Recipient Stories

by Gail
I was grossly and mysteriously anemic from 1998 to 2006. During that 8 year period, I had 3 blood transfusions (received 3-4 bags of blood each time!). Those transfusions literally saved my life, as I had nearly bled to death each time. After many tests, scopes, and hemoglobin plummets, a doctor finally found a tumor in my small intestine that had been bleeding for years. Surgery in 2005 resulted in complete healing and recovery. I have not been anemic since and am so very thankful for those who donated blood for me. My husband and 3 daughters thank you as well. God bless you all for your donations!

by Marcie
I was only 30 at the time of my simple back surgery when the surgeon (dr.drisko at nkc) cut my adbominal aorta in half and had to get 22 units of blood to save my life! Thank you blood for saving me!! The pic is my most favorite princess niece...she's the absolute best!!

by Catherine
I'm 32 years old and the mother of eight children all eight and under. When i got pregnant with my last child, we found out just a few weeks into the pregnancy that it was going to be a rough road. I had placenta previa and was put on bed rest. As the pregnancy continued, we found out I had a very serious condition. I had placenta percreta. This is where the placenta grows through the uterus. It had attached to my bladder, other organs, and all along my abdominal wall. I was sent to a specialist and delivery was scheduled one week before my due date. I don't know all the details after I went into the OR. I was told I would have died in the first five minutes had it not been for an additional experimental procedure they had done to help control bleeding right before delivery. I start bleeding out. My heart stopped twice. I underwent three surgeries to try and stop the bleeding. My husband was told that I would probably not make it. In addition to my already rare complication, while in the OR, I had an Amniotic Fluid Embolism. This is where the amniotic fluid gets into your bloodstream. There is no way to prevent it and it's not understoond very well. The majority of women who have this do not survive and about 65% of their babies do not make it. The only action to take is to keep giving the mother blood. I was told I was losing more blood than they could get in me. After one surgery, they had to pack me and just wait. It was a last ditch effort to save my life. In the end I recieved over 300 units of blood and blood products. Over 100 units of red blood cells alone. I was in a coma for six days before they were finally able to take me off the vent. The doctors said they had never seen anyone survive that much blood loss.

My son is three months old today. He is sleeping peacfully beside me as I type this. I tucked my other seven children in bed just a short while ago. If I had died, my children are so young that some may never had any memory of me or how hard I fought for them. Six of my children are adopted. I can't imagine them having to lose two mothers. I truly believe it would have ruined them to have yet another loss. While I still have some after effects of what happened, my son is healthy and I am able to enjoy my life and my family.

If it weren't for everyone who donated blood, it would not have mattered how skilled my doctors were or how hard the whole ICU team fought for me, I would not be here. Thank you just isnt enough. Not only did it save my life but it gave my children back their mother.

by Kyle
On September 6th I was diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia. I am 11 years old. My bone marrow stopped working. I was not producing any cells. I needed red blood cell and platelet donations frequently. Without them I would not have survived. I recently had a bone marrow transplant and am starting to make my own cells. The other kids on the bone marrow transplant floor need transfusions daily to stay alive until they start making their own cells. Lots of blood is needed. I can't wait to get older to donate blood myself to help someone else. Thank you for keeping me alive!

by Amy
You just never know when you could be a recipient of a blood donation. Many times during college when I was on the donator's side, I wondered about the people who would be receiving my donation. Well, this past June, I was able to be enlightened about being a blood donation recipient. I have autoimmune hemolytic anemia which basically means that my immune systems creates antibodies against my red blood cells and destroys them prematurely. This condition can flare up at any given time and the only symptoms I might have are feeling light headed and out of breath. This past June, I had such a bad flare of hemolytic anemia that I required a blood transfusion while being hospitalized. Fortunatley, I did not have any reactions to receiving the transfusion. I am grateful to those who donate blood. They are true lifesavers! Thank you.