No good deed goes unpunished

[tmiller027]

I'm a bit angry.

For the last few months, I've been giving blood at our local blood bank. You can only donate once every 60 days, so I'd donated twice so far this year. Did it in Feb. with no problem. I went back in April and donated, didn't seem to be any problems then either.

Until Saturday, I get a letter from them saying my blood tested positive on initial screenings for Hep C, but the supplemental test and nucleic acid tests were both negative. It did say they recommend I talk to my Dr. to find out for sure if i"m negative. I spoke to a supervisor at the blood bank (not the Red Cross but a local medical foundation). She explained that they have a high rate of false positives, and since I work in healthcare, I obviouisly have a very active immune system with a lot of antibodies, so if the two follow up tests were negative, there is a 98% chance that I am negative, but to check with my Dr. She also said the bloodwork was sent to him as well.

So I call my doc on monday. They haven't gotten anything, so they call the blood bank, who suddenlty can't find anything about me. So I call them back on Tues, and they find my records and say they'll fax it to my Doc ASAP. By 4pm tues, I still haven't heard anything, so I call my doc office and talk to his nurse. She said they still haven't gotten anthing. So I call the blood bank back.

This time, the woman handling my case isn't in. The woman who answered the phone was rude and giggling at everything I said. I asked her if she thought it was funny that I may have Hep C, and she just giggled and said of course not. I told her I really needed to get ahold of someone who can fax this info to my Doc. She said no one was in, but would take a message. She just said that over and over. I explaiend my situation to her, and she just giggled again. I then asked her is that how they treat their blood donors by telling them they might have a serious illness, then throw every roadblock in the way so they can't confirm, and then laugh at them w hen they call to find out. She giggled again and said she didn't know.

So by this time, I'm fuming. She transferred me to someone else who got ahold of this lady. I talked to her, who said she was faxing the info to my doc right away.

So this morning, I call my doc's nurse. She said all they sent was a copy of the same letter that I gave them. :angryfire So she calls them back for to get the rest of the info.

Last I know, the called and left a message after I had left for work, saying I need to call them when I can. SO now I have to wait yet another day to find out what is going on. This is what I get for being a good citizen, trying to do the right thing and help others. A serious scare and then the runaround. This is no way to treat people who donate blood. I have to say, I'm never ever ever ever ever donating blood ever again.

Tim

[tmiller027]

I might add that one problem with going to the press is that it might discourage poeple from donating the much needed blood. And in the end it will be the patients that suffer because their is no blood when it is so despiratly needed.

But I must add that i'm sorry that this has been such a bad experiene for you.

SR

Yes but anymore, its the only way to get someone's attention. An angry letter from a donor, they can toss in the trash. A write up in the paper, they have to address. Their blood supply obviously isn't that short if this is how they treat their donors.

[gypsyatheart]

Well, do you have a local news channel who does expose type of stuff? YOu know, like a "local" John Stossel? Bring it to their attention, usually cameras and TV people get some notice.

It sounds like the organization you're donating with is very unorganized and I can only imagine your frustration. Remember, though, these receptionist-like people are not professionals. You do need to meet with the manager, a higher up that can handle the situation. And do it face to face. But to be honest, I would be at my own MD's office getting everything I needed to clarify my health situation. I think you're wasting your time with a bunch of disorganized individuals!

Sorry this has happenned to you.

[tmiller027]

Well, do you have a local news channel who does expose type of stuff? YOu know, like a "local" John Stossel? Bring it to their attention, usually cameras and TV people get some notice.

It sounds like the organization you're donating with is very unorganized and I can only imagine your frustration. Remember, though, these receptionist-like people are not professionals. You do need to meet with the manager, a higher up that can handle the situation. And do it face to face. But to be honest, I would be at my own MD's office getting everything I needed to clarify my health situation. I think you're wasting your time with a bunch of disorganized individuals!

Sorry this has happenned to you.

Well, I wrote a letter to the president of the blood bank. I emailed a copy of it to the local TV station that does the spots for them. I told them that I don't expect a story to be done, but they should know what this place is doing before they run any more "need donor" spots on their evening news. No, its not a commercial, its the news anchor announcing their need for blood donors. I figure if that might help some.

[gypsyatheart]

Well, I wrote a letter to the president of the blood bank. I emailed a copy of it to the local TV station that does the spots for them. I told them that I don't expect a story to be done, but they should know what this place is doing before they run any more "need donor" spots on their evening news. No, its not a commercial, its the news anchor announcing their need for blood donors. I figure if that might help some.

Yeah, that might get them to clean up their act. At least train their employees and encourage more professionalism. Good luck! :)

[ARmickie]

I read this story and remembered the first time I ever tried to give blood. I was 17 and the Red Cross came to our high school. I went through the screening and they did a finger prick in order to spin the blood to check for anemia. The explained all this to me (if the blood bounces after it's spun you're anemic and they can't use the blood). Of course, this is all done in front of our entire senior class, mind you. They took the blood, dropped it into the vial to spin it, and before they touched anything else, the little ball of blood looked like a yo yo bouncing up and down. lol.. Needless to say, I was NOT allowed to give blood! This has came back to haunt me, later on though. There's been no definite diagnosis as to why I seem to be so anemic, but there have been several times where a count was done and instead of being around 12-13, mine was got down to 6.. no known reason.. :uhoh21: