NewsLady Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 Bonnie Williams husband Larry suffered a heart attack this past week end and now has internal bleeding and is in critical need of 2 units of A+ blood. He is in Chiriquí Hospital and if you can donate please go to the lab at Chiriquí. Below are the general requirements to be a blood donor. Thank You Hospice and Home Health Boquete 67819250 CRITERIA FOR DONATING BLOOD Criteria for donating blood at Chiriqui Hospital are: You must be between the ages of 18 and 65. You are generally ineligible when you become age 66. In a life or death situation, the doctor in charge of the patient may override this restriction. You may not give blood if you are allergic to penicillin. Men can only give blood every three months, women every four months. The difference is because men usually have a higher hematocrit than women. Infectious diseases: An active infection or any infection of any kind in the last 10 days, including dental, will disqualify you. A history of the following diseases will disqualify you: TB, malaria, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis of any kind, Chagras Disease, and Yellow fever. CMV and mononucleosis are OK if not recent. You must have normal blood pressure. Blood pressure medications are OK if your blood pressure is normal in the ER when you are screened. If your blood pressure drops below normal when you give blood, you cannot give again. You may not give blood if you have sickle cell anemia, or if you are diabetic. You must weigh more than 55 kilos (approximately 121 pounds by calculation). IV drug users are ineligible. Your blood will be tested by the lab for normal values and infectious diseases. You may be rejected as a donor by the ER doctor who screens you or by the lab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 The criteria for donors would seem to be overly restrictive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 This is Panama and it is what it is. Of course it makes no sense, but, as stated above . . . this is Panama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 What a great community! Within an hour after Penny posted this for me here and on News Boquete, we had two donors in the lab and two more on standby. I had gone to the lab to donate myself, but I was afraid that they would turn me down because of my age. In a later meeting with the doctor, however, he said they generally will take any blood donated regardless of age, particularly in an emergency situation. So, yes, the criteria are overly restrictive, but it's good to know that Hospital Chiriqui will bend the rules. A special thanks to Penny and Gail Cody, who came to my rescue helped put this together in record time when we were unable to reach the appropriate person in Hospice. While you're filling out all those end of life forms, you might want to consider gathering the names and numbers of some friends and acquaintances who share your blood type for a situation just such as this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 That's terrific news, hoping Larry gets back on track quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 (edited) 3 hours ago, Keith Woolford said: The criteria for donors would seem to be overly restrictive. Keith I know that sometimes it should seen like it is very strict and restrictive.... but on the other hand you wanted for you or your family member a high quality blood without "surprises" that could make the patient condition's worse. I know that in some special conditions the doctors could look at other side regarding this requirements because of the emergency. Imagine if they have contaminated blood with any bacterial or viral disease. Some years ago I remember that people with drug addiction, alcohol addiction and with specials needs started "selling" their blood to the blood banks. It was a terrible situation here and they become so strict. I know that extremes are always bad but as I can recall it was one of the situation that leads to the health authorities to become strict regarding blood donors requisites. Edited June 8, 2016 by Roger B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 25 minutes ago, Roger B said: Keith I know that sometimes it should seen like it is very strict and restrictive.... but on the other hand you wanted for you or your family member a high quality blood without "surprises" that could make the patient condition's worse. I know that in some special conditions the doctors could look at other side regarding this requirements because of the emergency. Imagine if they have contaminated blood with any bacterial or viral disease. Some years ago I remember that people with drug addiction, alcohol addiction and with specials needs started "selling" their blood to the blood banks. It was a terrible situation here and they become so strict. I know that extremes are always bad but as I can recall it was one of the situation that leads to the health authorities to become strict regarding blood donors requisites. Roger, the blood is tested in the lab prior to its been transfused into a patient. The U.S. has a stellar blood bank system. Of course, there are some restrictions; but Panama's age restrictions and prohibition of having been out of the country (no matter where--in expats' cases usually the U.S. or Canada) over the past six months are ridiculous. Why there have been no efforts in Panama to establish blood banks is a mystery to me. Both Panamanians and expats constantly are scurrying around looking for blood of a particular type, which takes time. In the meantime, a life can be at stake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Bonnie, i am A pos but 67 yrs old. I know that in Canada I would have been able to continue donating until I was 70 before needing a doctors permission. I am out of town till Friday but if you can check with the hospital I can get there after that if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Thank you to the many people who responded to this request for blood. A special thanks to Dan Bourbeau and Steven Walker, who arrived at the lab less than an hour after the call for blood went out. As they both were accepted as donors, we had the needed two units for transfusion yesterday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Bonnie, our thoughts and prayers go out for you and Larry. Please keep us all updated at major milestones in his recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 18 hours ago, Bonnie said: Roger, the blood is tested in the lab prior to its been transfused into a patient. The U.S. has a stellar blood bank system. Of course, there are some restrictions; but Panama's age restrictions and prohibition of having been out of the country (no matter where--in expats' cases usually the U.S. or Canada) over the past six months are ridiculous. Why there have been no efforts in Panama to establish blood banks is a mystery to me. Both Panamanians and expats constantly are scurrying around looking for blood of a particular type, which takes time. In the meantime, a life can be at stake. Bonnie: We have never had the opportunity to meet personally but I do really wish that your husband is doing well and all this health situation will be something that will pass quickly and he will be back on track soon. Just only in a slight defense of the requirements. I know that Panama per se dont have the experience and technology to create most of their regulations and procedures. All the one we have are copies from countries, in first place like: US, then other countries in Latin America and finally by the UN and other international organizations. I dont know where they copied this requirements but some people found them a little bit extremes in some aspects. About Blood Banks in Panama. Bonnie, believe or not, there are in Panama. They exist. The problem is that people dont go there to donate in advance. People only donate when somebody like a friend of family needs the blood. Every now and then the government agencies and some social organizations like Lions Club, The Rotary's held blood bank campaigns to make people to donate. I do remember one time that they went to the Police academy and "voluntarily" all the students donated blood. It will be good for the health authorities to do those campaigns more frequently instead of losing time in other subjects not so important. My wife needed a surgery two years ago. A histerectomy and needed some blood. I couldn't donate because I was traveling to Central America very frequently. My son-in-law, my sons and some nephews of my wife donate enough blood for her and the rest remained in the blood bank for anybody else who may needed it. What will I do next time, very responsible, I wont let them know I did travel. So no problem. So I won't answer or will omit those questions that are not relevant but might be the cause of my rejection as a donor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Lee wrote a very good article on Blood Banking in the Boquete Guide back in 2009. http://www.boqueteguide.com/?p=4563 Followed in 2013 by some misinformation. www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2013/09/08/blood-donorsreceivers/ Sep 8, 2013 - Because of the fact that blood is not banked in Panama, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 16 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: Lee wrote a very good article on Blood Banking in the Boquete Guide back in 2009. http://www.boqueteguide.com/?p=4563 Followed in 2013 by some misinformation. www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2013/09/08/blood-donorsreceivers/ Sep 8, 2013 - Because of the fact that blood is not banked in Panama, From the first article: "According to Peter prior to 1989 Panama had an active Red Cross and culture of giving blood. That all disintegrated after the invasion. Now the Red Cross is rebuilding and a new chapter is opening in Boquete. The prior chapter closed 15 years ago under a dark cloud. The National Red Cross is starting a campaign called Club 25 to educate young people about the gift of blood." This was written in 2009. Things move slowly indeed in Panama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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