Donating Blood is GOOD. Donating Platelets is 6 times GOODER!!

Totally Judy

Totally Judy

Joined
Dec 3, 2000
Messages
4,347
I love donating platelets. It is such a cool thing to do. :cool: And if you ask nicely, they will give you a carton of chocolate milk. That's why I donate platelets. :D

You can donate apheresis platelets every 14 days (RBC can only be donated every 56 days). Actually, I think you can donate every 2 days if you really want to!

If you think SEAL Team Six is awesome, just think how awesome YOU could be if you donate platelets. Platelets save lives. Yes, blood saves lives also - I'm not dissin' blood donors. I was a blood donor for 30 years before I was turned on to platelet apheresis. It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling every time I donate. There is something NOT in my blood that allows my blood/platelets to be used by children - at least that is what they told me a long time ago, "You're a child blood donor!" :D

Since platelets are necessary to prevent excessive bleeding, collected apheresis platelets extends mainly to Oncology patients, but also includes patients with aneurysms, organ transplants, hematology disorders, open heart surgery, and victims of traumatic injuries. And let's not forget the children!! Children being treated for cancer, premature infants, and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types, especially type O. (I'm Type O!!)

APHERESIS VERSUS WHOLE BLOOD PLATELETS: There are two types of platelet products, those derived from whole blood and those from an apheresis platelet collection. What is the difference? Platelet products derived from whole blood require platelets from 6-8 different donors to make up a sufficient product for transfusion. This means the patient is exposed to 6-8 different donors.

An apheresis platelet product will have 6-8 units, making the same amount of product, but, these are all from one donor. So exposure to different donors is greatly reduced!

Check it out.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/platelet-donation
 
As a father of twin three year old daughters that have received platelets thank you. One of them is in the hospital right now, she had a bone marrow transplant eleven days ago.
 
Thanks, June 2nd is our day when the doctors say we should start to see positive numbers.We are keeping our fingers crossed,positive thoughts and prayers every day.
 
bgirtler said:
As a father of twin three year old daughters that have received platelets thank you. One of them is in the hospital right now, she had a bone marrow transplant eleven days ago.
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Give both of your little girls a hug and a kiss from me! I hope everything goes well for the little one who had the bone marrow transplant.

It would be kind of cool to learn which individuals benefitted from my donations. Obviously, with the HIPAA requirements, that will never happen.
 
bgirtler said:
Thanks, June 2nd is our day when the doctors say we should start to see positive numbers.We are keeping our fingers crossed,positive thoughts and prayers every day.
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Hey! Let us know what you find out on June 2nd, okay? What are the twins' names?

Smoke and prayers sent your way.

Judy
 
Their names are Elizabeth and Kathryn.Elizabeth is bravely blazing a path what the doctors tell us Kathryn will some day have to take.They each have the same genetic defect that results in aplastic anemia. I can keep you posted.

Brett
 
bgirtler said:
Their names are Elizabeth and Kathryn.Elizabeth is bravely blazing a path what the doctors tell us Kathryn will some day have to take.They each have the same genetic defect that results in aplastic anemia. I can keep you posted.

Brett
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Brett,

That's pretty tough stuff. Will they require more bone marrow transplants in the future, or just one each?

Genetic defects suck. My youngest nephew's son, Wylder, was diagnosed with an extremely rare and fatal Lysosomal Storage Disease called Niemann-Pick Type A just over a year ago. Life expectancy is 2-4 years. He turned 2 last Sunday. He has his own web page and following - Wylder Nation.

www.wylderjames.com

I hope that Elizabeth and Kathryn have a brighter future ahead of them than Warrior Wylder.

Judy
 
The doctors are positive the bone marrow transplant should take care of the aplastic anemia,they told us it is able to be cured.Smoke and prayers for brave little Wylder.
 
That is fantastic, Brett! My hope for Elizabeth and Kathryn is a long and healthy life with no further issues are their respective and successful bone marrow transplants. How wonderful that there is a cure. I will continue to keep them in my thoughts are prayers.

Thanks for the smoke and prayers for Warrior Wylder. I believe that at this point, both parents are fighting hard for him to have the most comfortable life possible. They have called in Hospice so that he can have more of his medical treatments at home, where he is much more comfortable than in the hospital. Last week, after 3 weeks in the hospital with multiple complications and a surgery to remove a specific type of stomach feeding tube that was possibly causing problems, he smiled and giggled at his father. He was able to go home a day or so before his 2nd birthday.
 
