ST. LOUIS — As a producer for 5 On Your Side, I look for stories that will impact you the most. One that’s been a topic of conversation in our newsroom has been the blood crisis and shortage across the country. So, last week, when I needed a blood transfusion, that blood crisis hit close to home.
On Wednesday morning, I suffered a medical incident where I lost a lot of blood very quickly. I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening until I had passed out due to that loss of blood. I arrived at the emergency room at Progress West Hospital and shortly after the nurse told me it was likely I would need a blood transfusion.
I knew my blood type: AB Negative. That’s the rarest blood type according to the American Red Cross.
If you’ve never gone through a transfusion (this was my first) the lab will find blood, test it against yours, then start the transfusion process through an IV. I waited nine hours for the hospital to find blood, test it, and then go through with the transfusion.
I was extremely fortunate to have gotten two units of blood from a Type O, Universal Donor.
I have been a donor with the American Red Cross since I was 18 years old and eligible to donate. I will be the first to admit that I never donated much, unless there was a drive on my college’s campus or unless work was hosting a drive.
While I waited those nine hours, I did more research on this crisis and where to donate, when I would be able to donate blood again. I found two great organizations that help people right here in the St. Louis Area.
Impact Life: https://www.bloodcenter.org/
American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html
This experience changed my perspective on how critical just one unit of blood could be to someone. I hope that by sharing this experience, more people feel compelled to donate blood and help save someone in need.