HARDminute # 51A
Some factoid / some opinion
GIVE LIFE
Twenty-five Facts about Giving Blood
Several months ago, I learned that a friend and colleague had fought off cancer, very quickly as it turns out. But he had needed aggressive care and lots of platelets or plasma. I don’t know the difference.
I do know that he was recovered and looked great, and that I was thankful.
I left his office and committed to giving platelets or plasma. (I don’t know the difference.)
I had always given blood fairly regularly, but always blanched when I looked to the platelets and plasma (I don’t know the difference.) area of the blood bank. Some people were wrapped in blankets. I thought it must hurt!!!
But I had decided.
I am embarrassed (NOT what I like to admit!!!!!!) that giving P or P was even less of an event than giving blood. What a wuss I had been for years. The needle stick even seemed less noticeable. I’m not sure but it seems like the needle is even shorter than for whole blood. It is absolutely smaller than what is used to draw blood for cholesterol, or diabetes, or all those check ups!! And, while I occasionally would be light headed (Please don’t even bother with the remark…I have heard similar ones for years.) giving whole blood, there was absolutely no reaction at all to P or P.
Apparently some people get tingly lips. (Please don’t even bother with the remark…I have heard similar ones for years.) Tums solves that. Some get cold. They get blankets. That’s IT!!
The ONLY down side is that it takes longer, between and hour and two hours. But I watch a movie in a very comfortable lounge chair. Every two weeks, since that time months I left Lewis’ (not his total real name) office, I have given platelets or plasma. The Red Cross people know which I can give at what intervals.
They take out some liquid, sift out some stuff and return the fluids. It’s miraculous and it’s also a complete non-event.
This is the only way we can help premature babies, burn victims and cancer patients.
I wish “Lewis” had never gotten cancer, but I am glad he is better. It was scary for friends and colleagues, so how bad was it for him and his family? And, it has given me the opportunity…the reminder…to be a better person by donating one of the things that others had donated to save my friend’s life. My wonderful wife says there was lots of room for that improvement.
If you have A+ blood, PLEASE consider giving plasma and platelets. ONLY your blood type is useable for this. PLEASE.
If you have a different blood type, please consider giving whole blood.
In keeping with my TOP TEN format, here are the Top Twenty-Five Facts about giving blood.
Three teaspoons of blood can save a baby's life
One donation has the potential to save as many as three lives
Whole blood donors can give every eight weeks
Today, fewer than four of every ten people in the U.S. are eligible to give blood. Fewer than one in ten actually donate
Approximately one out of every seven people entering the hospital needs blood
Plasma donors can give as often as every three days
Blood lasts only 42 days; platelets last only five days
Approximately 40,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States
Patients with cancer require blood more frequently than other patients. Patients
with heart conditions are second most likely to require blood.
You must be at least 16 years old (donors who are 16 years old must have
written parental consent) and weigh 110 pounds or more to donate.
Each time you donate, you will receive a mini-physical to check your pulse,
temperature, blood pressure and iron level. Your donated blood will undergo ten tests for infectious diseases.
Your donated blood will be separated into three components – red cells, plasma
and platelets – that can help as many as three patients.
Low iron does not permanently disqualify a donor from giving blood. Iron levels
can be quickly increased by adding iron-rich foods and/or iron supplements.
Donors must wait 24 hours after taking their last dose of an oral antibiotic.
(There are some exceptions to this, however.)
You donate only a small portion of your body's blood supply. The average adult’s body contains about 10 to 12 pints of blood. Within 24 hours, your blood volume is restored.
Manufactured in the bone marrow, red blood cells are continuously being produced and broken down. They live for approximately 120 days in the circulatory system and are eventually removed by the spleen.
Platelets are made in the bone marrow and survive in the circulatory system for an average of 9-10 days before being removed from the body by the spleen.
Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood--a protein-salt solution in which red and white blood cells and platelets are suspended.
Blood transports nutrients and defensive anti-bodies, cells, and clotting factors; red blood cells deliver or release oxygen.
One donation can be separated into components and used to treat several patients. Some uses for blood components through transfusion therapy follow:
Packed red cells are prescribed for anemic patients.
Platelet concentrates control bleeding in leukemic patients.
Plasma from many donors is pooled to make derivatives such as antihemophilic factor, albumin for the treatment of shock, and gamma globulin which may prevent or make less severe certain diseases.
Cryoprecipitate is administered to patients with hemophilia A.
Blood groups are inherited. In our population the following percentages are found for ABO and Rh blood groups:
i. 38% will have group O positive blood.
ii. 7% will have group O negative blood.
iii. 34% will have group A positive blood.
iv. 6% will have group A negative blood.
v. 9% will have group B positive blood.
vi. 2% will have group B negative blood.
vii. 3% will have group AB positive blood.
viii. 1% will have group AB negative blood.
(The actual percentages of blood types may vary from one region to the next. These figures reflect the average of seven Red Cross blood services regions.)
PLEASE consider giving whole blood, or if you are type A+, consider platelets and plasma.
If you are in SOCAL and want me to go with you for the first time, just let me know.