My heart goes out to Wylder and his parents.
Nobody knows what it is like,to be the parent of a seriously ill child,unless they have walked that path.
 
That is wonderful news!!! I bet Kathryn is going to be happy to have her sister home with her. :)

I hope that both girls continue to do well, and that Kathryn's bone marrow transplant goes as well as Elizabeth's.

Prayers still being sent for both girls.

Judy
 
Totally Judy said:
I love donating platelets. It is such a cool thing to do. :cool: And if you ask nicely, they will give you a carton of chocolate milk. That's why I donate platelets. :D

You can donate apheresis platelets every 14 days (RBC can only be donated every 56 days). Actually, I think you can donate every 2 days if you really want to!

If you think SEAL Team Six is awesome, just think how awesome YOU could be if you donate platelets. Platelets save lives. Yes, blood saves lives also - I'm not dissin' blood donors. I was a blood donor for 30 years before I was turned on to platelet apheresis. It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling every time I donate. There is something NOT in my blood that allows my blood/platelets to be used by children - at least that is what they told me a long time ago, "You're a child blood donor!" :D

Since platelets are necessary to prevent excessive bleeding, collected apheresis platelets extends mainly to Oncology patients, but also includes patients with aneurysms, organ transplants, hematology disorders, open heart surgery, and victims of traumatic injuries. And let's not forget the children!! Children being treated for cancer, premature infants, and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types, especially type O. (I'm Type O!!)

APHERESIS VERSUS WHOLE BLOOD PLATELETS: There are two types of platelet products, those derived from whole blood and those from an apheresis platelet collection. What is the difference? Platelet products derived from whole blood require platelets from 6-8 different donors to make up a sufficient product for transfusion. This means the patient is exposed to 6-8 different donors.

An apheresis platelet product will have 6-8 units, making the same amount of product, but, these are all from one donor. So exposure to different donors is greatly reduced!

Check it out.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/platelet-donation
Click to expand...

I donate "double reds" and have for years. You can only donate every 117 days and no more than three times in 12 months. When I first started I was told they use it mainly for cancer patients. Since my mother died from cancer at age 42, donating double reds just seemed like the thing for me. If I'm not mistaken Apheresis takes longer to donate than whole blood which is the same with double red donations and one of the reasons they are always looking for volunteers. Folks just don't want to spend the extra time required. For me I'm at the Red Cross about an hour from the time I start the question process to when I'm headed out the door. Donating double reds doesn't make you light headed so most folks can just head right out the door after donating. Regardless of what you donate, please do. It really can make a difference.
 
Badhammer said:
I donate "double reds" and have for years. You can only donate every 117 days and no more than three times in 12 months. When I first started I was told they use it mainly for cancer patients. Since my mother died from cancer at age 42, donating double reds just seemed like the thing for me. If I'm not mistaken Apheresis takes longer to donate than whole blood which is the same with double red donations and one of the reasons they are always looking for volunteers. Folks just don't want to spend the extra time required. For me I'm at the Red Cross about an hour from the time I start the question process to when I'm headed out the door. Donating double reds doesn't make you light headed so most folks can just head right out the door after donating. Regardless of what you donate, please do. It really can make a difference.
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I have never heard of "double reds" - except back in the 60's! just kidding. I'll have to look that one up and see what it is all about. Yes, apheresis takes about 2-1/2 hours from paperwork to walking out the door. A lot depends on how high or low your platelet count is and how long it takes to get the unit of platelets.

Donate blood. Donate double reds. Donate platelets. But donate!
 
Bob W said:
Do they pay 6 times more?
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The Red Cross doesn't pay for blood that's why it's called a donation. You can donate plasma at your local plasma center, pays around $50 a week, maybe more or so I've been told.
 
Last few times I tried to give blood, they wouldn't let me. I used to live in Germany ('91-'96) and apparently the Red Cross thinks I'm going to give someone BCE (Mad Cow Disease). Now I'm also a recent cancer patient/chemo recipient- bet that knocks me off the list too. I used to give blood all of the time. Bummer.
 
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