Call for Platelet Donations!

[Shell B]

Hello, AF members. I have a huge favor to ask, a do-gooder pain-in-the-ass plea. I know we're (people in general) bombarded with this shit all the time, but I'd really like to borrow about 2.5 hours of your time, if you've got it to give.

So, my mom is very, very sick. Tumors have overtaken her bone marrow to the point where she can't make platelets. Platelet transfusions are going to be a huge part of her treatment. She won't even be able to try chemo without them. Because of this, and my interest in blood donations before this nightmare, I've learned that platelets have a short shelf life. They're only good for five days. They go from you to a patient and that's that. The medical community needs a constant supply of them to keep leukemia and cancer patients alive-literally constant. It takes a couple of hours to donate, so not a lot of people do it. Well, a lot of people need it.

No one can donate straight to my mom. That's just not how it works. Even I can't do that. However, I've been asking everyone to do a good thing for a great lady and make a donation for my Ma-Joy. It will go to someone like her. Children's hospitals often have their own donation centers if you'd prefer to help a kiddo specifically. If you don't have time, maybe consider a whole blood or power blood donation?

I'd really appreciate it. If you do it, post a picture in here. Get all the kudos for a deed well done. I'll even promise a rep point to every donor. Hold me to it, k?

If enough of us do this, we could do like a yearly virtual blood drive where we all donate near ourselves and post photos here for the sweet, sweet kudos. I don't know.

[SteelCurtain]

I'm in.

[no one]

I donate blood on a regular basis. No kudos needed.

[T0 Th3 M4X]

Wishing your mom and all of your family well in this. I know it's not easy.

[arewethereyet]

I wish I could. As a cancer survivor I know how important it can be to have the blood products you need. I, however, am lucky to have them squeeze enough out of me for a routine blood test. My veins blow out so easily...if they can actually hit one at all.

I hope for strength for your family and an awesome medical team like I had.

[Shell B]

I'm in.

You fucking rock! Hope you get some swag. I got a hoodie for today's attempt that I gave to my uncle, who is gay, so they don't let him donate. He's too promiscuous for their paperwork. lol They didn't let me donate, though. My hemoglobin was too low, but I think it might be because I haven't been eating well since Mom was diagnosed. I'm going to fill up on steak all week and go back this weekend.

[Shell B]

I wish I could.  As a cancer survivor I know how important it can be to have the blood products you need.  I, however, am lucky to have them squeeze enough out of me for a routine blood test.  My veins blow out so easily...if they can actually hit one at all.

I hope for strength for your family and an awesome medical team like I had.

I'm glad to hear you made it through the other side. The doctors don't think we will be so lucky. Her odds are dismal, but we may just eke a few more years out of her, which would be very good. Right now, I'll take anything at all.

[Shell B]

I donate blood on a regular basis. No kudos needed.

You get kudos anyway. I try to regularly, but our schedules are crazy. It's a terrible excuse. I plan to rectify that.

[LastPoet]

I can't donate mostly by my fault. When I used drugs I got Hep C, I took care of it via interferon + ribavitin and despite no virus RNA to be found, they wont allow donations.

[brewer]

I did the plasma/platelets thing for about 15 years after my mom was diagnosed with MM, almost 30 years ago now. At the end they asked me to stop because, for what ever reason, I'd started getting infiltration's most every time. Causing me pain and costing them money (the Red Cross can't use a partial donation).

Best of luck to your mom and family.