We Need You to Survive

Let me take you on a journey. One that ends with the story of the miracle that saved my life. My journey with severe iron deficiency started as a child, but it was well hidden. The symptoms masked themselves as so many other disorders. For years I had gone from specialist to specialist looking for answers to my questions as to why I was so always so tired and faint. No one could answer the question. It was always take this medicine and take that medicine. Then the pain started. A pain that was so severe that I was no longer able to function. I had to withdraw from college, quit my job and all I could do was lie in the bed and cry. Then things went from bad to worse. It was the day before Christmas Eve. I had gone in to my primary care physician to get some lab work done. She was hoping the lab work would somehow point her in the right direction finally, and that’s exactly what it did. It was Christmas Eve 2014 when my mom received the phone call that would change my life forever. I will never forget it. The clinic had been trying to contact us all morning, but they somehow had the wrong information. So they sent an urgent email to my mom. Amazingly enough, she received the email right before the clinic was about to shut done for the holidays. When she called she could tell things were not good by the sound of the nurse’s voice. The nurse was informing my mom that if she didn’t get me to the hospital that day that I would not make it through the night. My blood count was so low that it was almost none existent. We made it the hospital, and they ran more lab tests. I will never forget the moment when the Hematologist came in and looked my mom in the eyes and told her, “Your daughter’s blood levels are so low that if you had not have gotten her here she would have gone into a coma and died.” I was immediately admitted into the hospital where I immediately started to receive a blood transfusion and an iron infusion. Needless to say, it was because of the kindness of a total strangers and their blood that I am here today. I will never know who to thank or who gave me the best Christmas present ever, but I do know that ever drop of blood that is given could mean life or death. So thank you to every blood donor. Please know that we need you to survive and because I was given this precious gift I want to give this precious gift. I want to change a life forever just like mine was changed forever. People give selflessly in these drives and that my friend is something I want to be apart of for the rest of my life. Give Blood and Save A Life!