The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 5: Building blocks of life

Summary:

Magnus has a scare and meets Alec's family for the first time.

"In the beginning there is the stem cell; it is the origin of an organisms life."

Magnus was looking through the window in Alec's room, when Catarina came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Sweetheart, it's good to see you again."

Magnus turned around with a half-hearted smile. Alec was curled up, facing away from him in the bed without a blanket over him. His knees were tucked up and there was a fan on full blast, running on the table in front of him.

"Is he okay?"

Catarina gestured for Magnus to follow her. She led him into a small room used to speak to friends and family members. He set his bag down and waited expectantly for Catarina to start speaking. He'd only known Alec for two weeks and they had been the best two weeks that he'd had in a long time. Catarina shut the door with a click and walked over to take the chair that was opposite him.

"He's developed an infection from somewhere. His temperature is sky high and we don't think that this type of chemotherapy is working for him anymore."

Magnus' heart jumped a few beats. "What does that mean?"

Catarina rubbed her temples before replying. "He's going to need a bone marrow transplant and then we'll try then with a different type. Did you have one? When you were in?"

Magnus shook his head. He'd seen friends have them but didn't really know what it involved.

Catarina nodded before explaining. "A stem cell or bone marrow transplant replaces damaged blood cells with healthy ones. Stem cells are special cells produced by bone marrow, a spongy tissue found in the centre of some bones, that can turn into different types of blood cells. The process is risky. Alec's body could reject the cells but it's better if we harvest cells from a family member. If one of them matches, then there's a higher chance they won't be rejected. Alec will have to go into isolation for two weeks before, so that we can essentially 'wipe out' his immune system before the transplant. That means minimal visitors. We're pumping him with antibiotics to get the infection under control first, so these few weeks are going to be very difficult for him."

Magnus sat forward, trying to take in what Catarina had said. It was a lot to take in.

"Could you test me? To see if I'm a match? I know it's a long shot-"

Catarina moved to sit down next to him. "I knew that you'd want to do this, but you can't donate if you've had cancer in the past five years or received chemo or radiotherapy."

Magnus nodded. He hadn't expected her to agree, but it still hurt.

"Alec's family members are in a clinic a few wards over. Alec's sister and parents are having blood tests done now, to see if any of them are matches. Would you like to come meet them?"

Magnus nodded as she stood and held her hand out. He'd been hoping to meet Alec's parents under different circumstances. Reluctantly, he followed.

***

Alec opened his eyes a crack and peered into the darkened room. The curtains were drawn and the only things he could hear were the beeping of the heart monitor he had been put on and the wind chimes outside. The doctor had told him when he came in that chemo could potentially make a patient go deaf, but it hadn't happened, thank goodness. It seemed strange that a treatment designed to save him could tear him apart from the inside.