Posted by Captain of My Fate [COMF] on March 26, 1999 at 20:13:01 {oRa3VCcycQ0DZ/i1r59EMW08btmTRbiCQ}:
About a week ago I posted a message called, "I Gave at the Orifice," in which I described my experience of donating blood and the meticulous care they use in screening donors. I heard back from them today with the results of my blood evaluation. Here's what they had to say:
Thank you for donating blood to United Blood Services. The blood center performs several tests on each unit of donated blood to ensure patients are provided the safest blood possible. One of the tests screens for the presence of antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV).Your blood tested positive on the screening test for anti-HCV A supplemental test known as RIBA was performed to help us determine what these results mean. Your supplemental test was also Positive. In addition, the two screening tests for antibodies to Hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were also positive and the liver enzyme known as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was above the cutoff. This combination of test results strongly indicates current infection with the hepatitis C virus which can lead to liver disease. Your laboratory results are provided so you can review them with your physician as soon as possible, as he/she is in a better position to provide a more meaningful evaluation of your health status.
Unfortunately, because of these test results, your blood cannot be used for transfusion and your name has been added to our confidential Deferred Donor Directory (DDD). You are now permanently deferred from donating blood, plasma, tissues, organs or semen/sperm for others, but you may still donate blood for your own use if the need arises.
As you were informed when you donated, we are required to report these test results to the health department. A representative of the health department may contact you, or, if you wish, you may contact them.
If you have donated with a different blood center, please contact that organization directly and notify them of your hepatitis C test results. We have enclosed Donor Information Sheets that we hope will address most of your concerns. It you have any questions, please feel free to call our Donor Counseling Service.
Thank you for your support of the community blood program. We are sorry to lose you as a donor, but we hope you continue to be involved in this worthy endeavor by joining the volunteer group in our center and by encouraging others to donate blood. United Blood Services is able to provide lifesaving blood to patients in need because of people like you who care.
I went to my doctor as soon as I got this. During the discussion, we touched on where I might have gotten hepatitis C. She said that the two ways of getting it are from intravenous drug use, and from blood transfusions. Did I use intravenous drugs? No. Had I ever had a blood transfusion? Yes, about five years ago when I was injured in a car wreck. Well, then, that's when I got it. What hospital was it? I told her. "Oh, of course," she said. "Five years ago, that hospital didn't screen their blood for hepatitis C."
Wonderful.
COMF
P.S. I want to mention that at the time of that operation I had not discovered the truth about the organization, so even though I was disassociated, I still held to the teachings, including the blood doctrine.
When they asked me for my blood type I told them not to give me blood. The doctor told me that I had lost a lot of blood (internally) and was likely to die without being given blood. I remember answering, "Can't you just give me an
expander or something?" Nobody ever answered that, and nothing more was said about the matter to me.