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Blood Recipient

Stephanie

Blood: Where Does It Come From? Where Does It Go?

The average adult human has about ten pints of blood in their body.
For having such a large amount of  blood, we rarely stop to think about it. We know that our blood carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells, cleans and clots wounds and helps us fight diseases (through the white blood cells), but how much do we really know about it?

Firstly, we need to think about what composes our blood, and where it comes from. Blood is made up of four parts: red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets.

  • Red Blood Cells

Red blood cells are the part of the blood that carries oxygen to and away from our cells. These round cells are biconcave-shaped, having a bowl-like depression on each side. Red blood cells are produced by the body’s red bone marrow and usually have a lifespan of about 120 days. Fun fact for blood donors: the red blood cells are fully replaced within 56 days following a blood donation. When they become too old and need replaced, the cells are removed from the blood by the macrophages in the liver and spleen.

  • White Blood Cells

The disease-fighting part of our blood – white blood cells, also referred to as leukocytes – are made in the white bone marrow of the body. Usually, there are about 7,000 white blood cells in a microliter of blood. When fighting an illness, however, that number increases. Believe it or not, there are actually six main types of white blood cells (neutrophils, eosinophils,
basophils, bands, monocytes and lymphocytes), with each fighting different kinds of bacterial or parasitic infections. The white blood cells usually only have a lifespan of 13 to 20 days before they are destroyed by our lymphatic system.

  • Plasma

Plasma is the fluid part of the blood (made by the liver) in which the other parts are suspended. It’s made up of about 92% water and normally appears yellowish – though it can sometimes be milky after a meal high in fat. The remaining 8% of plasma is comprised of dissolved proteins, salts, glucose and other chemicals necessary to the body. Plasma also carries hormones and electrolytes throughout the body, making up the largest portion of the blood.

  • Platelets

The last part of the blood, platelets, are also made by white bone marrow and are responsible for clotting wounds. Humans have between 150,000 to 400,000 platelets in each microliter of blood. These spiky-looking cells usually only last about ten days before they become too old and worn (and are destroyed by the lymphatic system).

As you can see, blood is more complicated than we tend to think.

Studies show that 1 in 7 people who go to the hospital will need blood. That may not seem like a huge amount, but when you consider that only 38% of the U.S. population are actually able to donate, and less than 10% of these eligible individuals actually do donate, the need becomes more apparent.

If we could all take the time once a year to donate blood, this simple deed would have a huge impact on the blood shortages hospitals face every day. Donating blood only takes about an hour, but it could have a lasting impact on the life of another.


Photo Credits:

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Stephen Smith

One Year of Blogging At Incept | My Incept Saves Top 10

This month, it’ll have been one full year since we kicked off our blog here at Incept. In honor of this first anniversary, “Happy Birthday to the Incept Blog!”

On that note, I’ve decided to pick my top-10 Incept Saves blog posts and run them down. Here they are:

  1. “Blood Donors! Everyday Heroes Saving Lives” ~ January 2010, by Kathie Manchester
  2. “Why I Think Blood Donors Are Hip 2 Give” ~ September 2010, by Rebecca Crosen
  3. “Above & Beyond | One Blood Donors Story” ~ July 2010, guest authored by Dawn Lunsford (published under Stephen Smith)
  4. “So… What is the Power of a Thank You?” ~ November 2010, by Billie Johnson
  5. “A Sometimes Thankless Job” ~ August 2010, by Billie Johnson
  6. “A Day In The Life of a Bloodmobile” ~ November 2010, by Stephen Smith
  7. “The Price Of Life” ~ October 2010, by Rebecca Crosen
  8. “Blood Donor Recruiters: Talk the Talk & Walk the Walk” ~ June 2010, by Stephen Smith
  9. “The 40-Gallon Hero” ~ July 2010, guest authored by Dawn Lunsford (published under Stephen Smith)
  10. “How Sweet It Is! The Sweet Side Of Giving Blood” ~ August 2010, by Brian Dodson

So there they are, folks – my picks for the top-10 Incept Saves posts from our first year of blogging!

Did I miss a post that you liked? Which post(s) would you have picked?

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Stephanie

Are You My Type? A Note on Blood Typing

If you’ve ever needed to receive blood, you know that getting the right type is very important. You may also know that there are 8 different blood types (O+, O-, A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+ and AB-), but what is it exactly that makes blood one type or another?

While all blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets, the type of antigen the blood has determines its type. Antigens are sugars or proteins that make the body’s immune system act a certain way. Antigens found in the body’s own cells are called “self-antigens,” and the immune system does not usually attack them. If an outside antigen gets into the body, however, white blood cells will attempt to destroy it.

There are two main blood groups: ABO and Rh. In ABO blood groups, the antigen is a sugar that dictates which letter your blood type falls into (A, B, AB, or O).

  • AB blood types have both A and B antigens on red cells.
  • A blood types have only the A antigen on the red cells.
  • B blood types have only the B antigen on the red cells.
  • O blood types have neither A or B antigens on the red cells.

The second group – the Rh group – is determined by either the presence or absence of a protein antigen called the D antigen. Whether or not you have this antigen determines if you have a positive or negative blood type.

What happens, though, if you receive the wrong blood type?

While the chances of that happening in a hospital are very rare, getting the wrong blood type transfused can be fatal. The immune system of the person receiving the transfusion will attack the donor’s blood, frequently causing the body to go into shock. Symptoms of a transfusion reaction are flu-like: chills, fever, shaking, headache, chest or back pain, and body aches are the most common. Usually, the symptoms show up during the transfusion, but sometimes it can take several days.

By donating blood, you can help ensure there is enough blood available at hospitals for those who need it. It’s also a great way to find out your own blood type! So stop by a blood drive or blood center and help your local hospitals. Who knows? You may end up saving the life of someone you know.

Photo Credit:

http://www.facebook.com/delmarvabloodbank

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/9125.htm

http://www.sean-tucker.com/Inspiration___Charity.html

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rcrosen

My Blood Recipient Story: Grateful to Grow Old

Birthdays come and go. And as the years grow, we seem to cringe as the number climbs.

What if someone told you that you wouldn’t have another birthday? What if someone said you would never blow out another candle? What if someone said you would never see your child have another birthday?

Never see my child have another birthday? That question seems to resonate within and just draw upon every fiber of my being to scream out, “NO WAY! I will see her birthday!” But living with different forms of anemia, there is no guarantee. There is no promise that can be made.

I depend heavily upon the knowledge of a wonderful medical staff, the creation of miracle prescriptions and blood donations to survive. All of those things are out of my control, and while I am certain that there will always be a doctor to visit, as well as new and improved medications to take, I cannot guarantee that there will always be blood available when I need it.

Being a rather independent individual, I do not like the concept of relying on others to see my tomorrows. However, that’s exactly what I have to do. Birthdays are always something to celebrate, but every time I blow out the candles, my wish is that I will be there to see my daughter blow out her candles later in the year.

Seems like an odd wish or perhaps a simple one. Unfortunately, the statistics are clear: if just 1% more Americans donated blood, shortages would, in fact, disappear. Yet, 1% more do not donate, and that leaves people like me making birthday wishes that would be better spent on a beautiful vacation or lifelong happiness.

This November 17, when my daughter blows our her candles for her 11th birthday, I know that she won’t be wishing for much beyond a laptop or a new American Girl Doll, but I will be silently saying a prayer of gratitude that my wish comes true. At that moment, it is the only time I can close my eyes and genuinely feel comfortable that I too am a year older and that this day really did come. For then, the next minute, I must again begin to consider the “what-ifs” of our nation’s blood supply and my ability to have another birthday.

While I can’t speak for what you should wish for on your next birthday (instead of asking for gifts), why not celebrate growing older by giving the gift of life – and the opportunity to grow older – to someone else.

Imagine the legacy of that birthday present…

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rcrosen

The Price Of Life

As an advocate and spokesperson on the need for blood donors, I’m often faced with random questions easily answered via statistics and medical details. Almost a “CSI” answer I suppose – meaning all of the reasons to donate can be from the heart while defined by the numbers.

Having said that, there is always that one skeptical individual who seems to question every scientific theory and every survivor story or truly believes that one more donation just won’t make a substantial difference. While this skepticism can really grind one’s personal emotions, it’s important for me to listen and offer an objective response. At least that’s what I normally think.

After spending a week on the road participating in several events to thank donors, sponsors and blood centers in different parts of the Mid-Atlantic region, I stood engaged in a lengthy conversation about my personal story. During the conversation, a gentleman said (with the most condescending tone I’ve ever heard) that he, “Just doesn’t have the time and others are donating anyway.” Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this response, but, for some reason, on this given day, it truly cut to the heart.

I suppose it may have been that I had already heard that this person went to the gym every day or that he had just returned from a two-week vacation in the Caribbean or even that he missed his poker night last week. Given those details (and a few others), I nidged the question of why he didn’t feel he had the time, stressing that it takes less than one hour to donate from start to finish.

He pontificated that his time was very valuable and that in a single hour he could make “X” amount of money. I gleaned from that statement that one hour of his time is more valuable to him than the life of another. Yes, I was able to keep cool while hot under the collar. I pried a little more and wanted to see if this individual had children or a wife (which he does). I simply asked, “What is their life worth to you?”

Of course, he quickly stated that their lives were more precious than money. Interesting… Following that answer, I asked, “If they needed blood, would you donate?” He hesitated but said, “Of course, I would!” My final statement/question to him was, “Is anyone’s life more valuable than the next?” He pondered the question and gave that ‘I just had an A-Ha moment’ look with his reply. “No. No life is more valuable than another. I shouldn’t just assume that others have donated or that there is always a reserve.”

In his own moment, in his own words, he understood that life is fragile. He went on to admit that he could give up an hour on a regular basis to donate, after all. Heck, his wife found the time to do so. She was already a regular donor, which is why he was at the event in the first place.

So as I left him, feeling a bit more warm and fuzzy, I thought to myself that there is no price for life or life’s moments. In this moment, I was confident that one more person would be saving lives and that his gift is just as priceless.

How much is a life worth to you?

[Rebecca Crosen Founder & Spokesperson - It’s Hip 2 Give]

www.hip2give.blogspot.com

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rcrosen

Why I Think Blood Donors Are Hip 2 Give

[This post was written by Rebecca Crosen, author of the It's Hip 2 Give! blog, blood recipient and blood donor advocate...]

Usually, I am not at a loss for words. However, being invited to do a guest blog for Incept left me a bit, well, speechless. That’s quite the conundrum – being a blogger, after all – as words are my tools of the trade. So I just let the words and thoughts roll around for a bit and decided what better place than to start than at the beginning: why being an advocate for blood donors is such an important part of my life.

I have always been an overachiever – a real go-getter, if you will. Over a period of time in 2004, I began to feel rather unmotivated, very lethargic. In general, just a run-down version of the person I used to be. As the days parlayed into months, I was not only tired but also extremely cold and had noticed a rather disturbing habit – I was chewing ice by the cupful, all day long. I don’t just mean one or two cups a day, cups of ice by the 32oz cup size – at least 6 or 7 a day.

Given the odd habit, plus the fact that I was donning sweaters with hats in August, I decided there was more going on than just being tired. From my work office I called my husband and told him that he needed to meet me at the doctor. This certainly made him suspicious, as I am a rather independent woman and rarely take along a second party to what I thought might be a “routine” doctor’s appointment. Even before receiving any results from a regular blood test the doctor said I looked anemic. The pale skin, pale gum lines, chills and blue fingertips were just the first signs. Luckily, he was able to retrieve the test results quickly and it proved he was, without a doubt, correct. My hemoglobin count on that visit was 3.5 (grams); healthy females typically have a count between 12-15. The doctor was more than alarmed. In fact, he didn’t even permit me to go home. Thankfully, my husband was there to drive me straight to the emergency room.

Here’s the interesting part about living in a rural community: once I was admitted, it seemed as if word had traveled fast that there was a patient that, for lack of a better term, was considered “walking dead.” That would certainly explain why seemingly every doctor and nurse visited my room at some point or another during my 3-day stay. I guess they had never seen someone with blood counts so low conscious, let alone walking.

During my hospital stint, I received 6 units of blood transfused and 1 full unit of iron infused. The most difficult part was the iron infusion; it reminded me of molasses going in and has the same flow rate (not the same taste, though). Ultimately, I thought that when this process had run its course I would be on the mend and life would just be back to “normal.” Funny how life is always ready to redefine “normal,” isn’t it?

From that moment forward, my sense of normalcy regarding my health, was forever altered. After being diagnosed with Acute Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA), I learned that I would have to closely monitor my blood counts. Every 30 days for 6 years, I would have to visit my hematologist for a blood test to determine if I might make it another 30 days without a transfusion.

Taking high dosages of iron supplements seemed to work for a period of time, but then I needed another transfusion. And another. And another. It became apparent that this issue was not going to go away. We took the next painful step and permanently eliminated my ability to have more children, hoping that this drastic measure would solve any additional blood loss problems. To our horror, it did not. I continue to need transfusions and infusions just to survive.

Having such compromised red blood cells is certainly always on my mind, but during my latest iron infusion, the doctor decided to try a new blood test. This test revealed another underlying issue: Autoimmune Pernicious Anemia (PA). So yes, I suffer from two forms of anemia, both of which severely impact my red blood cells in very different ways.

PA is due to a vitamin B12 deficiency. However, as my body creates an antibody to B12 – therefore destroying any B12 in my system – my form of PA is a classified as a rare disease. Now, my body is even more tired and run-down than with just IDA. Of course, I have a regimen of medicines and vitamins/shots to take daily and/or weekly, though with no end in sight.

The need for a blood transfusion is never more than 30 days away and I am hyper-sensitive to being tired or having a headache. I am constantly monitoring – “Is it that I’m tired because I’ve been busy?” or “Am I tired because I just can’t function?” Those are questions I am always pondering. But I am grateful for every day that I have.

I am also thankful every day for blood donors; it is because of them that I’ll have the opportunity to watch my daughter grow up, enjoy sunsets with my husband and use my voice as an advocate for more donors. There is no greater gift than the gift of life and while I will never be a donor, I can help connect donors to the lives they save.

Rebecca Crosen  Founder & Spokesperson - It’s Hip 2 Give!

www.hip2give.blogspot.com

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melissa

Blood Donation Recipients: Their Stories

As I attempt not to focus on a donor telling me he/she is just too busy - or simply uninterested – I find myself thinking about all the folks out there who will miss out on the benefit of this missed blood donation. Is it a patient having surgery? Is it a baby who’s dying and needs help? Is it someone going through chemotherapy? My focus is on those who have received transfusions for one reason or another.
Debra Klecan was fortunate enough to not only survive a horrific car accident, but also to receive blood from several generous donors. She was involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver (who died at the scene) and lost a lot of blood. Thankfully, there was a supply of blood on the shelves for her!
Then there’s the story of another woman, by the name of Judith Jones, who lives in Australia. She discovered that she had a disease that would be fatal to an unborn child. She lost four children due to this disease, before she was diagnosed. Thanks to miraculous connections and numerous blood transfusions she was able to birth a live baby! (It took 12 donors and countless transfusions to keep her baby alive in the womb.) She also donates blood to save the lives of other babies!
Fela Brannen receives frequent blood transfusions in her ongoing fight against Lupus, an autoimmune disease that left her with Hemolytic Anemia. She would like blood donors to know how thankful she is for their gift of life.
Carlos Lanz was robbed at gunpoint and left for dead. Without a blood transfusion, he wouldn’t be here today. “Someone donated blood to save my life. Because of you, I can enjoy life with my wife and my children,” he says. This, is his incredible story.
This last video is also a story of triumph:
Josef Wood, the cutest little bundle of 4-year-old (as of this video) energy you’ll ever see, has Aplastic Anemia. His case was brought on by Epstein Bar, so blood transfusions have been an essential part of this little man’s life! Around his 5th birthday, his body began to make red blood cells on its own, and by June last year he was in full remission!
I researched and found a great deal of stories for this post, but these were my favorites. I prefer to use video when telling another person’s story, most of the time, because it’s more powerful to see the face behind the story than to just read about it.
Have you come across any touching recipient stories? If so, please share!

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tjohnson

On the Front Lines of Blood Donation

There are always hospitals constantly in need of blood.

Then you have suppliers, nonprofit organizations that schedule the outreach, donation locations, sites, promotions and awareness. From there, in order to expand your methods of outreach, you have contact centers who schedule blood donors. Some contact centers are filled with phone reps; some are filled with Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs). By either method it’s up to these communicators to contact donors, inform them and help them schedule the blood donations so desperately needed by patients in hospitals.

Once the donor is scheduled and makes it into the blood center – which Incept has concluded is more likely to occur when scheduling a blood donation within 10 days of the conversation with the donor – it’s now up to the phlebotomists. These are the soldiers on the front lines. These are the individuals who initially determine whether or not a donor passes all the pre-screening requirements. They are also tasked with ensuring the donor is actually able to donate (during the donation process) and that the visit is a pleasant experience.

http://www.vimeo.com/14277570

This is but a small fraction of the amount of work these soldiers do every day to get blood from donors to recipients. This profession takes a concentrated degree or specialized training. Not only are these phlebotomists working to help keep blood on the shelves but also to get donors back in the door.

A lot can be said about the dedication and overwhelming commitment of these individuals who spend their time helping facilitate the flow of life. One can imagine such an impact would greatly increase the odds of people becoming donors. But, in a case like mine where I was born permanently deferred, there really is something just as special about our phlebotomists as there is about our donors. Perhaps there should be a phlebotomist appreciation day.

What do you think?

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guest

Only 10-25% Survive | A Blood Donation Testimony

My parents were both born and raised in Ohio, but for the past 27 years have called Asheville, North Carolina home. Over the years it has been a pleasure to visit them and enjoy the beauty of the mountains, but the distance has its limitations as well. My dad has had two heart attacks, open heart surgery and has been treated more recently for atrial fibrillation. Scrambling to get down there has, at times, been challenging.

Despite the history, none of us were prepared (this past January 6th) when we received the news that my dad had been rushed to the hospital with a burst aortic aneurysm in his abdomen. My sister, who lives in Virginia, and I were both there within 36 hours. According to the website AAAnswers, most patients with a ruptured aneurysm do not survive emergency treatment, making AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm) the 3rd-leading cause of sudden death in men over 60. Furthermore, only 10-25% of patients survive to be discharged from the hospital.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

He was admitted by noon and within an hour had nearly all of his blood replaced. He came close to bleeding out as his abdomen filled with blood. The surgeon told us that they were performing CPR by the time he was scrubbed and in the room. At the time, we were told that we should expect months upon months of recovery, if he survived. The initial concern – once he survived the first 48 hours – was that there may be brain damage. But by day 8 he was smiling, squeezing my moms’ hand and responding to questions and commands.

Two weeks later, when he was more fully awake, he was still receiving units of life-giving blood. He battled pneumonia, blood clots, gall stones and had to have a tracheotomy to solve breathing problems, but still stumped all his doctors and nurses by being well enough to go home after just 6 weeks! They call him the “Miracle Man.”

The heroes that day (and the days following) were not just the skilled surgeons and nurses at Mission Memorial Hospital, but the dozens of people who donated the blood that kept him alive. He recovered because of them. If you are able, you should give blood! If you’re not sure, call your doctor or the local blood bank for more information. The life you save may be someone you love!

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melissa

CME Blog Contest: 2nd Place Entry

Melissa Lee Blog PicOur purpose at Incept has an identity. By “our purpose,” I mean what we do – on the clock – when we call blood donors to get them scheduled for their next blood donation.

My job. My life. My purpose.

I came face-to-face with that very fact a few weeks ago, on my way to Incept. I met a man at the stop right across the street from my new place. He was a middle-aged man I’d never seen before (although he did say he’d seen me on the bus a few times). He asked me for bus fare, because he had just walked to Canton from Massillon, and was tired. Walked?!?! My first reaction was, “He’s crazy!” (That day happened to be one of the hottest days of June!) Secondly, I pondered, “If I give him bus fare, will he actually use it for a bus ride?”

I walked away, letting him know that I wasn’t sure I had the money to give him. An “I’m sorry” half-heartedly fell from my lips. Then I began to feel sorry for him. As I felt my heart go out to him, I reached into my wallet to inspect the change I did have. Counting all of it (to see if there was enough for him), I managed to find $1.50. I gave it to him and told him I didn’t want to see him have to walk around in this heat anymore.

I have to say, I’m not always comfortable striking up conversations with strangers (especially men), but the conversation that began between us can only be described as a Divine Appointment. I felt at ease around him and he seemed to feel comfortable enough with me to open up to me about some issues he has been dealing with lately. We were involved in a rather heart-wrenching conversation, when the 102 Inbound pulled up and let us on. This man and I sat together on the bus and he discussed his life story with me. He had a laundry list of health problems (cirrhosis of the liver was one of them), as do some members of his family, and none of them have health insurance to cover the monumental stacks of bills that are piling up.

He also told me they all needed transfusions of one type, or another, to stay healthy! When he mentioned this, my heart leaped! This man is a recipient of blood and platelet transfusions! I told him what I did for a living and that my company may have scheduled those donations that help keep him, and his family, healthy. He turned to me with a gleam of gratitude in his eyes and said, “Thank you!” I couldn’t stop myself from tearing up at the sound of his appreciation.

After he left the bus, I sat for the rest of my ride to the Zone and cried; I just couldn’t help myself! As the tears fell, I quietly thanked God for that moment – meeting this man, getting to know his story, and the awesome responsibility I’ve been given at Incept. I am a Conversational Marketing Expert and I save lives!

Remember that the next time you feel like complaining about working at Incept. This isn’t just a “means to an end.” We serve a purpose: to save the lives of people all over the country. You matter more than you will ever know! So, how does another day at the Contact Center sound now?

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