My second apheresis at St. Johns Hospital, Bangalore.

On 30 September 2021, I made a call to Dr. Sitalakshmi, in charge of the St Johns Blood transfusion service, but could not contact her. Later she called me back to ask whether I was ready to donate platelets for a pregnant patient. I readily agreed. She had called me a week earlier (two weeks after my previous apheresis) but I was busy with classes and could not bunk from work.

 

On 31 September , I reached St Johns blood bank at 8.45 am. The two hour process started  at 9.15 and was over by 11.15 am. After taking 10 minutes rest and a fruit juice, I walked almost a km to State Bank of India branch in Industrial area in Koramangala for some banking related work. Perfectly fit.

The platelets help in blood clotting. This time about 100 ml, 3 x 10 ^^11 in number was collected and given for a pregnant lady who was suffering from excessive bleeding in the hospital. I wish the donation becomes useful for her.

Platelets, or thrombocytes, are small, colorless cell fragments in our blood that form clots and stop or prevent bleeding. Platelets are made in our bone marrow, the sponge-like tissue inside our bones. Bone marrow contains stem cells that develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. -www.redcrossblood.org

Platelets are tiny blood cells that help your body form clots to stop bleeding. If one of your blood vessels gets damaged, it sends out signals to the platelets. The platelets then rush to the site of damage and form a plug (clot) to fix the damage. -                 www.urmc.rochester.edu

 

Thrombocytopenia (low platelets count) signs and symptoms:

• Easy or excessive bruising (purpura)
• Superficial bleeding into the skin that appears as a rash of pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots (petechiae), usually on the lower legs.
• Prolonged bleeding from cuts.
• Bleeding from your gums or nose.
• Blood in urine or stools.        - www,mayoclinic.org
  

Low platelet count is symbolic of Leukaemia. Platelets usually survive in the blood for 7 - 10 days and die naturally. 

What is a healthy platelet count - A normal platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Having more than 450,000 platelets is a condition called thrombocytosis; having less than 150,000 is known as thrombocytopenia.  www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Here is a good link on blood and its constituents from the Uty of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre, click here.

Life makes meaning when we give, not when we amass for ourselves .. When I tell others about blood donation and apheresis, I get mixed reactions from people.  Most of them are appreciative, but a bit cautious. Some of them raise concerns of hygienic blood transfusion services, while others find it bothersome to go to a blood bank, stand in queue and spend half an hour for humanity. But generally on the whole the response is positive and appreciative.

After blood donation with the knowledge that it is going to help at least three or four needy patients, there is a great feeling of having done something for fellow human beings without any hope of returns. Before the process, one is given two Calcium tablets and after the process, a can of fruit juice. 

 

With no tiredness and no lethargy, blood donation opens an infinite resource of positivity and optimism in your mind and body, helping everybody in your contact to bubble with zeal, confidence and energy. Ever since I started this process from the Govt. Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala in 1984, there has been no looking back. We also have a great committed blood donation team at St. Johns hospital with whom I have become friends, Dr. Sitalakshmi and Dr. Ashley, especially after my forty third donation.

 

George