Blood Donors Needed - An Urgent Plea! (2014, live)

[Mtn. States Resident]

There is always a need for blood donors. Platelets (which contain the clotting factors) can only be utilized for five days after they are processed for use. Platelets are essential for certain cancer pts. some of the bleeding disorders and others.

As most know, we've had enough fatal and nearly fatal traumas from MVAs to all the falls etc. in Yellowstone NP and elsewhere. These patients probably received blood products.

There are other patients that need blood and blood products. What is very different this year are two factors: 1. Local residents are not donating blood like usual. Perhaps a certain business on Hitt Road has something to do with this, or not. Vacations, too busy, it's summer....name your reason and someone probably already has this year.

Red Cross experiences shortage of blood | Latest News - Home and

RED CROSS & HILTON GARDEN INN BLOOD DRIVE - Aug 2, 2014 - NewTemplate - IF Chamber

I don't ever recall seeing the Chamber of Commerce advertising blood draws.

The second reason this is such a bad year for blood drives is about 280 planned collections had to be canceled due to really bad weather. We had strange weather, but nothing like the midwest and northeast.

2. Polar Vortex causes blood shortage

Please, if you or family members or you have employees who can donate blood, please do. I can't donate blood but I can remind some people who can to make sure they follow through. A scheduled collection last week had 40 people listed. Only eight showed up to give blood.

I don't think I've ever posted this at CDF before probably because it never dawned on me. I have received many units of blood one time in my life until my surgeon could get me to surgery and stop the bleeding. I owe my life to many people I don't know. I wish I could have thanked each donor but I couldn't. Consequently, when I see or hear a desperate plea for blood I don't have to wonder if anyone I know will benefit. And I make sure to spread the news.

I know what it's like to hear an anesthesiologist who doesn't practice here anymore yelling at the blood bank on speaker phone, while prepping me for anesthesia as two CRNAs started a second and then a third I.V., yelling, " You (expletives) fool, this patient won't be alive that long...I'm talking minutes (more expletives)" before he started my general anesthetic.

My surgeon and I were lucky..blood was available to transfuse me. Some patients may not be as lucky if more donors don't donate. BYU-IDAHO students this includes you too.

This is very personal to me. Please, donate blood if you can!

Thank you in advance for sharing this Urgent Plea with others! If anyone needs me to call a boss or supervisor so you can get away from work long enough to donate blood, just send me a PM with the phone number and person's name and title. I'm happy to help anyone who is willing and able to give blood.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

I had an extended family member die this morning. I wasn't at the hospital but at least 3-6 RNs and a CRNA brother heard this discussion. The RNs are children or siblings of the person we lost, and the CRNA.

Decisions had to be made about traumas coming in or pts. with other diseases. Who would get the blood?

Maybe if a post I wrote on a local facebook page would have been allowed to remain on Sunday, donors would have gone in on Monday and more blood would have been available.

I don't have the warm fuzzies about my posts be removed and I have not been told why....yet. That is not honest.

Maybe someone here or who use to post here would like to explain more why my post was removed. I don't feel that I have blood on my hands, what about you?

For anyone who can donate, I'm begging you to do so. You may have made 50 errors at work, but donating blood to save a life counts high for the good things you could do.

Someone else can write when they lose a loved one as there wasn't enough for all.

MSR