Question about Emergency blood transfusions on board?

[B_Mc]

I'm wondering if they only accept American blood donors....I'd bring my Canadian card but wonder if they'd even accept me.

[Kellie Poodle]

I have given blood many times, but since I have had cancer I am now excluded I was popular since I am O pos. I have check many times but cancer remains an exclusion.

 

I had cancer, too. It depends upon where it was located and what your treatment was. Mine was Oral cancer and I had surgery and radiation, no chemo, so they take my blood.

 

You really have to check with the blood bank people as there is a huge book of rules.

[JudyM]

I'm wondering if they only accept American blood donors....I'd bring my Canadian card but wonder if they'd even accept me.

 

I'm betting you'd be perfectly acceptable, B. One of the automatic questions asked by the American Red Cross is "Have you traveled outside of the US or Canada in the last three years?" In other words, the assumption is that public health standards in both countries are equally excellent. That's also true in Europe, of course, but the concern there is over Mad Cow Disease outbreaks in the past.

 

THANKS to everyone who's a volunteer blood donor!

[lah66]

Evaluator...I have never heard of the blood center giving "gifts" for donating! I work at a hospital where the spirit of competition between the local hospitals brings in a lot of donations....My husband just told me that he received a grocery gift card for donating last week....he thinks the no "gift" rule is outdated! Oops...sorry for the misinformation!! And Thank you for being a blood donor!

[EVALUATOR]

I am very sorry for your loss of Mrs Evaluator.

 

***

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Evaluator...I have never heard of the blood center giving "gifts" for donating! I work at a hospital where the spirit of competition between the local hospitals brings in a lot of donations....My husband just told me that he received a grocery gift card for donating last week....he thinks the no "gift" rule is outdated! Oops...sorry for the misinformation!! And Thank you for being a blood donor!

 

I could never give enough blood to make up for all that Mrs E. received. Not much hurt as much as seeing the hurt in her eyes when the cancer center would tell her they still don't have a match for her.

 

I always gave the gifts for giving blood to the nurses that cared for Mrs E.

[Anton]

I was on back-to-back cruises on Liberty OTS in December, the first of which had the lady airlifted off the ship. Indeed, the Captain made an announcement for A- blood. On the next cruise he had to do it again, on the last evening. I forget the blood type he asked for but he did say 'preferably someone with a donor card'. In this case he sped up to get to Florida ASAP and we arrived at Port Everglades 3 hours early so they could remove the patient.

[Katana_Geldar]

My donor card from Australian Red Cross stays in my purse and my FH is a regular donor too. Had no idea they would need blood but I would put up my hand if asked.

 

And the best thing about giving blood? The free feed! Last time I got raisin toast and a milkshake.

[lah66]

Evaluator, What a gentle soul you are! You made tears come to my eyes thinking of all you went through with your wife. I am so sorry for your loss. She was a very lucky woman to have such a loving man taking care of her!

[phoenix1181]

I never leave home without my donor card. I bring it in the event I have an accident & need a transfusion................ now I see it may come in handy to help someone else!

 

When I donate, I frequently receive a gift of some sort. A tote bag, gift voucher, t-shirt, whatever. I don't think any of the gifts would necessarily entice someone to donate. Their value is quite small, probably no more than $4 or $5.

[DrD]

My donor card from Australian Red Cross stays in my purse and my FH is a regular donor too. Had no idea they would need blood but I would put up my hand if asked.

 

And the best thing about giving blood? The free feed! Last time I got raisin toast and a milkshake.

 

Perhaps less of an incentive on a cruiseship.

[JudyM]

Perhaps less of an incentive on a cruiseship.

 

*Snort* THAT made me snicker. Could the cruiseship reward be reserved seating at that night's show? Or around the pool? Pity the ShipShape dollars are gone!

[The Sunset Glow]

I will be donating just before I leave for our February 2nd cruise because I believe my visit to Cozumel will make me ineligible to donate again for 1 year. You normally have to wait 56 days before you can donate again. Will this apply in an emergency situation on a cruise ship?

[Katana_Geldar]

Perhaps less of an incentive on a cruiseship.

 

Good milkshakes are hard to get these days, particularly in the size they give to you at the blood bank. Anyway, I don't donate for the incentive, I do the because my blood is needed. And as I'm O+, it's in high demand.

[lah66]

Sunset Glow....I dont think they exclude you if you were in Cozumel....I know if you have been to Belize, Roatan, Labadee and some parts of Jamaica, they will exclude you. I would doublecheck when you donate before your trip...and if you live outside the US, your rules may be different.

I would think in the case of an emergency, they would take your blood even if your 8 weeks have not passed. Most people recover pretty quickly after giving a unit.

What a fun loving conversation! Thanks everyone!

[SRQfireman]

What do you call a prize or promotion?

I get free movie tickets, steak dinners, tee shirts, and tote bags every time.

 

That's what I thought.......I thought I heard/read about how locally they give stuff away.....so not sure where that other poster is from, but obviously they don't allow it where they're from.

Nobody is mentioning getting anything special if doing it on a ship....just like I figured.....but just thought that just maybe there was an outside chance the cruiseline may buy ya a Shirley Temple or something :D

[The Sunset Glow]

Sunset Glow....I dont think they exclude you if you were in Cozumel....I know if you have been to Belize, Roatan, Labadee and some parts of Jamaica, they will exclude you. I would doublecheck when you donate before your trip...and if you live outside the US, your rules may be different.

