A few years ago I had major surgery. Afterward I felt awful-- death would have been better I remember thinking. A day later I passed out while trying to wash up; thankfully the nurse caught me before I hit the floor. My surgeon had tried to avoid a transfusion during the surgery due to the slight risk of contaminated blood, but it wasn’t working out. He gave me two options: spend a couple of weeks feeling like hell or have a transfusion.
It was a concerning decision to make, but the odds were in my favor for the transfusion. There had only been one case of contaminated blood at that hospital and it had been years ago when the screening process was different. I went for the transfusion option, with some trepidation. I felt so desperately bad I agreed and was so glad I did. After the first unit life was worth living again and the second made me feel great (as much as someone who’d just been cut open could feel, that is).
I still feel incredible gratitude toward the people who donated and donate myself as often as possible. Before the surgery it was just an abstract do-gooder thing I did. Now I know what an incredible difference it can make for someone.
I should mention that the two units I had transfused I had no idea about beforehand, nor even the possibility of them. I found out when I woke up in the hospital afterward. This was in Brazil, by the way, if that matters. I was somewhat stunned that I’d had someone else’s blood given to me, but accepted that it must have been medically necessary.
I’ve tried to donate a number of times but always been turned away due to low iron. Now since my surgery, I’m not eligible to donate. It sucks because I’m O- and so I have valuable blood.
I almost made it though my bypass operation without needing any blood (!), but I had been on Plavix before the operation, so I bled a lot more than they expected, so I got 1 unit.
Years ago I had trouble during the delivery of one of my kids. I had to be taken into surgery right after he came out. After the surgery I was beat. I could barely move and all my visitors made the comment that I looked like death. My doctor offered me a transfusion, but I declined. For some unfounded reason, I can’t deal with the idea of another person’s blood flowing through my veins. It took about 2 weeks for me to feel almost normal again. I didn’t have the energy to do anything.
I’m glad I came into this thread. I had no idea you could bank your own blood for later use! I’ll have to ask my doctor about that just in case the same thing happens with this pregnancy.
I lost half my blood volume in 2008 from a duodenal ulcer. Completely painless, then I suddenly had difficulty breathing, couldn’t walk, and passed out in my car. I thought I had the flu, until I started crapping raspberry jam. Emergency room doctor said my life was in danger, and I needed emergency surgery. Spent four days in the hospital.
Two litres of my own blood, stocked over the course of a few weeks in the last weeks of my pregnancy with my second son, who was placenta previa. Still really needed another unit or two but they were reluctant to give it to me. It took me till he was 9 months old to feel recovered, at which time the Dr said “Yeah, we really should have given you more blood earlier on.”
On the other hand, it was my own blood so no worries there, and I’m OK now! Can’t donate because of mad cow disease. In Japan if you have ever lived in the UK you are automatically out.
7 units
had pulmonary embolus 1 week after abdominal surgery. Started on Heparin (blood thinner). Had blood vessel break in the incision and bled into abdominal wall. 2nd surgery to stop bleeding and drain out accumulated blood. given 5 units after surgery but had transfusion reaction. 1 week later given 2 more units of blood. (and after all that, my blood count was only 75% of normal)
I got a unit during spinal fusion surgery when I was nine. I was just able to donate once a few years ago, but felt like crap later, so I feel I am even and won’t do that again.
It was extensive surgery, I’m amazed they got away with only one unit, even if I was a kid.
