July 23, 2005

Apheresis

Okay, I'm not sure, but I think this whole Internet-is-everywhere thing might be getting out of hand.

I'm sitting here at the Red Cross, my left arm swaddled in heating pads and blankets to increase bloodflow, and a needle in my elbow. And my right hand is typing on the Internet.

This is just wrong.

Apheresis is a process by which clotting cells are extracted from the blood and then the whole blood is returned. The cells are used for folks such as hemophiliacs or surgery patients who need help healing. Not so many people donate clotting factor, because the process takes about an hour and a half.

And since usually they put needles in both arms, meaning that for two hours you can't bend you arms at the elbow. You can't scratch your nose, you can't go pee, you can't eat or drink too much, and the process causes your lips and small muscles to vibrate - apparently due to lack of calcium.

Since it takes so long, the Red Cross goes to Great Lengths to provide entertainment. Cable and DVDs are available and you CAN operate a TV remote. For me - without cable at home - it can be fun to spend an hour reminding myself that cable is not worth the money.
But today I was scheduled for a single-arm donation. Three of my last four regular double-arm donations have failed. So in addition to watching cable or DVD, I can sit here and blog my donation. Sick, sick and twisted it is.

If a clot forms on or in the hypodermic, the whole donation goes to hell. And a couple of times they messed up the initial needle-insertion. So far this year I've only managed one successful donation, and the Red Cross can't really afford to throw away the donation kits.

So I took a three-month break to give my veins a rest, and came in for the single-arm donation in order to halve the chance of clotting.

Today's donation has not been without it's challenges - my blood pressure cuff went flat and they spent half an anxious hour messing with the needle before they figured that out. And I'm just hoping to hit the required minimum - 2.5 somethings - before the donation goes completely awry. Right now I'm at 2.3, and because of the delays my bladder is getting a bit full.

But it looks like it's going to be successful here, and soon I'll be able to get up, bend my left elbow, and pee.

Hopefully in that order.

Posted by Albatross at July 23, 2005 12:12 PM