Blood Recipient Stories

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.

by Jen
When I awoke on Saturday, August 28, 2010, I knew I was as good as dead...and I was at home with my 1-year-old baby boy ALL...BY...MYSELF! My husband was working and I was bleeding out... I barely had the strength to lift my arm to grab my cell phone & call him for help. He came home, cleaned me up, and rushed me to the ER. My blood pressure was 54/32...barely alive...and I was still bleeding. My hemoglobin was just over 6...about HALF of what it should have been. The triage nurse got me in a bed within a minute of taking my bp and they started the process of "typing" me. I knew I was O-Positive because I had always been a REGULAR DONOR, every 56 days or so...many times I would put it off for one reason or another...not realizing the NECESSITY and IMPORTANCE of regular donations. I asked them why they were "wasting time" because I knew my blood type! The nurse said that it was a requirement to "type" all patients before transfusing whole blood. I received four units of whole blood...just to get me stable enough to run the tests to find out where I was bleeding from. As it turned out, I had a bleeding ulcer AND a "Mallory-Weiss" esophageal tear at the same time...something that rarely happens from what I understand. I was in ICU for five (5) days and (after being discharged) have never been so happy to see my baby boys (ages 1 & 4 (at the time)) OR my own bed!!! It took me about 6 weeks to recover, but I was back and better than ever!

Four complete strangers...people that I will NEVER KNOW...had enough love (and blood) in their heart and soul to share with me...to spare my life...to spare my parents the hurt of having to bury their daughter, my husband from being a widower, and two little boys from losing their Mommy. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

On Sunday, November 14, 2010, it happened again. This time I "only" needed three units.

Then, on Tuesday, December 28, 2010, it happened again. This was becoming a habit...one that I wasn't interested in picking up! It took four units of blood the last time to keep me on THIS side of death's door. I was discharged on January 2, 2011, and haven't had to have any more transfusions.

I am now being closely monitored by my new doctor (he sees me ever other week) who consistently runs blood tests once or twice per month. If I can stay away from anemia, I will be able to donate blood January 2, 2012...a day that I've been waiting for for over a year! I can't wait to GIVE BACK!

I have taken a total of 11 units of blood in the last year and have had some WONDERFUL people donate "for me". From August, 2010, to January, 2012, I could have donated a total of 8-9 units of blood. Add that to the 11 that I received from the Red Cross, and that's a total of 19-20 units of whole blood that the Red Cross has had to go without. It is my goal and my mission to find 20 people who wouldn't normally have donated and convince them to donate...and perhaps turn them into "REGULAR DONORS"!

May God bless those who have given, those who will give, and those who are IN NEED, and YOU! Thank you for reading my story!

by Dale
Hi, my name is Dale Cottrill I have Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Because of the friends that I have never met I received 19 pints of whole blood and 10 units of platelets and because of you I am alive. God has blessed me and others, because of these donations of life. I have been able to do many things this year that I might otherwise not have experienced. But even better my friends at West Virginia University Children's Hospital like Brittany, Adam, and Blake are able to do important things in their lives. Like being on homecoming court, sharing their favorite things with others, playing video games and going to Toys R Us. Sadly some of the children don't make it like Clare, Julie, Timmy and Heaven they don't get to experience their dreams, but their parents still have their memories. Bobbie, Donnie, Jacob and Kevin, and several other children and grown ups get to say good morning to their families, because you chose to donate blood. I realize how frightening it is to see needles from personal experience. But I know all the medications and blood given by those needles are saving my life, just like you do when you donate blood. Without your help and donations none of the above would be alive. If you can't donate you can help come to the blood drives, tell others, and continue to be part of our lives. blood is needed every day; every family is affected one way or another. Blood is a God given life; he shed His for us. Thank you Dale

by Laura
June/July 2008: I wasn't feeling well, thought that I had the stomach flu. Near the end of the third day, I started seeing blood. My husband and daughter contacted my physician who said that I should go to the emergency room. After some tests, the doctors found that I had ecoli. Shortly after, I digressed to hemolytic uremic syndrome. A few weeks later, after 60 units of Red Cross plasma pheurisis, I left the hospital. Thanks to a quick diagnosis, great doctors, and Red Cross plasma, I survived.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2008/jul/25/e-coli-patient-hospitalized-3-weeks/

by Jen
I returned last month from a week-long stay at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where I was the recipient of 2 blood transfusions. I had lost a significant amount of blood and was later diagnosed with a very rare intestinal tract condition - meckel's diverticulum. It was one of the most frightening weeks of my life, and a reality check on what is truly important. My family. My kids. My friends. I was just at the hospital 10 weeks prior giving birth to our second child, so it all just seemed wrong that I would be there. Did they get this right? They did. But, thankfully, I was in good hands, and surgery was able to deal with this condition and stop the bleeding.

I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who donate blood. It gave me strength and life, and I am truly humbled.

I am now fully recuperated at home with my family. And, there is no place I would rather be.

Most sincerely,
Jen