My Story: Tanner Page

My name is Tanner Page.  I am 4 years old.  I have an immune deficiency.  My immune system does not work properly.  I have to go to the hospital every 4 weeks for IVIG infusions.  It takes 1,000-2,000 blood donors to make one bottle of medicine for me.  This is why it is so important for people to donate blood.  There are so many different uses of blood.  I am so thankful for everyone who has donated.  Because of them, I have enough plasma and platelets for my medicine.  I have an account at FGBA.  My number is 6989.  If you donate you can specifically put it in my account by telling the nurses it is for my account.

If I don't get these infusions, I can get very sick.  I don't like being in the hospital.  My mommy says it is very important that I get these.  We aren't really sure how long I will have to have these infusions.  Right now, my doctors aren't sure.

If you have never given blood - my mommy and daddy say it's really easy.  It is just like getting a shot at the doctor's office.  I have been stuck more than my mommy and daddy have in their entire life!  I get stuck every 4 weeks. You can do it for 20 seconds! I hope that everyone who reads my story will give blood.  It is truly a gift of life!

Thank a million!
Tanner

My Story: Mary and Keith Shriver

My name is Mary Shriver.  Sixteen years ago I gave birth to my youngest son, Keith. I have A negative blood with RH factor which requires the Rhogam shot be given to me after each birth or miscarriage to protect future pregnancies.  My oldest son, Kevin was born in 1981 and I received the Rhogam shot which was so important.  Then in 1983 I had a miscarriage and the doctor at that time told me that it was not necessary to give me that shot.  I showed him the card I carry explaining my blood type and pleaded with him to give me the shot for my own peace of mind.  He did not.

Then in 1988 my son Keith was born with negative antibodies from my blood in his blood.  He was in intensive care for ten days following his birth and I never left the hospital for those ten days.  He was very sick and he had tubes and IV needles everywhere.  He was watched over continuously.  On the 10th day of being in intensive care, I watched through the window while the nurses and doctors started to run back and forth from his crib.  When a nurse came out I asked her what was going on and she said that a specialist was being called in and Keith would have to have a complete blood transfusion or he might die. Needless to say, I was almost hysterical at that point.  Within a minimal amount of time the doctor arrived and the blood transfusion began.  They closed the blinds to the window but there was a small slit that I was able to peer through.  I watched for four hours straight while this doctor slowly drained Keith's blood at the same time putting new blood in that would allow him to live.  Today my son has a small bald spot on the crown of his head where no hair will ever grow due to the IV needle being in so long.  But that is never even thought of now because my son is healthy and is now in the 11th grade of high school.  I am so thankful every day that I have both of my sons and I never take them for granted.  I am also thankful to all the people that donate blood because without them my son would not be here today.

My Story: Raymond Whatley

When my friend was little, she had a blood disease in which her white blood cells attacked her red blood cells.  A blood transfusion saved her life.  Now that she is old enough, she wanted to give blood but for some reason, she can’t.  She was deeply upset when she found out that she couldn’t give blood.  When she told me this, I decided to give my blood in her honor.  This is a big step for me since I am terrified of needles. 

**Raymond wanted to add that he was truly nervous.  He was at the center for 2 hours and had at least 4 arm scrubs, because he kept getting nervous about the needle.  He wanted to donate for a friend and that is exactly what he did.  We are all very proud of him!

My Story: Mary Jo Kruer

On September 14, 1954 at 11:30 AM, I was admitted to Riverside Hospital for the birth of my first child.  Expecting a normal delivery, I thought I'd go to sleep and awake with a beautiful child.  My daughter was born at 3:29 PM, but I didn't wake up until September 16th about 4:00 PM.  At that time, I learned that I had a hematoma after the birth and had been given 14 pints of blood.  Since I am O Negative, I was given 2 pints of plasma because my blood type wasn't available.  My doctor said the baby came so fast, and being my first delivery, she ruptured every blood vessel in the delivery track.  Today, I am attending my daughter's 50th birthday party and thanking God for the wonderful people that gave me their blood.

P.S. My daughter donates blood regularly and wrote a term paper in college on the need to donate blood.  Her name is Sherylan K. Vaughn.

