My blood transfusion saved my life. I am now able to live a normal life without fear of dying.
Since having my blood transfusion I am now able to be active and can enjoy my favorite sports!
How has blood donation changed my life.
A blood donation changed my life when I was 7 years old. I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). ITP is a rare condition with fewer than 200,000 cases per a year. It is a disorder that causes excessive bruising and bleeding due to low levels of platelets. A normal platelet count in humans is 150,000-400,000. When I was taken to the hospital I had 63 bruises total with petechiae and blood blisters inside of my mouth.
My initial complete blood count (CBC) read a platelet count less than 80,000. The doctors became concerned and began running numerous test. I spent approximately 2 hours at that hospital and in that time my platelet count dropped to less than 60,000. The doctors said they were baffled as to why my platelets were dropping and said they were now dangerously low. The doctor stated that I was at a great risk of spontaneous hemorrhaging of the brain and/or internal bleeding. I was then transferred to a children’s hospital and placed in the intensive care unit. I underwent several testing including MRI’s and Catscan. The doctors were still unable to find the cause of the drastic drop in platelets. I had a new CBC done and just 4 hours after the onset of the unexplainable bruising my platelet count was down to a mere 43,000. The doctor stated they had no choice at this point but to do a life saving blood transfusion that would raise my platelets quickly. I have type O- blood so my donor blood had to be very specific. I was given the transfusion over the next few hours and my platelet count was increased to a safe range with my next CBC. I spent the next week at the hospital being monitored and making sure that whatever had caused me platelets to drop so low didn’t attack my new group of platelets that I was given through my transfusion. After being released from the hospital I had to continue to be closely monitored by having a CBC done twice a week to check my platelet count. It has been 10 years since my blood transfusion and I still have a yearly CBC as a part of my annual exam. I have never had anymore drops in my platelets to this day! I am now released to be as active as I want and am able to play my favorite sport, football!
I am very thankful for the donors who give to complete strangers without ever realizing who they have helped or what the need was to bring that person to point where they benefit from the donors generosity. I am so grateful to my donor and have learned that in my opinion not donating is not an option. I have anxiously waited until I was of age to be allowed to start donating. My blood type of O- is universal. It can be given to anyone with any blood type and can be given in emergency/trauma situations when time to check blood type is not an option. A blood donation saved my life and I hope to save someone else’s one day!