Wow 2 updates in 1 week who would of thought. The chemo is starting to take its toll on me, the phrase "the mind is Strong but the body is week" comes to mind. While I was getting Blood transfusions on Tuesday I sat there and watched the Blood go into my arm and then it hit me I hoped that the Blood I was receiving came from Super Models and that some how my body would be magically be transformed in to a perfect size 4. All joking aside as I was sitting there watching the blood flow in to my arm it dawn on me how lightly I took Donating Blood in the past. Don't get me wrong I have Donated Blood when it was convenient for me or it fit in to my schedule but I have to admit I didn't give it much thought. I thought it was no big deal and at time I thought it was a pain because my veins are to find or one excuse after another not to Donate. There was a Rep from the Puget Sound Blood Center there on Tuesday and she told me that on average 38% of people in the USA are eligible to Donate Blood but only 10% do. I have Seen the phrase "Save a life Donate Blood" many times through out my life and never given it much thought. Now that phrase has significant meaning in my life if it were not for the selfless acts of people giving Blood I would not be able to fight this disease. OK OK I'll get off my soap box, but not before I tell you about this new program they have were you can donate 2 units of Red Blood Cells in one sitting I've put the info below as well as links to Blood Banks on the side of my blog.
Donate Apheresis Red Cells Through the Double Take two unit donor program.
You can play an important role in our community, making a difference in the lives of patients, and you can do it by making fewer visits to the Blood Center.
Double Take is a new donor program that allows you to give enough red blood cells for two transfusions in a single visit through our apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis) Double Take two unit donor program. This donation results in twice as many red cells for patients and allows you more time in between appointments. And red cells are the component of blood in greatest demand by the hospitals and clinics we serve.
Blood is made up of three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. When you donate whole blood you are donating all three components at once. The apheresis process allows us to collect only red blood cells, while safely returning platelets and plasma back to you.
What are the requirements?Apheresis red cell donors must be type O, type A negative or type B negative and meet the minimum blood volume requirements determined by height, weight and hematocrit (blood iron levels). Donating two units of apheresis red blood cells takes a little longer than a whole blood donation. The entire visit takes about 85 minutes from start to finish.
You can play an important role in our community, making a difference in the lives of patients, and you can do it by making fewer visits to the Blood Center.
Double Take is a new donor program that allows you to give enough red blood cells for two transfusions in a single visit through our apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis) Double Take two unit donor program. This donation results in twice as many red cells for patients and allows you more time in between appointments. And red cells are the component of blood in greatest demand by the hospitals and clinics we serve.
Blood is made up of three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. When you donate whole blood you are donating all three components at once. The apheresis process allows us to collect only red blood cells, while safely returning platelets and plasma back to you.
What are the requirements?Apheresis red cell donors must be type O, type A negative or type B negative and meet the minimum blood volume requirements determined by height, weight and hematocrit (blood iron levels). Donating two units of apheresis red blood cells takes a little longer than a whole blood donation. The entire visit takes about 85 minutes from start to finish.