My Story: Kelli Heath

I was scared to give blood. I knew all the excuses. It would hurt, take too long, leave an ugly bruise, etc. Even so, I had promised my daughter, Kristen, a regular blood donor at her high school, that I would donate ONE time. We went to the Florida Georgia Blood Alliance West Jacksonville location where the staff greeted me warmly as a "newbie." As the donation process was started, I was still uncomfortable. I was given my own personal cheerleader, Sonya Loper. She was fabulous at encouraging me, distracting me, and most of all, changing my attitude about being a regular donor.

All she said was, as she added a cold cloth to my neck, "You're doing really great! Do you realize that you are saving three people's lives right now?" It was an epiphany for me! I had never wanted to be a blood donor, but as I sat there squeezing the rubber ball to keep the blood flowing, I thought, I can endure a few minutes of being uncomfortable if it means saving a person's life. ( I'm even considering becoming an organ donor too.)

Now, I'll be a regular blood donor and I have told everyone about my positive experience and encouraged them to donate too. About my excuses, it only hurt for a few second until Sonya got my needle "just right," the whole process took about 20 minutes (paperwork at all), and the bruise was smaller than a pencil eraser.
Because of Sonya, I donated a second time. Again, she was my cheerleader. She remembered me by name and remembered my hesitance at the first donation. She inserted the needle and spoke encouraging words and I was finished in a personal record of less than 8 minutes. Wow, we were a great team. I have a new goal, to donate a gallon, because she made me feel so GREAT about what I was doing and made to process a life-changing experience for me.   

My Story: Kay Grondzik

Most of you may not know Kay Grondzik, but many of you know her voice.  Kay is a telerecruiter at FGBA.  On October 10, 2003 Kay made her regular blood donation with thoughts of helping someone else.  At the time she did not know she would be the one to need that donation.  Kay had been having headaches for several days and on October 15th she was diagnosed as having a brain tumor on the base of her cerebellum.  Emergency surgery was scheduled for the next day.  Dr. Marsha Bertholf, Medical Director at FGBA, retrieved Kay’s donation from the lab and sent it along with four more units to the hospital for Kay’s surgery.  Kay’s surgery required the loss of her beautiful shoulder length hair.  Ever the one to be thinking of others, Kay donated her hair to “Locks of Love” for children with cancer.  The surgery was a success and Kay has been able to return to the telephone, contacting others to schedule lifesaving donations.  Kay commented, “I was truly blessed to have such wonderful friends at work and fantastic donors!  I know what it means to give the gift of life and I am living proof of that!  It is a great feeling to know that I help save lives when I call my donors.  Please, donate blood today and help save a life”.     

     
My Story: Christine Figueroa

When I was pregnant in 2002 I gained 52 pounds.  I was sick all of the time.  I even developed carpal tunnel.  But aside from that I had no major problems.  I was gaining weight and feeling the normal pregnancy discomforts.  Then in the beginning of my last two weeks I started to retain water, and my blood pressure was slightly elevated. 

On Thursday, October 31st I got a headache.  Friday, November 1st I woke up in the hospital.  Early Friday morning I had had a seizure in my sleep due to my elevated blood pressure.  I was rushed to the hospital.  My doctor performed an emergency cesarean on me.  I do not remember anything about the seizure or after.  I only remember one brief second between going to sleep that night and waking up in the hospital Friday morning.

My son was 11 days early.  However he came out happy and healthy weighing 9 lbs. 1 oz. and 21 inches long.  I recovered with a low iron count and not enough blood after the surgery.  I received two pints of blood. I was a blood donor before all of this, and I am now even more grateful for those who are.  Thank you to all of the kind and generous blood donors.  You never know when life will take an unexpected turn.

My Story: Lyle Beck

Two years ago giving blood saved my life…I went into the Mandarin Donor Center showed the receptionist my donor card and sat down. Upon being called back to the health history booth a finger prick and then the blood pressure reading.  The phlebotomist said that my blood pressure was so high I should contact my physician immediately and that I was welcome to use the phone.  

I called my doctor and he said to come on in.  My physician put me on blood pressure medicine and had it not been for the health screening from trying to donate blood that day I might have had a stroke, heart attack, or worse. 
Now I’ve got my blood pressure under control and continue to be a regular blood donor. I encourage anyone who doesn’t donate to donate…the life you save may be your own.