I’m continuing my quest to repay all the blood and platelets that Frau Reinke received (i.e.., 175 units of blood and 75 bags of platelets in the last seven months of her life as the doctors struggled unsuccessfully to figure out the cause). Today, I’m again donating platelets.
Holidays are always “shortage days” at the Blood Bank. I know personally because when Our Girl was on that last spiral she needed blood and platelets roughly twice a week. When it was a holiday week, or week end, we’d go knowing that we’d have to wait for them to come from some far off place. Once they were flown in from the midwest. Another time, driven in from Long Island thru NYC rush hour traffic in a snowstorm.
(I’m saying a silent prayer of Thanksgiving for all those unknown people that did for us.)
So feel free to join me. It truly is the gift of life.
(Last month I hit a triple — three bags of platelets came out — which I’m told that translates into 6 units of platelets. Approximately 200+ ml. That can sustain a “normal patient” for a month. Makes me feel good. In Our Girl’s case, it only meant a few days, but she was in so many ways “not normal”.)
# – # – # – # – # 2011-Nov-25 @ 09:24
After action report. I “qualified”. BP still up; other chemistries OK. But only a “double” this time. They have this neat device that does some key chemistries. The whole process is neat. It, from a few drops of blood, (OK, a little pipette), gives them a a quarter page of numbers. One of which is how many platelets that they can safely harvest.
(Interesting platelet fun fact #1 — with apologies to the writers of “How I Met Your Mother” — your body replenishes your normal platelet volume within 24 hours.)
Last visit, I must have been a excellent “heifer” — guess that should be “Holstein”; or should it be “Whole-Stein” as in beer — prior to “milking” because they were able to get a “triple”. Today, not so much, they only got a double.
Oh well, only was able to help two people this month.
Funny thing is the only thing that really hurts is the dumb finger stick. And, it’s one of my typing fingers. ROLF!
Seriously, why not “join me” in spirit. The vampire ladies told me that their crews are out doing whole blood donations EVERY day somewhere in “North” Jersey. The need is so desperate during the holidays that they will deploy a team for only one prospective pint. That’s pretty sad in my mind.
OK, maybe giving blood is as dramatic as being the Good Samaritan. But, it’s essential.
I inquired if I should be giving whole blood as opposed to or in addition to platelets, and was told no. Platelets are essential to cancer patients. And it’s even harder to get platelet donation.
(Note for file, you rally can’t do both it was explained to me because the chemistries don’t recover that quickly into the “acceptable” range. And, they’d rather have the platelets.)
So for ninety minutes I was hooked up to this neat machine that takes your blood and returns “blood lite” as the vampires tell it. (They think that “Bud Lite” joke is so funny.)
Quietly, I say a quick prayer that my tuckus sends out the best platelets in stock for the troubled person receiving it. Is there such a thing as “high energy platelets”? And fat old white guy injineer platelets should be more valuable since they’ve been highly educated where to go! (I’ve been told where to go so often. There must be some residual instruction left in them.
Any way, I also think about that Engineering Brother Prof, (I think it was Br. Barry Austin),who announced that they were running a blood drive up at Plato’s Cave. And, ended with the classic line “You guys are really dumb, but probably not too stupid to bleed correctly.” Now don’t everybody run out at once. But please go. Too late for Frau Reinke, but not to help some other soul. This probably has to help if and when I’m lucky enough hit Purgatory. Hmm, wonder if Dean Weil will be at the Pearly Gates, saying to Saint Peter: “Saint Pete, I got this one. Mister Reinke you’ve squeeeezed by again. Are you ever going to put some effort into anything.” And, I’ll point to my platelet donation permanent record and say: “Well, I was able to bleed correctly”. And he’ll just shake his head like he always did.
Hope this made you laff and to consider going out and “bleeding correctly”. It really is the “gift of life”. No substitute for it. And, for people like Frau Reinke, there lives depend upon it.
And it’s really easy.
Dona Nobis Pacem
(I’m scheduled for December 23 in Edison NJ. Feel free to join me. Holiday donations are important.)
# – # – # – # – # 2011-Nov-26 @ 09:20
