One end result for a blood donation - an IVIG

Back when Manic Mom began her Blood Donor Contest, it struck me that *I* am a recipient of more than 1000 blood donors. The IVIg is a pooled blood product of all of those donors. This really excited me, and I began to tell people about her blood drive, especially since I am in the hospital at this precise time receiving donated blood which is sending immunoglobulin running around through my veins beefing up my antibodies to boost my immune system.

This post is the recipient's side, and I do hope you will accept my deepest appreciation for all who donate blood, or wish they could but are unable to do so for various reasons. Due to interferences, I have not been able to totally complete all that I want here, so will be doing some editing later. Please do come back. I'll tell the nurses to not to anything, nor give me anything that will make me sleepy until I am 100% finished with my work here.

I appreciate all of these people in my post below. They are my second home and family. Their part in administering the IVIG is not a small thing. Each one, working together, is . . . well, golly, let's just say I love them all!

Receiving my IVIG

The scalawag is here. (a headache is a scalawag;) It is becoming as strong as ever (but not the worst), and It is best to get this done - hopefully - while I am getting a little relief from a dilaudid . Dr. Ali said last night, the scalawag just comes with the package for me. ::::sigh:::: I'm so blessed. ;) Sleep *might* overtake me soon, so I'm going to work hard to get this completed before the eyelids get too heavy, and shut tightly. He said sleep is what is good for me. I have a few more pictures I would like to get today if possible. It depends on whether they are on duty or not. I see one or two going up and down the hallway; I'm not their patient today, so it just depends on whether I can get their attention or not. I'm a bit shy about asking people for their picture. I know. ME? SHY? It really does take a bit for me to work up to asking someone if I can take their picture. Only one has turned me down, and with the weekend crew coming up, I think I can get a few more.

{Breakfast break. I guess Jim and the babies had to have our morning coffee time without me. Did you guys miss me? Did you all know that I am out of graham crackers? I bet Missie would go get me some if she were here}

Monday night after I came up to the third floor mansion, and Ernest so graciously welcomed me, it was not long until those 1000+ souls with their immunoglobulin were coursing through my veins.

Taping the tubing to my arm

Here Ernest has hooked the tubing from the IV to my arm. He is wrapping it with tape to make it good and secure so that I do not pull it out when I am moving about. *ME* moving about? You're joking, right?


Putting on the splint
Then he puts a splint around it all to help keep it in place, preventing it from getting pulled out, and my having to be stuck again. Last month required six sticks; this month, so far so good, only two!
Update: Location needed changing, so make that an additional three sticks, making a total of five now. *That* surely will be it, since we're getting ready to add the fifth bag now. Hope.



These are just pictures of my IV meter, and the bag holding the immunoglobulin of all those many, many people, a minimum of 1000, and upward to 10,000. Oh! That just blows my mind! The cost is astounding, and I'm sure you can see why. It has been stated that there is a shortage of IVIG. On the MGA UK Forum, a gentleman writes that he has been denied treatment due to a *world-wide* shortage. This is in only in one part of the UK, as others reported they were able to get the treatment. Regardless, blood is needed to keep this treatment going, and to somehow bring the cost down. The IVIG is working for me, a treatment of five days every four weeks, though we have cut it from 2 grams to 1 gram per body kg weight. This is to fight against the scalawags that insist on coming along . . . part of the whole package, the side effects that I have been so blessed with having.

IV Pump


Bag of IVIG product












Now, none of this is possible without the people in my life behind it all. There are many, and I have gotten as many as possible, not slighting anyone purposely. Those whom I can recall just by name but haven't seen this admission, I will be sure and add their names, because every single person has given me excellent care. Any time we have run into any problems, they have been resolved quickly, and efficiently.

Patricia
Patricia checks out my IV pump. She's a good listener. That's not
saying enough for the times she became involved more than
necessary with my two little boys, one with autism, the other who had been air lifted to University of Little Rock Medical Center Hospital.. Thanks Patricia for the help, and support, but even more so, for the standard of nursing that emanates from you.



Tanya
Here is Tanya, a nurse who makes sure everything you need is taken care of.
Uh, can you say Keebler Cinnamon Graham Crackers? Can you say how many more bags of IVIG are needed? Ask the pharmacist if there is *any* doubt whatsoever.
A daughter, sister, or dear friend. That smile is contagious! Can't do without her. Love it when I see her come on duty!





Olayinka
Olayinka, or as she told me, Yinka.Do you think may she sensed I might have trouble with the whole thing? She is from Nairobi, and is she ever light hearted, but a serious, good nurse when the time comes. I love it when I see her come on duty.





Adrienne
Now,what can be said about a red headed nurse? Can we say bold? She puts everything she has into doing her job well, and for her patient's well-being. She does not hold back on what she believes to be right or wrong. She is definitely a red head, and uses it well!





Pam
Pam is a very hard working CNA, who often works both ends of the 3rd floor midnight till seven. Amazing how she can make a *wash-up* leave you feeling like you've had a real bath. I think Pam and I were born of the same *sisterhood* - whatever that means. LOL For one thing, war on all autoimmune diseases!!






Al
Alhaji Marah from Sierra Leone, West Africa, is a most friendly sort
of guy, and very, very funny! He does a great job of taking care of his patients, though, as he is very dependable.





Carmen & Mae
Carmen and Mae. Oh, my goodness!! What can I say? A couple of CNAs who get the job done. I cannot get by without my hugs from Mae, and Carmen and I have to have our joking, in addition to her help





Pat with Joie
Patricia is here with Joie, a unit secretary. Throughout all the months I have been coming here, Joie always has a smile, and Hello for me, not at the desk, but down in my room. She says she has just come to say "Hello."





Sandra
Sandra cleans my room most days, and has the sweetest personality. Today she cleaned my bedside table from where different ones had left things laying there. I sure appreciated it. She is just like that. She never says much, but goes about her job very diligently, and thoroughly.





Calvin
Goodness, not enough can be said about Calvin, one of the two transporters with a smile for absolutely everyone! He will go out of his way to lend you a hand. Taking me to x-ray once, he had the forethought to put my laptop in a drawer, out of while I was out of the room. Once back, he set my room back up for me. Not in his list of duties. Thanks heaps, Calvin!



Ana
Ana is a delight as she brings your meals from dietary. A new face for me, but Ana has such a sweet, happy face, with a bright sunshine smile. After finding out to pronounce her name with a short A sound, I asked her where she was from. She said she and her sister, Sandra (above) are from El Salvador.






TYSHEENA
Now wouldn't you like to have your dinner tray brought to you with a smile like that? Tysheena has been really sweet about remembering some of my diabetes no-nos, and rearranging my food choices to help me be compliant. Not an easy thing to do.





Pat
Pat works at the desk, and I do not get to see her very often but when I do, she has the loveliest smile, and is so helpful with whatever is needed. That is a busy place where she is.






My home away from home
St. Francis Hospital - Bartlett, Memphis, TN. I have been coming here since May 2007, for IVIG treatments, which are one end product of a blood donor's gift. It is from the pooled blood of more than 1000 blood donors.





Me working on my laptop
On this post, actually.