Platelets While You Wait

Hello all! I do hope everyone is embracing the 1st day of December and is looking forward to this upcoming Christmas season. You don't have to be a numerologist to determine just how many shopping days are left until Christmas. Frightening isn't it???

Mike is doing well and is resting at home. As you know he finished his 2nd round of consolidation therapy last week and will begin his 3rd round on December 14th. This will be another inpatient stay and will last about 6 days. I guess his body has been likened to that of a work horse due to the repetition and frequency its being subjected to for this treatment plan. He has taken the treatment well and we just ask the Lord that He allows Mike to be able to continue to do so.

As the subject line eludes, Mike's blood counts always drop after chemotherapy (which, unfortunately, is the point of chemotherapy) and that requires him to receive both blood transfusions and platelets from time to time. This typically isn't that big of a process and he usually hangs out somewhere in St. Mary's while he watches television. The last time he was there, however they were out of platelets and he had to come back the next day when the supply was replenished. When I first heard this news, I was like, "What do you mean 'out of platelets?'" You can be out of potato salad or out of key lime pie, but platelets??? Can that happen? I guess the better question is: Should that happen? Thankfully in Mike's case, receiving platelets wasn't a life threatening situation. However, it easily could have been for someone else, in another situation. So this Christmas, please send up a word of thanks to the Man in charge for your health and stop by the Red Cross and give a pint or two, would you? Almost anyone can donate and it's no big deal to do so. Probably the biggest "side effect" that you will suffer is receiving a phone call once every couple months asking you to come back. Plus if you go on your lunch break and get the "I donated blood" sticker, you may even be able to get out of a task of two later that afternoon or evening. It's amazing just how many Spider Solitaire games you can eek out of a "I'm feeling a little light-headed; I think I'll sit down and eat some peanut butter crackers." ((Not that any of US would ever do anything like that...)) So grab a buddy who will donate with you and hit the ARC, will ya? Attached is the link to the Red Cross which outlines the procedure.

http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/