Post by karenfh on Jun 4, 2007 21:56:08 GMT -5
I have coordinated the local Bloodmobile for around 17 years. When I started, we had 2 in town, January and July. Now, we have a total of 5, with several other coordinators helping out. Sometimes, when they get low, we squeeze another one in. I always knew that, eventually, I would have a reason for doing this.
Well, that reason came last Wednesday. My brother-in-law went to the hospital, thinking he was having back spasms due to a pulled muscle from playing golf.
We live in a small town; thank God the local doc was on top of things!
It was not back spasms; he had an aortic aneurysm. It did actually rupture, and the flight-for-life crew performed CPR during most of the flight.
Five days, 2 surgeries (one to graft an 8-10 cm fabric 'replacement' piece to his aorta, another to close up his incision after the swelling had gone down on Saturday), and20 units of blood later, he is doing amazingly well. They moved him out of ICU today, and he was up and (sorta) walking, sitting in a chair and visiting with his wife, son, stepdaughter and her 1-year old daughter. No brain damage from lack of oxygen, no complications from being on a ventilator for 4 days, no kidney problems....
It is simply a miracle. Truly!
[glow=red,2,300]Give Blood![/glow]
Each unit can save up to 3 lives. Only about 5% of the population donates each year, altho 60% is eligible. For more information, go to www.givebloodgivelife.org, or www.redcross.org, or www.givelife.org/ or feel free to ask me questions.
Thanks for letting me put this out there! I hope many of you are already donors, and if not, would consider becoming donors.
Well, that reason came last Wednesday. My brother-in-law went to the hospital, thinking he was having back spasms due to a pulled muscle from playing golf.
We live in a small town; thank God the local doc was on top of things!
It was not back spasms; he had an aortic aneurysm. It did actually rupture, and the flight-for-life crew performed CPR during most of the flight.
Five days, 2 surgeries (one to graft an 8-10 cm fabric 'replacement' piece to his aorta, another to close up his incision after the swelling had gone down on Saturday), and20 units of blood later, he is doing amazingly well. They moved him out of ICU today, and he was up and (sorta) walking, sitting in a chair and visiting with his wife, son, stepdaughter and her 1-year old daughter. No brain damage from lack of oxygen, no complications from being on a ventilator for 4 days, no kidney problems....
It is simply a miracle. Truly!
[glow=red,2,300]Give Blood![/glow]
Each unit can save up to 3 lives. Only about 5% of the population donates each year, altho 60% is eligible. For more information, go to www.givebloodgivelife.org, or www.redcross.org, or www.givelife.org/ or feel free to ask me questions.
Thanks for letting me put this out there! I hope many of you are already donors, and if not, would consider becoming donors.