I would think in the case of an emergency, they would take your blood even if your 8 weeks have not passed. Most people recover pretty quickly after giving a unit.

What a fun loving conversation! Thanks everyone!

 

Maybe it is Jamaica, not Cozumel - I remember reading a post a couple of months ago that was telling people about a port that will make you ineligible to donate and whatever place it was was included on our cruise. That's why I made my donation appointment for just before I leave. I will be sure to check with them when I donate on January 25th.

 

And, yes, this is a wonderful thread for a change!:D

[subtchr]

My husband and I donated regularly many years ago, but since we lived in England and Scotland from 1985-1988, we are now excluded. It's a shame, because it never bothered either of us, and we would be happy to do it again. But I understand the need for safety.

[JudyM]

I will be donating just before I leave for our February 2nd cruise because I believe my visit to Cozumel will make me ineligible to donate again for 1 year. You normally have to wait 56 days before you can donate again. Will this apply in an emergency situation on a cruise ship?

 

Sunset Glow, every country (and maybe every blood bank) has different regulations, so you can check with your local donor eligibility staff about Cozumel to find out for sure.

 

The 56-day wait is based on the medical fact that your body takes that long to replenish its red blood cells fully. In a desperate emergency, yes, a transfusion with less than the normal red cell count could be better than nothing. But it couldn't work as well as a regular unit. And, donating prematurely wouldn't do you any good, either.

 

But I really like the way you think, Sunset: planning a donation just before you leave so that part of the one-year wait (if there is one) is taken up by the 56-day wait. Very generous, and very clever!

[Riggy84]

My husband and I donated regularly many years ago, but since we lived in England and Scotland from 1985-1988, we are now excluded. It's a shame, because it never bothered either of us, and we would be happy to do it again. But I understand the need for safety.

 

 

So what, American's don't want British blood?? :eek:

I guess i shall be keeping my (perfectly good for British people) blood to myself should an emergency occur on the ship. I'll save it for a fellow Brit in need instead :D

[DrD]

So what, American's don't want British blood?? :eek:

I guess i shall be keeping my (perfectly good for British people) blood to myself should an emergency occur on the ship. I'll save it for a fellow Brit in need instead :D

 

It's to do with Mad Cow, or as we in the biz call it Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.

 

But really it's more about liability.

 

Personally I'd take your blood.

[Riggy84]

It's to do with Mad Cow, or as we in the biz call it Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.

 

But really it's more about liability.

 

Personally I'd take your blood.

 

Phew, that makes me feel more wanted :)

 

P.S. I may be a mad cow sometimes but i'm not diseased :D

[lah66]

Dr D, Is that Creutzfeldt Jakob? We have special procedures and have to be extremely careful if that disease is suspected in patients coming to our hospital...we cannot run their blood or csf samples through our lab instruments because it is almost impossible to kill it off. I dont think I have heard of any cases in the US...I wonder how detrimental that rule is to the US blood supply...Do they ignore the risk in the UK and Europe? There would be no blood donors!

[DrD]

Dr D, Is that Creutzfeldt Jakob? We have special procedures and have to be extremely careful if that disease is suspected in patients coming to our hospital...we cannot run their blood or csf samples through our lab instruments because it is almost impossible to kill it off. I dont think I have heard of any cases in the US...I wonder how detrimental that rule is to the US blood supply...Do they ignore the risk in the UK and Europe? There would be no blood donors!

 

It's very similar (prion disease) but comes from meat rather than instruments and/or tissue as does CJD. Symptoms and course are very similar.

 

another disease like those is kuru, google it as it's really quite disgusting. (if you want)

[Cruzin-K]

Dr D, Is that Creutzfeldt Jakob? We have special procedures and have to be extremely careful if that disease is suspected in patients coming to our hospital...we cannot run their blood or csf samples through our lab instruments because it is almost impossible to kill it off. I dont think I have heard of any cases in the US...I wonder how detrimental that rule is to the US blood supply...Do they ignore the risk in the UK and Europe? There would be no blood donors!

 

 

Well now you have. A friend's husband died from CJD a few years ago. He deteriorated for months before a diagnosis, which came shortly before he died. He left behind two very young daughters, so sad. :(

 

No, I have no idea how he contracted it.

[MMLEsq]

I was on back-to-back cruises on Liberty OTS in December, the first of which had the lady airlifted off the ship. Indeed, the Captain made an announcement for A- blood. On the next cruise he had to do it again, on the last evening. I forget the blood type he asked for but he did say 'preferably someone with a donor card'. In this case he sped up to get to Florida ASAP and we arrived at Port Everglades 3 hours early so they could remove the patient.

 

I was on the Vision OTS from 12/14 - 12/24 and they made an announcement looking for O+ blood. My husband and I thought it was strange that it wasn't accompanied by a statement that they were going to speed up to try to get close enough to divert the ship to an unscheduled port or get to a place where the patient could be airlifted off the ship. IIRC, it was on Saturday morning and we weren't due to arrive back in Fort Lauderdale until Monday morning. So, apparently, it was enough of an emergency to require a transfusion, but not enough to speed up to get the person off the ship.

 

We also thought it was strange that they weren't looking for both O+ and O- blood since -- as has been mentioned in previous posts -- O- is the universal donor.