I am Lokelani Miller and I am adopted. I grew up in a family where you didn’t know when you were going to eat, or when the lights were going to be turned back on. I didn’t even know about donating blood until I was adopted. My adopted sister was born with CF (cystic Fibrosis) the doctor told her she wasn’t going to live. The doctor explained to my mom that the disease was too bad. The only way that she was going to live is if she had blood transfusions and fluids. She had to have 10 pints of blood in a month’s time. She was so sick. My mom prayed and prayed that the lord would save her. My sister was 4 pounds 1 ounce. The doctor said I will give her a month and see if the blood helps. She had been losing blood her whole life and she didn’t know where it was going. The blood was going into her stomach. At the age two my sister had stomach surgery, and she made it through the surgery. My sister is now 30 and by the grace of God she is still alive.
My nanny was diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer in the year 2003. The doctor said that it was stage five and that we were going to have to hit it hard with chemo or she wasn’t going to make it. My nanny was getting sick because of the chemo and she was losing blood. My nanny didn’t have any platelets. She was given blood for three months. She lived in the hospital for three months because she wasn’t allowed to live on her own and the doctor wanted to keep an eye on her. At this time we were devastated because she wasn’t doing well. The doctor came in on the 1st day of the 3rd month and said that her cancer was in remission but.. She wasn’t going to be able to go home because she still didn’t have any platelets. The doctor gave her platelets for three weeks. At the end of the third week she was allowed to go home. When we were at the hospital with my nanny they were having a blood drive in Fort Smith Arkansas. I still hadn’t really heard what a blood drive was, so I asked my mom what it was and why people were donating blood. My mom said for people like your nanny. Without people giving blood your nanny wouldn’t be here. I started crying and I said I thank the Lord that he has people that are willing to donate to help save someone’s life. My nanny was in remission for 13 years. In the year 2015 she went in for a normal check up with the doctor. She had gotten her blood taken to check her enzymes and platelets as well as the cancer. My nanny got a phone call a week later and was asked to be seen in Dr. Flippin’s office. When she went back she had gotten bad news. They told her that her cancer had come back. To see my nanny cry was something I had never seen before. I had prayed why the Lord had given the cancer back to my nanny. And it was like I was being ignored. My nanny was going start chemo, and platelets again because with out she would die. My nanny got sick so fast. We were in and out of the hospital for a long time. The doctor explained to my family that the only way my nanny had any chances of living was to clean out her system and start over. My nanny told them to do what ever they could because she wasn’t ready to go home. The doctor did what she said. My nanny was getting 17 fluids at one time plus platelets. My nanny was getting sick fast and the doctor told my mom that she only had a couple more months, and that he wanted to make her comfortable. My nanny was put on hospisis. She wouldn’t eat and she was so weak. My nanny fell and hit her head. She was sent to the hospital and the doctor said she had a brain bleed and there was nothing that they could do. My mom cried and asked them to do what ever they needed to. The Doctor said the only thing I can do is give blood, but the blood is leaving as fast as I could put it in. She needs surgery but she will die if I do surgery. My Nanny passed away on August 11, 2015. I wondered why the Lord took her home so early . But know I know I want to be as strong as my nanny was. I will give blood as long as I can because I want to help save someones life. THAT’S MY STORY