#57753 01-20-2006 04:41 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,140 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) |  Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,140 Likes: 1 | Same with me, Cathy. The RC used to send a car to my office when they needed me. Once I gave a direct donation in an ER. Maybe I will reevaluate after 17 years. But wait -- then I will be disqualified by age. Guess I will just serve the juice and cookies from now on. | | |
#57754 01-23-2006 04:10 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | Jen,
I had been donating blood for almost 40 years when I found out that I could no longer give. I was told about the 5 year waiting period after showing up for a blood drive late last year. I had been told on the phone, by an uninformed Red Cross Worker, that I could give as long as I had no open sores.
Fortunately, the nurse at the drive knew better and called their physician to check things out. I was told that no matter what type of cancer you had, the waiting period is 5 years. Squamous cell is not an exception.
As far as the future is concerned for me, I'll be 64 by the time my waiting period is over and I pray that I will still be cancer free and
not ineligble to give for other reasons. I don't know the age limit for giving.
My feeling is that if the Red Cross is willing to take my blood after 5 years and they feel confident that it will not put the recipient at risk, I will give.
Jerry
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
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#57755 01-24-2006 03:11 AM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | I have to agree with Glenn. They can't possibly screen for everything and an undetectable, less than 2mm tumor, could be passing cancer cells into the blood. I have seen many FDA warning letters in the past to the Red Cross for inadequate screening and a variety of other issues (as well as many other local hospital blood banks, tissue gathering companies, etc.). I am not condemning the ARC, they work very hard at their integtrity. It must always be remembered that this is a medical ART not a SCIENCE - why subject someone to a potentially unknown variable when you KNOW you have or had a life threatening disease that has a high potential for being blood born.
There are also 5 million unDx'd people running around the US today with Hep C.
There are plenty of healthy people out there that can donate blood - let them step up.
By the way, just a little off topic - don't go to the FDA warning letter section and search for fish - you'll never eat it again.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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