Be a Hero and Be a Donor

(Google Image)

By Nurse Diane

Today is Valentine’s Day, and it’s also National Donor Day.  Not only can you go down to the local red cross and donate some blood, you can also go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and sign a donor card to donate any organs needed should anything unfortunate happen to you.  According to usa.gov: currently, over 100,000 people are waiting for an organ donation, and each day, 18 people die waiting for an organ.

(Google Image)

February 14th is recognized across the country as National Donor Day. The nationwide event focuses on five types of donation:

Organs;

Tissues;

Marrow;

Platelets; and

Blood.

Many nonprofit organizations hold blood and marrow drives as well as organ and tissue sign ups to encourage those who are able to donate to do so as often as possible.

(Google Image)

One organ can save up to 8 lives.

Supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as many nonprofit organizations, National Donor Day was started in 1998 by the Saturn Corporation and its United Auto Workers.

(Google Image)

So today, on Heart Day, why not sign a card to donate your heart, or anything else, or just donate a pint of blood and be a hero and save a life!

Hemochromatosis Awareness Month

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest, RN

Hemochromatosis is a genetic disease that can be inherited from a child's parents, and which causes the child to absorb too much iron, leading to extra iron being stored in the child's liver, heart, pancreas, and other organs. And although this usually doesn't cause any symptoms in childhood, later in life it can cause them to have arthritis, heart problems, liver disease, diabetes, and many other medical problems.

(Google Image) 

Symptoms include:

• Generalized darkening of skin color (often referred to as bronzing)
• Joint pain
• Lack of energy
• Loss of body hair
• Loss of sexual desire
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Abdominal Pain

(Google Image) 

Hemochromatosis can be diagnosed by a blood test, or a physical exam detecting enlarged liver and spleen and skin color changes.  Other tests include a liver function test and EKG.

Treatment includes a procedure called phlebotomy is the best method for removing excess iron from the body.

One-half liter of blood is removed from the body each week until the body iron level is normal. This may take many months or even years to do.

After that, the procedure may be done less often to maintain normal iron levels.

How often you need this procedure depends on your symptoms and your levels of hemoglobin and serum ferritin, and how much iron you take in your diet.

If you are diagnosed with hemochromatosis, you should follow a special diet to reduce how much iron is absorbed from your digestive tract. Your doctor or nurse will recommend:

• Do not alcohol, especially if you have liver damage
• Do not take iron pills or vitamins containing iron
• Do not use iron cookware
• Do not eat raw seafood (cooked is fine)
• Do not eat foods fortified with iron, such as 100% iron breakfast cereals

(Google Image) 

Early treatment can help prevent complications such as liver disease, heart disease, arthritis or diabetes. Screening family members of a person diagnosed with hemochromatosis may detect the disease early so that treatment can be started before organ damage has occurred in other affected relatives.

(Google Image) 

For more information about hemochromatosis, click this site: http://www.hemochromatosis.org/

Participating World Blood Donor Day - 2012

(Google Image)

By Diane Forrest, RN

When I was in college, I knew a guy who had a rare blood type.  Every couple of months or so he would go to the Red Cross and get paid for a pint of blood.  Then with the money he received he would be able to pay some expenses.  Now that he is no longer a starving student, he continues to go to the Red Cross, only now he donates his blood for those in needs.

(Google Image)

Enticing people to donate their blood is not an easy task.  Several large corporations have blood drives for their employees offering incentives and prizes.  The blood mobile can be seen at local festivals or health fairs.  They will even go to high schools to encourage the older students to donate.  When I was in high school I wanted to donate, mainly to get out of class, but also to help someone who needed it.

If there is a local tragedy, people will flock to the hospitals to donate their blood, and even if they don't have the same blood type, their blood will be stored for future use.  The biggest problem faced is storing the blood.  Shelf life for plasma can be up to a year, but red blood cells can only be stored for as long as 40 days, and platelets for only 7 days.  This makes blood donation a constant need.

(Google Image)

There are specific requirements for donating blood.  You must be at least 17 years of age, must be afebrile at the time.  A medical history is checked, and a screening test is performed to make sure there are no medications or any possible diseases.  Pregnant women are differed, and sometimes the elderly to prevent any health risks.

Today is World Blood Donor Day.  This is the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the scientist who discovered the ABO blood group system.  As of 2008, the WHO estimated that more than 81 million units of blood were being collected annually.  Donating blood is relatively simple and painless.  After the questions and blood screening, you simply lie in a chair, a needle is inserted in your arm, and then your blood flows into a bag.  It doesn't take very long, depending on how fast your blood flow is.  You need to rest for about 15 to 20 minutes and enjoy some snacks so you don't get dizzy or faint.

(Google Image)

Why don't you go and donate some blood today, who knows you might even get a free tee shirt or a day off work with pay not to mention the great feeling you will get from saving someone's life.

Red Cross Month

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest, RN

191 years ago, on Christmas Day, an angel was born in North Ford, Massachusetts.  Her name was Clara Barton.  At the young age of 16, she became a school teacher.  Under her direction attendance in the schools exploded increasing to over 600, and she had hopes of becoming the head of the school, but instead a man was hired for the job.  Frustrated, she moved to Washington and began working as a clerk in the US Patent office.  This was the first time a woman held a job with pay at the same level as a man.  Subsequently, under political opposition to women working in government offices, her position was reduced to that of copyist, and in 1857, under the administration of James Buchanan, eliminated entirely.  She was now 36 years old, and spent the next several years living with family and friends.  When President Lincoln was elected she went back to Washington and worked as a temporary clerk, in order to pave a way for women in government service.  Then, the Civil War started.

