First day of classes...

I'm already feeling much better. I've been cheerful and saying hello to people and everything. One class down, and I already have about 300 pages of reading to do. How is that even possible? :) I hope this is a happy start.

In other news: about seven years ago I got on the national bone marrow donor registry (which Cathy might remember, since she was there). Saturday I got a letter saying that I'm a close match for somebody and they want me to go in for some more tests... My first reaction was disbelief. Then I freaked out. It's really overwhelming to think that you might be able to save a stranger's life. But at the same time I was scared--can I even do this, financially or spiritually or otherwise? I had to read up a little more on the procedure (or, rather, my mother went on the internet for me and told me about it). There are two things they may need: blood stem cells, which they can harvest through a series of injections and apheresis (where they cycle your blood through a machine and take out what they need), and marrow itself, which is a surgical procedure where they stick a needle into the back of your pelvic bone. Obviously the first is less invasive, and has a shorter recovery time. But I think I need to do this. The reason I signed up in the first place (well, besides wanting to get my picture into pipedream--stupid 19-year-old!) was because I thought I would want someone to do the same for my family if the situation were reversed. I firmly believe that part of living in a society--hell, civilization in general--is doing your part to help everyone else. Pull together, global village, or whatever. And if that means being in a little discomfort for a week or two so that a leukemia patient can live, then so be it. Anyway, I left a message on Saturday, and they called me back while I was in class, so I guess I have to call them now.

Mark said, "How many people open the mail and get a letter asking them to be a hero?" That made me cry, of course. (It doesn't help that I'm all menstrual right now!) But he was right. I only hope everyone around me (i.e. opera directors, employers) will understand if I need to take a week off. Well, most of my onstage time I'm sitting in an easy chair, so that won't be too big a deal... I'm sure they could give me drugs, and crutches, and a handicapped parking sticker. I would need to drop my dance class, surely--but that's a small price to pay.

Anyway, I have to go make that phone call. Wish me luck. :)

Hellooooooo to New York! Hope you're all getting back into the routine...