either attacked my nerves itself or tricked my own immune system into doing the damage. I spent a week in the hospital and had 3 immunoglobulin infusions to help my immune system fight the virus. With time my nerves will regenerate and with physical therapy I will get back to 100%. It was very scarey, but for a time they thought I might have MS which would have been infinitely worse.

So here's the mind-blow. Immunoglobulin takes the antibodies from blood donors plasma. Each dose is made from about 1,000 plasma donations. I've had 3 infusions so far, and will have at least 2 more before I make it back to the playa. I can't stop thinking about the fact that I have a a little bit of 3,000 people inside me. Next year I will be sneaking 5,000 people through Gate. If this doesn't speak to the nature of community and humanity, I don't know what will.

I saw dramatic improvement after my antibody infusions and I'm eternally grateful to the donors that made my recovery possible. You better hold on to your hat donors cause you're all going to Burning Man!!!!

[ygmir]

very happy to hear you're ok, jcliff!!

one might wonder if you'll do an impression of the survivors of Zetar, ala "Mira"?

[lucky420]

Wow ! How weird and scary. Glad you're on the mend. And what a wonderful way of looking at it...

take care and will toast your return to the playa (there's tequila in my cup)

[Mojojita]

Great news jcliff! Thanks for the reminder that its time for me to go donate some plasma.

Just think - if 5,000 burners going to the playa donate plasma and you happen to get some of their plasma, they could be going twice in one year.....

[FIGJAM]

Donating plasma can pay for you burn!

[Sham]

Just a guess, but tickets for you and your donors should cost you about $1,750,000. Start saving now!

[Eric]

Damn Jcliff, I'm glad to hear you're improving! What a frightening thing to happen. I love your attitude about the transfusions - what a great way to see them! I do, however, want to be there when Gate has to frisk your veins...

[edbrez]

Jcliff thats great news you are on the mend, and great to see such a positive outlook.
Inspiration

[Savannah]

Jcliff, that's amazing! I'm glad you're feeling better.

[trilobyte]

They're all a bunch of hippies by association! Hehe

Glad to hear you're okay, it must have been one hell of an emotional roller coaster for you and your family.

[AntiM]

Scary! Good to know you'll be okay.

You are Legion.

[Elderberry]

Ya learn something new every day. Scary stuff. Glad you're OK.

[Elliot]

Huzzah! And a perfect opportunity to remind everybody that donating blood, whether as whole-blood or apheresis (plasma or platelets) is simple, easy, safe, painless and an all-around Good Thing To Do!

[BoyScoutGirl]

((jcliff))

[MacGlenver]

... painless ...

??! Needles be scary!

Contrats jcliff!

[burner von braun]

I'm really glad to hear your recovery is going well jcliff.

I'll bring extra beer!

[pink]

Wow. And I'll second, third and fourth on your attitude. I'll have to see if they've lifted the restrictions on former hep c people donating blood or plasma.

[Simon of the Playa]

i'm one of those assholes that eats 10 hits of acid before donating blood...



seriously...

[AntiM]

MyLarry must donate blood to treat his hemachromatosis. For years the FDA would not accept it because it was a therapeutic draw, but now they can use it. Gallons of blood incinerated, when first diagnosed, he had a pint a week drawn, for 26 months.

[Pope Poecco]

That's gotta feel incredible. I'm glad you're not Schizophrenic.

[Pope Poecco]

[It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist]

Don't be too sure.

[Elliot]

(Here is another Public Service Announcement on this topic, seems it fits so well with Jcliff's success story.)

After you have donated blood for a while, the blood bank starts giving you T-shirts commemorating the total number of gallons you have given. So whenever I feel the World is ignoring me and I don't feel like blowing up a building for attention that day, I put on a blood bank T-shirt and go to the grocery store. For every $30,- worth of groceries I put in the basket, one person breaks into a smile, reads off the number of gallons posted on the shirt and generally chats me up in a cheerful style.

[Eric]

[It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist]

Don't be too sure.

Oh, I'm pretty sure.

Doesn't mean it's not a damn amazing camping trip...

[theCryptofishist]

[It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist]

Don't be too sure.

Oh, I'm pretty sure.

Doesn't mean it's not a damn amazing camping trip...

True. And thank you.

[Pope Poecco]

That's not true.

[junglesmacks]

It's not not true. For some.


We let them stay in camp and do what they do best.

[edbrez]

(Here is another Public Service Announcement on this topic, seems it fits so well with Jcliff's success story.)

After you have donated blood for a while, the blood bank starts giving you T-shirts commemorating the total number of gallons you have given. So whenever I feel the World is ignoring me and I don't feel like blowing up a building for attention that day, I put on a blood bank T-shirt and go to the grocery store. For every $30,- worth of groceries I put in the basket, one person breaks into a smile, reads off the number of gallons posted on the shirt and generally chats me up in a cheerful style.

More successful than learning to play guitar