Platelets

Many decades ago, Babs sold her whole blood donations to buy Dad a thermos to take his hot tea to work in everyday. That loving memory came back to me this weekend.

The Red Cross was offering $25 for platelet donations, and our daughters were interested. Monkey, Yessa, Buds, and I went on Sunday to donate platelets, a first for all of us. Buds and I donate blood regularly, but the girls never have, and with the financial incentive for donating platelets because the need is so great, they were ready to give it a try.

Donating blood is a quick process, but for donating platelets they tell you to plan to be there 3 hours and to bring a blanket because many people get cold from the process.

There were a couple wrinkles on the day.

Monkey’s nurse walked back into the private room where she had been talking with Monkey to get all the necessary information before starting the process to find Monkey seated on the floor trying not to faint. The last time Monkey had a blood draw was back on the infamous “She’s a rubber chicken” day and those memories, plus thinking about the length of time the donating takes, and two blood “taps” needed for the platelet donation, plus veins! was a little too much. After the nurse recovered from her shock and dismay at seeing Monkey on the floor (She assumed she had jell-oed her way out of the chair onto the floor.), Monkey was led to the cantina where she could snack and rehydrate.

While all this was going on, since I was the first one called of the four of us to go back for donation, I was locked up in my private room with my nurse getting my pre-work taken care of. I knew about none of this.

Then I was settled in my comfortable chair and my attendant was getting me all set.

It is a very involved process and takes a long time because they take the blood out of one arm, run it through the machine that spins out the platelets and plasma, then they give all the rest of your blood back to you. That’s why you may donate platelets as often as once every eight days, and up to 24 times in a 12-month period. Donated platelets can only be stored for use for as long as five days, so the need to constant.

As I was getting hooked up, out came Yessa being led over to an area next to me.

Because she’s young and she’d never donated blood before, she was only going to be allowed to do a regular blood donation. The tech who worked with her, knowing Monkey’s near nausea fainting story, had a nausea bowl all ready for Yessa, just in case. And all of the staff kept asking her if she was doing okay.

She was doing great, but they didn’t really seem to believe her.

The tech got the blood draw started fine, but said that Yessa’s vein was “fluttery.” The supervisor came over to try and help move the needle around a little to see if they could get the flow going better, but they weren’t able to, and they must have a rule about only one stick because they said she was wonderful and fantastic AND she would need to donate at a later date. They got a little bit of blood but they weren’t going to get what they needed for a full donation within the 20 minute time limit. (I just learned the last time Buds and I donated that there WAS a 20 minute time limit.)

Despite Yessa reassuring them, the staff still did the full-court press on her with a cold compress on her forehead and ankles. Once they finally released her, she headed to the van to enjoy the peace and quiet and no attention.

By this time I was all hooked up with the blood running. They have a video monitor you can look at that tells how much time is left in the donation. (This part takes approx. 2 hours of actually being hooked up to the machine.) You have to keep both arms straight and mostly still, plus by the end I was dying to use the bathroom, so I was really glad to have the countdown where I could easily see it. In addition they have a tv screen where you can watch Netflix, youtube, etc. Buds was able to watch the full World Cup Final, which he loved.

It actually worked out perfectly that Monkey was not able to donate because she became our official watchdog. It turns out itches you cannot scratch are super annoying, and she must have scratched my nose, eyebrows, and back of my neck at least 10 times.

At another point I looked over at Buds and he was falling asleep, which would normally be fine, but he’s a “jerker” in his sleep, especially when he sleeps sitting up, so Monkey went over to keep him entertained for his last hour so he wouldn’t fall asleep again.

He caught up with me with his quick-moving blood, so we were all through donating at the same time. After using the restroom, I came back to see the tech shaking up my platelets. I was fascinated to learn they look like butter and she has to shake them to make sure they don’t clump. Each donation can yield 1-3 units, and I just checked the Red Cross app. to learn they got 2 units from me and 2 from Buds.

I was shaking with cold by the end of the process. Literally shaking as she removed the needles, so I was grateful they told us to bring blankets. Buds didn’t need one, so it’s individual reactions.

It was an interesting process and we both felt fine after we were all through, other than the stiffness of bending arms that have been straight for 2 hours. If we do it again, I’ll definitely want someone to be along as chief nose scratcher. I’m sure the staff would do it, but some things are best asked of family and friends.

And the app does provide long-term data, which we love.

If you are interested in donating, you can learn more here.