Some factoid / some opinion
GIVE LIFE
Twenty-five Facts about Giving Blood
Several months ago, I learned that a friend and colleague had fought off cancer, very quickly as it turns out. But he had needed aggressive care and lots of platelets or plasma. I don’t know the difference.
I do know that he was recovered and looked great, and that I was thankful.
I left his office and committed to giving platelets or plasma. (I don’t know the difference.)
I had always given blood fairly regularly, but always blanched when I looked to the platelets and plasma (I don’t know the difference.) area of the blood bank. Some people were wrapped in blankets. I thought it must hurt!!!
But I had decided.
I am embarrassed (NOT what I like to admit!!!!!!) that giving P or P was even less of an event than giving blood. What a wuss I had been for years. The needle stick even seemed less noticeable. I’m not sure but it seems like the needle is even shorter than for whole blood. It is absolutely smaller than what is used to draw blood for cholesterol, or diabetes, or all those check ups!! And, while I occasionally would be light headed (Please don’t even bother with the remark…I have heard similar ones for years.) giving whole blood, there was absolutely no reaction at all to P or P.
Apparently some people get tingly lips. (Please don’t even bother with the remark…I have heard similar ones for years.) Tums solves that. Some get cold. They get blankets. That’s IT!!
The ONLY down side is that it takes longer, between and hour and two hours. But I watch a movie in a very comfortable lounge chair. Every two weeks, since that time months I left Lewis’ (not his total real name) office, I have given platelets or plasma. The Red Cross people know which I can give at what intervals.
They take out some liquid, sift out some stuff and return the fluids. It’s miraculous and it’s also a complete non-event.
This is the only way we can help premature babies, burn victims and cancer patients.
I wish “Lewis” had never gotten cancer, but I am glad he is better. It was scary for friends and colleagues, so how bad was it for him and his family? And, it has given me the opportunity…the reminder…to be a better person by donating one of the things that others had donated to save my friend’s life. My wonderful wife says there was lots of room for that improvement.
If you have A+ blood, PLEASE consider giving plasma and platelets. ONLY your blood type is useable for this. PLEASE.
If you have a different blood type, please consider giving whole blood.
In keeping with my TOP TEN format, here are the Top Twenty-Five Facts about giving blood.
Three teaspoons of blood can save a baby's life
One donation has the potential to save as many as three lives
Whole blood donors can give every eight weeks
Today, fewer than four of every ten people in the U.S. are eligible to give blood. Fewer than one in ten actually donate
Approximately one out of every seven people entering the hospital needs blood
Plasma donors can give as often as every three days
Blood lasts only 42 days; platelets last only five days
Approximately 40,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States
Patients with cancer require blood more frequently than other patients. Patients
with heart conditions are second most likely to require blood.
You must be at least 16 years old (donors who are 16 years old must have
written parental consent) and weigh 110 pounds or more to donate.
Each time you donate, you will receive a mini-physical to check your pulse,
temperature, blood pressure and iron level. Your donated blood will undergo ten tests for infectious diseases.
Your donated blood will be separated into three components – red cells, plasma
and platelets – that can help as many as three patients.
Low iron does not permanently disqualify a donor from giving blood. Iron levels
can be quickly increased by adding iron-rich foods and/or iron supplements.
Donors must wait 24 hours after taking their last dose of an oral antibiotic.
(There are some exceptions to this, however.)
You donate only a small portion of your body's blood supply. The average adult’s body contains about 10 to 12 pints of blood. Within 24 hours, your blood volume is restored.
Manufactured in the bone marrow, red blood cells are continuously being produced and broken down. They live for approximately 120 days in the circulatory system and are eventually removed by the spleen.
Platelets are made in the bone marrow and survive in the circulatory system for an average of 9-10 days before being removed from the body by the spleen.
Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood--a protein-salt solution in which red and white blood cells and platelets are suspended.
Blood transports nutrients and defensive anti-bodies, cells, and clotting factors; red blood cells deliver or release oxygen.
One donation can be separated into components and used to treat several patients. Some uses for blood components through transfusion therapy follow:
Packed red cells are prescribed for anemic patients.
Platelet concentrates control bleeding in leukemic patients.
Plasma from many donors is pooled to make derivatives such as antihemophilic factor, albumin for the treatment of shock, and gamma globulin which may prevent or make less severe certain diseases.
Cryoprecipitate is administered to patients with hemophilia A.
Blood groups are inherited. In our population the following percentages are found for ABO and Rh blood groups:
i. 38% will have group O positive blood.
ii. 7% will have group O negative blood.
iii. 34% will have group A positive blood.
iv. 6% will have group A negative blood.
v. 9% will have group B positive blood.
vi. 2% will have group B negative blood.
vii. 3% will have group AB positive blood.
viii. 1% will have group AB negative blood.
(The actual percentages of blood types may vary from one region to the next. These figures reflect the average of seven Red Cross blood services regions.)
PLEASE consider giving whole blood, or if you are type A+, consider platelets and plasma.
If you are in SOCAL and want me to go with you for the first time, just let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment