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bone
marrow donation |
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Stats: While I am waiting to donate my marrow, I started looking into other types of live donations: whole blood, plasma and platelets. Whole blood is the easiest to do, you go in and get a pint taken out. Simple and effective, but interestingly harder on the donor than plasma donation. Plasmapheresis takes a little longer because you are hooked up to an apheresis machine. They remove your whole blood via a tube in your arm hooked up to this machine (called a "a draw"), it is spun in a machine called a centrifuge, the plasma is spun out and removed and the remainder, your white and red blood cells, is put back into you (called "a return"). Saturday,
January 7, 2006 So, after some Googling I left a my name and number with the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Now we'll see just how long it takes to get a response. In the mean time I started to look more into plasma donation at the Pyramid Biological Corporation on Fremont street. It's my consolation prize, if you will. So, I called them back and it was busy *sigh* It is getting too close to 3 pm so I figure no point in trying again until tomorrow. Sunday,
January 8, 2006 Monday,
January 9, 2006 Tuesday,
January 10, 2006 I am going with United Blood Services which is not for profit. *Do the right thing, M* Tuesday,
January 10, 2006 There was traffic so we got there right at 3:30 PM. It turns out I picked the farthest office from my house! I was met by a really nice lady who gave me some paperwork after I signed in. She had me read over the paperwork and sign that I was aware of the risks. After I gave her the signed paper, she let me know they were offering 2 free tickets to Bite, a sensual review in Las Vegas about vampires, as a promotional tool if I donated. How clever that it was about vampires! I later found out it was a topless show, and although I have never seen a topless review, it was about vampires and I have always found the topic intriguing. Having grown up in New Orleans, attending Anne Rice's yearly vampire balls were always fun, and this did sound interesting. I accepted the tickets and signed my name noting I had received them. She then let me know that I would be interviewed soon. Shortly, I was met by a nice man named John who would be conducting my interview which consists of a ton of medical questions. Crazy questions like have I ever paid for or have been paid for sex, have I ever given someone drugs for sex or had sex for drugs, am I donating to get a free HIV test, etc. Of course I already know I am HIV-free because of having my tests for surgery plus already being on the marrow donor list BUT they have to test you again anyway. At the beginning of the interview they gave me a Hematocrit test, or HCT, via a fingertip prick (which hurt far less than I expected and agonized over) to determine how much iron I had in my blood. I had to have at least a 38%, I had 42%. John said the average for females of my age and weight is between 38% and 50%. So I passed the first test. He then took my blood pressure which was about 100/70 if I remember correctly, which I remarked was high for me. He was surprised because that is low. I usually don't get above 98 for systolic. My heart rate, or pulse, was low as usual too, about 88 BPM if I remember correctly. I will be sure to update this info next time I go there, if it is wrong. Anyway, he said I was healthy. We finished up the interview and he took me to the donation room. I could see Marc so I went to him to give him my coat, sunglasses, etc. I also I had to run to the bathroom because of all the water I had drank prior. John said, 'oh yes be sure you go now.' **Make sure to go to the bathroom before you start your donation because you reeeally don't want to have to go during your donation. They'd have to unhook you before you could be excused. You should just hold it if you forget to go. John gave me the IV, we had to use the right arm because my left vein was hiding today. It hurt a wee but it was over pretty fast. They taped the IV down as normal but they also taped my arm down to the armrest! I didn't expect that but it makes total sense. Before they started the first draw John took out I think like 4 or 5 vials for testing: I think 2 red top tubes, a purple top tube, I know one was taken for an HIV test and I also took part in a West Nile Virus/SARS clinical so they withdrew an extra vial. The First
"Draw" Then it happened... The room began to spin, I started salivating, I got really hot, I couldn't hear very well and started feeling as though I was going to throw up or pass out, one or the other--maybe both! I remember mumbling something and pointing at my head to let them know I was gonna pass out. I don't think I made sense but Julie, a really cool nurse/phlebotomist/technician? rushed over and either she or John turned off, or down, the pump. This part is hazy because I was not very alert at this point and more or less in a natural state of bodily panic. She got me some really neat ice packs made from water and ammonium nitrate crystals which automatically gets cold when they mix (cool!). I had 4 of them--one under my neck, two on the front of my neck and one on my face. I started remarking how really thirsty I suddenly felt and they got me a few sips of cool water which really helped me feel better. They turned the pump back on and The IV area was puffy and swollen and when John pressed on the area I swear it burned so badly. He said he could feel it vibrating and they turned it down even more. Julie said I may only be able to have one draw but they were able to "baby" out the full donation eventually. I know on the first draw they kept it on 50 or 60. I think this means that only 50 or 60 ml per minute is removed by the machine. Any faster and my blood pressure would drop and would make me feel icky again. Not sure if they turned it up on my second draw. Those ice packs were a lifesaver! About 6 minutes later, I felt like myself again but my arm was still really numb and it was very difficult to squeeze that ball. But at least I was no longer feeling sick. It was like night and day. Julie made sure I was alright throughout the draw. She Rocks! The
"Return"
**The machine to the left of me above is not my machine, mine was to the right of me - or rather to my own left. This machine was used by the guy that was there when I arrived. The second draw was uneventful. No problems and my arm was not totally numb like it was on the first draw. It went by really fast too. On the second, and last, return I felt no problems although I was a little colder the second time so I took off the ice packs and put them on the left armrest.
The machine beeped and I was finished. Julie took the IV out and covered it with a 2x2 square gauze pad and had me hold it in place and put my arm above my head. When she went to check it and I released pressure I started to bleed a little so she told me to raise it again. When she checked it again, it had stopped. She asked me to pick a color for the 3M bandage I was going to get. I said purple at first because I had seen a purple one on the guy next to me. I asked her what other colors she had and she rattled off a few colors and pink was one of them. Those of you who know me know that pink was the winner. I loudly said "PINK!" like I was 4 years old.
Recovery I also had a surprise! Marc got me flowers! I look a little worn out as you can see. The whole experience took about an hour and a half, but once I am an established donor it will only take about an hour.
How Often
Can You Donate Plasma My
Feelings on Plasma Donation
why donate? |
how donation
is performed |
donor preparation | donor recovery
| about transplantation | F.A.Q. Enhancement Media - All rights reserved. |
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peripheral
stem cell donation 