(Google Image) 

I learned about Clara Barton while in nursing school.  9 days after the start of the Civil war, a train full of dead and wounded soldiers arrived in Washington.  Clara, using her own supplies, helped take care of these men, nursing them back to health.  She was given permission to ride on the ambulances, and was called "the woman in charge" over the hospitals.

(Google Image) 

Following the war Clara traveled all around, telling stories of the conditions of war.  When Clara Barton returned to the United States, she inaugurated a movement to gain recognition for the International Committee of the Red Cross by the United States government. When she began work on this project in 1873, most Americans thought the U.S. would never again face a calamity like the Civil War, but Barton finally succeeded during the administration of President Chester Arthur, using the argument that the new American Red Cross could respond to crises other than war.  She became the first President of the American Red Cross in Washington, in 1881 at the age of 60.  She continued working to help people after wars around the world as well as other crises, building orphanages and helping to rebuild until 1903, at the age of 83.

(Google Image) 

Today the Red Cross is still going strong.  Today, the American Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year, providing shelter, food, emotional support and other necessities to those affected. Through a worldwide network, the American Red Cross provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families – in war zones, military hospitals and on military installations around the world. Red Cross Blood Services collects and distributes more than 40 percent of this country’s blood supply. And, more than 9 million people across the United States receive American Red Cross training in first aid, water safety and other skills every year.

(Google Image) 

I know firsthand of the help from the Red Cross after the effect from Hurricane Katrina.  The volunteers were first on the scene offering medical aid, food, supplies and support.  They are readily available during all types of crises, hurricanes, floods, tornados and in other tragedies such as plane crashes, bridge disasters and assistance during 911.

March is American Red Cross Month.  They depend on support from the community through donations, volunteers and blood donations.  If you are able, why not go and donate some blood at your local Red Cross, or visit this site to learn more about what they do, and perhaps send a cash donation or offer to volunteer your time to assist others in need.

(Google Image) 

http://www.redcross.org/

World Kidney Day

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest, RN

My husband was injured on the job with an injury that left him paralyzed.  Because he had no feeling below his chest, he was not aware of when he needed to use the bathroom, and was forced to wear catheters.  He was able to wear a condom catheter, instead of an indwelling catheter.  Indwelling catheter use for long periods of time can cause infections.  Of course wearing a condom catheter can also cause infections because the bladder is not fully emptying.  On his last trip to the hospital, his doctor informed me that he had kidney failure.  I was shocked, confused, and could only think about was dialysis.  He was transferred to another hospital in the state a few days later.  After running blood tests, it was discovered that he did not have kidney failure, and there was no need to worry.

(Google Image) 

The kidneys are very important in the mechanics of our bodies.  They filter the blood, around 180 liters a day, then return the cleaned blood and dispose of the waste, through urine.  The kidneys also regulate blood pressure and the acid base balance in our bodies, and they secrete hormones.  Kidney failure is very serious.  Several conditions can cause kidney failure.  They include:

• Hypervolemia, which is a major blood loss;
• Dehydration;
• Poor intake of fluids;
• Medications, such as diuretics;
• Obstruction to the blood flow to the kidneys;
• Sepsis;
• Diabetes;
• Poorly controlled hyper-tensions; and
• Tumors.

(Google Image) 

Kidney failure can sometimes be treated with medication, depending on the underlying cause.  Most kidney failure patients must be treated with dialysis and eventually even a transplant.

Today is World Kidney day.  The purpose of this day is to learn about your kidneys, how they function and how to keep them healthy.  Take this quiz while you sip on a large glass of water, to see how much you know about the kidneys http://www.medicinenet.com/kidney_disease_quiz/quiz.htm

(Google Image) 

For more information on how you can help, visit this site: http://www.worldkidneyday.org/

National Volunteer Blood Donor Month

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest, RN

When I was in high school, the United Blood Drive came to my school to get donations.  You had to be 17 to donate, and of course everyone wanted to donate, because that would mean getting out of class for the period you went.  When it was my turn to go I was a little nervous.  What I expected to be a simple procedure ended up being more complicated than I could have imagined.  It started off simple enough, filling out the required paperwork and answering all the questions.  Then they did a finger prick to determine my blood type.  Next it was time to be stuck with the needle.  It was then that I learned I had no veins.  It took all of the blood drive employees to examine my arms for a suitable vein.  I was told that I had surface veins, and they could not be used. 

Finally after being stuck for the third time a return of blood flow was awarded.  You would have thought they struck oil!  Their elation soon ended when then flow of blood turned into a trickle, then a drop.  The well had gone dry, and I had only filled half of the bag.  They were very disappointed, however not nearly as disappointed as me.  Not only was I sent back to class without a rest time, but I didn't even get any juice or cookies.  The blood could not be used, and had to be discarded.  I failed at donating blood, but that doesn't mean that you can't donate.

(Google Image) 

I later learned from my father, that when I was a baby, I dehydrated, and they couldn't find any veins at that time either.  They had to make an incision on my ankle to find a vein to place an IV in so that I could get fluids.

January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month.  January was chosen because it is the hardest month to recruit volunteers.  Changing weather, busy holiday schedules, increased cold and flu symptoms and even the winter blues can keep the most dedicated blood donors from making or keeping an appointment to give. Yet winter weather can lead to more traumatic injuries on icy roads and may increase the need for blood.  Donating blood is a simple, painless task that not only makes you feel good about helping your fellow man, but also 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives.

(Google Image) 

For more information about donating blood visit this site: http://www.americasblood.org/

Then call your local blood bank and schedule your appointment to give the gift of life.