Give Blood

Recently, when a Philadelphia police officer was shot, there was a call to donate blood on the news. Thankfully people came out in force to help. Of course blood is needed  in the event if a tragedy, but it's also needed for people in hospitals everyday. It made me think of the day I was the one in need. 

I received a blood transfusion when I gave birth to our first daughter, and it saved my life. 

I remember thinking that I wished the bags of blood hung on that IV pole had pictures on them, so I could see who was saving me. But, of course, it's anonymous....so here is my thank you, after almost 11 years, to the people who gave me my life back, and allowed me to be a mom, wife and daughter. 

Dear Donor, 
 

I know this is a long overdue thank you, but to me it will always feel like yesterday when you saved my life.  Maybe it was on your way to work, maybe on your lunch break.  Maybe it was at a blood donation event where they had those tables set up, full of juice and cookies for your "after-donating" treat. Regardless, wherever you were, you saved me. 

Maybe you donated because you thought it was nice to do. Maybe your employer encouraged you, or a friend was going that morning and you tagged along. Your simple decision to take a moment, and give your blood saved me. 

It's kind of obscure when you donate blood. You usually don't get to see the face of the person you are helping.  I am forever grateful, and there's something I want you to know...   I never thought I was going to need you. I had been a donor before, but never considered I'd be the one needing the donation. 

My first pregnancy was generally normal, but the delivery was not. My labor was extremely difficult and our daughter was a very big baby, got stuck, and had to have her clavicle broken to get her delivered. My body barely handled the prolonged labor, and trauma during birth.

About seven hours after having our daughter, I was in my room, alone with the new baby. My family had all gone home to change and get something to eat. I buzzed the nurse because I was in severe pain, and honestly thought I was having another baby. When she walked in I knew something terrible was happening. The look on her face, and the immediate call for every staff member on the floor told me something was very wrong. I was in the midst of a postpartum hemorrhage and had been bleeding out.

I could feel myself fading and wanting to sleep. There was one nurse whose only job was to hold my hand and stay in my face to keep me conscious. "YOU STAY WITH ME", is what I remember her saying the most, nose to nose with me, staring into my eyes. Others were on top of me in the bed, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. The pain was unimaginable, and I was scared out of my mind. 

My family arrived. I was taken quickly to the ICU. I remember the glass walls, and harrowed expressions. I was scared, but too compromised to realize how bad it actually was. I was in and out of consciousness but distinctly heard the doctor say, "If this bleeding doesn't get under control, we're going to have to do an emergency hysterectomy".  I was 28. I instantaneously realized the situation was worse than I thought.  The look on the doctors face was grim.  Then I started to bleed out, again. 

And that's when you came into my room, stayed by my bedside, and you saved my life. You didn't know it at the time, but nurses rushed in with bags of your blood, and started the transfusion. I recall two separate transfusions, but honestly, I have a hard time piecing my ICU visit together completely, so I'm unsure how much blood I actually recieved. I was very out of it, my body struggling with itself. The only blood I had left inside of me had rushed to my core internal organs. That's what your body does to try to keep you alive. It felt chaotic. 

But when you came along, my body calmed down. You may have been home playing with your kids, or eating dinner, but really you were saving me in my hospital room.  Superhero kind of work, and you didn't even know it.

I do have a perfect memory of looking at the bags of blood, and thinking, "thank you, thank you" to whomever had given me this second chance. I don't even want to consider what would've happened to me had blood not been available.  It was right before Christmas, and the nurses kept telling me I had better get well enough to 'get outta there' by Christmas Eve with that new baby. I listened. We left the hospital on the 23rd. 

You made that possible. You let me experience becoming a mom, continue to be a wife and daughter, and because your blood saved me, you gave me two more gifts. The hysterectomy never had to happen, and our daughter got to become a big sister, twice {I know, it sounds crazy that I had more kids...}.

My life with my family would not be what is without the gift you gave me. 

So even though we've never met, you stood by my side on the scariest day of my life, and have been with me ever since that day. Your gift runs through my veins. You became a part of me. 

Thank you for taking the time on that lunch break, way to work, or drive home to give blood. Your kindness was not lost on me. And it still makes me cry grateful tears. 

Sincerely, 

{Jenn}

To become a blood donor, go here and to find a local blood donation site (Delaware area) click here.