has it been more than eight weeks?

The bloodmobile came by our church this morning and I was able to drop off a pint. I'm thankful that it comes by so regularly (about every two months) because I don't have to worry about what to do with the kids and I can still give (after taking off about six years to be pregnant and/or nurse babies). The opportunity to give was timely and as I sat in the pew, I wished that I could get in front of the congregation and remind those who may have forgotten why it is that giving blood is so important. Since I don't have the pulpit, I will take this opportunity instead.

I think that when most of us think about the need for donated blood, we think about car accidents and other traumas. I personally do not know anyone who has received blood as a result of trauma. A less talked about need for blood is more of a maintenance need (there is probably a real name for it, but I do not know what it is). You all know (or most of you know) that my mother had a bone marrow transplant (actually a stem cell transplant) in 1993. From that date until she died in 1998, she received blood and blood products on a regular basis, I suppose because although the cancer (eventually) went into remission, her body was not able to recover fully from the transplant. She lived through five years of low blood counts across the board and received whole blood, platelets (and I don't know what else, I confess) on a regular basis--platelets most of all as those were at least once a week, often twice a week. I do not know how much blood she received in those five years, but I am thankful for every drop.

My aunt has been in the hospital for three full weeks now with an unusual case of hemolytic anemia (sorry if I spelled it wrong). The doctors are still not sure what caused the anemia and her situation is still very critical (she is in isolation in the ICU due to the added complication of low white counts). She's been receiving about two units of blood (at least the reds) daily, which led to a touching email exchange between my cousin and my father. In one email, my cousin asked everyone who was praying for my aunt to also consider giving blood, as she and her brother had both taken it upon themselves to repay my aunt's "blood debt" (at that time, about 35 units). My father (who, may I say now, I love dearly) emailed back and more or less apologized for not being able to join in their crusade as he was currently paying back my mother's--and that he expected to not finish in his lifetime. My father has a standing appointment at the blood center in Dayton--every Wednesday morning that he is in town, he "drops off" another unit of platelets (you can give those much more frequently than whole blood) and then will throw in a unit of whole blood when he is close to reaching his annual limit on platelets. Not sure I can convey to you what that email meant to me.

Again, since this is the closest I am likely to get to the pulpit, thanks for listening. If this has led you to consider giving blood, please visit the American Red Cross or America's Blood Centers to find out where you can donate. While you're at it, pray about getting on the national bone marrow donor list. There is a fee, but some donation centers will waive that or pay it for you if you sign up while you are donating platelets. You can donate whole blood every eight weeks; you can donate platelets more like every eight days (but it will take 2-3 hours); I would encourage you to give as often as you can. It really is a gift of life (and it's a renewable resource!). You might help to save an accident victim--or you might give precious time to a family like mine.