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Carolyn
Thank you!
After 5 miscarriages in 10 years, we decided to try once again. The hospital confirmed the pregnancy but I just didn't feel well. I was nauseous and began suffering from cramping. I doubled over at work and made a trip to the ER. The Dr there stated it was probably another miscarriage but this time it felt different. He sent me home where the shoulder pain and cramping became much worse. In the morning I was at the hospital, the Dr completed my ultrasound, he then rushed me to the OR. I had a burst ectopic pregnancy and had lost a third of my blood supply due to internal hemorrhage. I lost a lot that day including a pregnancy and my right fallopian tube. But what I gained was the knowledge that 3 wonderful people donated the blood that saved my life. I had given blood before and never thought that one day I would be on the receiving end of a donation. Thank you all for all you do!
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Leah
Home
After struggling through radiation, my father's internal membranes were very thin and began to rupture. That morning, we received a phone call to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. My father was bleeding internally and was not expected to survive, only to die in the hospital. As I heard the doctors ask my father if he wanted a blood transfusion, I knew the situation was grave.
After four units of blood, the temperature came back up in his hands and he was able to sit up and speak. As I watched bag after bag drip slowly into his system, I flashed back to a blood drive that my high school held in the gym. I was too chicken to donate...and haven't since then.
Because of complete strangers, my father was able to make the trip to his home, where two days later, surrounded by family, he passed. I am SO THANKFUL for that.
I will donate faithfully now.
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Belinda
Blood saved our infant son
I was not the recipient, but our son was.
During a 3 month stay at the local Children's hospital, our infant son received several blood transfusions to save his life. We were so moved by the generosity of total strangers donating their blood that we never forgot it.
We are now blood donors ourselves and know that we too are making a difference.
It's a wonderful feeling. :0)
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Monique Conley
A Gift From a Stranger For a Boost After Surgery
Hello Everyone!
In May, at age 30, I had my first hip replacement due to Osteoarthritis. The surgery was a complete success but afterwards I needed a boost with a blood transfusion. Unfortunately I was not able to donate blood for my own surgery, so instead I had to rely on the kindness of a stranger whom one day decided to donate their blood. I am doing well in my recovery and I not only have my surgeon, doctors, therapists, and nurses to thank, but also that kind stranger who took the time to help a fellow stranger, me, in need by giving me a "boost" after surgery! I am just one of many people out there who directly benefit from someone graciously taking the time to donate blood!
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Matthew
My Son's Birth
My son Joseph was born on 5-16-10 by emergency c section.He was very pale white when they got him out.A rare occurence happened called fetal femorral hemmorage.He lost 219ml of blood into my wife Donna due to infarctions in the placenta.Healthy baby's are born with 290ml of blood.Therefore,he only had 71 ml of blood.He got helicoptored to MUSC in Charleston,SC and received an emergemcy transfusion of O negatve blood.He ended up getting 5 transfusions and was in the nicu for a week.I am happy to report that he is going to be fine,but that was the scariest week of my 38 year old life.If he had not had received that 1st transfusion as fast as he did,because it was an American Red Cross donation,he would not have made it.Shame on me for something like this to happen to make me finally start donating blood,but it's never too late.I am donating later today at 2pm in bluffton,SC for the first of many times,and pledge to spread the word on the importance of giving blood to as many people as I can.My son will live a long,happy life because of it.It truly save lives.God bless all donors.Thank you for taking the time to read and let me share my story.
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Crystal
An American Red Cross Angel Saved My Baby's Life!
Unfortunately I had O negative blood when I was pregnant and my husband had O positive. This made my body think my baby was a virus and made antibodies to try and kill my baby. She had to be delivered a month early. She was born with severe jaundice and would not even cry when nurses poked her heel to take blood. On Mother's Day 2008 she received an exchange transfusion in which her blood was taken out at the same time new blood from ARCross was being put in. It worked! My baby just had her second birthday and is healthy!!! Thanks to God for his blessings and the ARCross angel. It's not just adults that need your help. Babies do too. Her blood type was so scarce (due to being type O) that the doctors had to look 100 miles away to find it. It took 1 and a half hours to arrive. What if another baby doesn't have enough time for it to arrive? As many people as there are in this world, there should be every blood type in stock at every local hospital. Get out there and donate, especially you rare bloodtypes! Babies need you!
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Monisa
Someone's Blood Literally Saved My Life
In 2005 I had to have an emergency c-section to deliver my daughter. She was delivered safely and was very healthy, despite being born a month too early. During the delivery, I began to hemmorhage uncontrollably and began to go into shock. As I started to fade into unconciousness, I heard the doctor calling for 4 more units of blood, as I had quickly lost 2 liters of my own. When I woke up in the recovery room, I was blessed to have a beautiful baby girl and a long life ahead to enjoy raising her and my two sons. Someone's blood donation literally saved my life. Thank you!
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Jessica
Jacob, My Two Year Old Son
My two year old son Jacob receives blood trasfusions every two weeks, and has since he was three months old. He has had many medical disorders in his short little life, he was born with a rare birth defect, has had three major surgeries. He currently has an unknown blood disorder, not related to his birth defect. Thanks to the generous blood donors my son is able to live, without them he would die. I am so grateful that there are many generous people to donate blood. Thank you to all that do.
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Colleen
Karma
After my mother's need for transfusions in 2000, I became a devoted donor, donating as often as I could at a local hospital. Little did I know that ten years later, I would need four units from fellow Oneg folks. As I lay on my bathroom floor, bleeding out, refusing to lose consciousness, I knew I had to fight. After signing the authorization to receive the transfusions, I said a silent prayer for happiness and health for those people who took time out of their lives to donate so I would live. I refused to give up, and they decided to give. As soon as I am able, I will once again be a donor.
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Abbey
Femur Bone
I was a typical middle schooler. One day I was jumping on a trampoline and broke my femur bone (upper leg). I shattered it into pieces and the bone got pushed in to my pelvic area. I had two emergency surgeries to prevent the bone from going into my back and paralyzing me. After losing a lot of blood throughout the two surgeries (pretty close in time), I had a very minimal amount of blood in my system. After a few days I could not move my fingers or my toes, I had lost the will to eat because I had no blood in my system. The doctors thought my blood cells would rebuild themselves because apparently children's blood duplicates faster than an adult's. After a week of this, I finally received 2 blood transfusions and was eating the next day. The blood transfusions saved my life. THANK YOU!
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