Blood Donations - Update

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Sweet
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Joined: Sun 10 Apr 2005 11:22 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: London / South Wales

Postby Sweet » Fri 30 Dec 2005 3:19 pm

Ok ... i just got a phone call from one of the nurses from the donation service and she put me through to a doctor.

The truth is ... if you have given or indeed received an organ or tissue from someone else that you CANNOT give blood. It doesn't matter what kind of graft you have had, when it was done, or what medication you are taking, you have still had tissue from someone else and there is a risk of CJD.

A corneal graft counts as contributing to the central nervous system, and this has a very high risk of transmitting disease, although i was told that there is probably nothing wrong with this eye! Well, i dam well hope not as well!!!

I asked about donating other organs myself, but there is a high chance that i will not be able to. It is ok to carry the card, but they will obviously run tests after my death and may not take anything.

While this is sad, i wish i had known this BEFORE i had a graft done, as while it probably wouldn't have changed my mind, it would have made me think more about what i was doing. :roll:

Anyway ... Jay, i guess you will need to sort this out, but let me know how it goes!

Sweet X x X
Sweet X x X

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jayuk
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Location: London / Manchester / Cheshire

Postby jayuk » Fri 30 Dec 2005 8:42 pm

Now this is concerning!

I gave blood in Reading, in the Mobile Units as they basically attend the site which is located in a Business Park.....I did tell them that I had a graft and the dates.......and they did still take my blood........

..unless of course they check the blood for CJD as well?........but this is kinda worrying if this has been said to you from them direct.........hmmmm.....
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -
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User avatar
Sweet
Committee
Committee
Posts: 2240
Joined: Sun 10 Apr 2005 11:22 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: London / South Wales

Postby Sweet » Fri 30 Dec 2005 11:52 pm

Jay, i am sorry to tell you this and am hoping that you can work it out. I'm sure that everything was fine.

Take care
Sweet X x X
Sweet X x X

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