Blood Transfusion related Hepatitis C

[sbd5251]

I was wondering how many of the people on here got HCV from a blood transfusion?  In 1989 my daughter received a blood transfusion which resulted in HCV infection.   She died in 2004 and in trying to understand how this could have happened, I discovered that the blood supply in the United States is horrible.  I sued the Red Cross, who wanted to settle with me, which I did not do because I would have had to sign a confidentiality statement. The suit was dismissed because of a statute of limitations issue.  The Red Cross never understood that is was not about money it was about them cleaning up the blood supply.

[blondie717]

in 1997 my mother always gave plasma (she sold it for more vodka, I like to say she gave vodka with alittle plasma)..she went in too falling down, sloppy drunk one time. they tested and called her in, she thought she had aids and wanted me in that room with her. They would not allow me in with her consent...She came out and said they said she could never give blood again. She died around 2003? from the final stages of liver failure...I wonder what they did with all the other vodka Oops I mean plasma she had sold ever 10 or 15 days???? Who got that??? And what was really wrong with her??? If it was just the booze they might of said wait 72 hrs before selling plasma???  No I dont think our blood suply is safe... My sweet hubby had blood transfusion in washington , for a gunshot would to the neck...that was around 1998. I dont know how he got his hep c.... Hey maybe my hubby got my mama's blood. And then gave me his...

[nygirl7]

I guess really it is a good lesson about having family members store up their own blood if they can afford to do so.  I have always assumed that I got this disease in the 80s from being a stupid ignorant child making stupid dumb mistakes however I have had several tfusions in my life (although much later and I have too much liver damage to have been them I THINK).  We should be able to trust the blood supply that much is true.

"People who don't care about others have no business in the healthcare field. "

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!!!!!!!! People in the position to be able to steal drugs / syringes etc. should be tested REGULARLY as a part of the job.  I guess it would be rather intrusive but heck they could drug test us here at work whenever they want if they feel like it......and I have no access to anything like that. I'd have to get reinfected, stab myself with a tack and then go shake someones hand and stab them with it too ;) not so dangerous or exciting.

[sbd5251]

I agree wholeheartedly with you.  I was in the same position.  But with the technology we have today we should be issued some kind of card that can be checked instantly when you go to give blood.  The practice of buying blood products should be stopped.  If i go in a store and want to make a purchase,  they can tell instantly if i have the funds available.
I was in the same position you were in with Candace.  Give her the  blood or let her die.  But I did trust the ARC and expected to get good blood.  If they can tell instantly about money then the system should be just as good for blood.  The people that are make the decisions should never take a unit of blood until the donor suitability is absolutely not in question.

[Diane12855]

You're right there. I guess that in this world that has mistakes happening in every area every day, 10 -15 units getting by that weren't completely evaluated out of the thousands of units that are processed every day doesn't seem like that much... unless you are the one to get one of those units. Just like we have seen with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL and that colonoscopy clinic in Nevada, careless, inconsiderate people get hired by lots of medical facilities... People who don't care about others have no business in the healthcare field.

Diane

[nygirl7]

Well all I can really say is usually if you need a transfusion - you really need to have the transfusion.  When I was dying a few years ago I gladly took the blood regardless of what it could have had, at the time it was more important to me.  It's not the kind of thing people do just for jolly's. No system is perfect but certainly if you need the blood you need the blood.

[Diane12855]

I don't know why I didn't see them either. I just highlighted the link you provided, right-clicked and selected go to that site. I'll try it again.

Diane