Re: blood donation -Val/Jolynn

[Guest guest]

I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed this around

here before...but for me the blood donation was the most stressful

part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I would

recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see what

the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are no

charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not charged when

he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see if BI

can handle your donation.

My first attempt to schedule donation was with the Red Cross, and I

found them equally un-helpful. Somehow I ended up with a call to the

Blood Donation Center at the Cape Cod Hospital, which until then I

didn't realize was separate and distinct from the Red Cross.

It turned out the CCHosp. handles donations as a service to the

community and at no charge. The collected, sent for testing, and

forwarded my blood to NEBH at no charge....they just needed a script

from the doctor. I should note they were only willing to handle my

blood...not my brothers which he wanted to donate on my behalf...so

that is why he had to go to NEBH.

I think the Red Cross really is set up to take donor blood for their

own purposes...not for patients needing to auto donate.

I felt like I was jumping through hoops too. I used all 4 units.

Cam

[Guest guest]

I was reffering to the NEBH donation center. I red cross was 10 times

more helpful. THe NEBH told me that my husband could donate one pint

for free with in a 8 week period and that mine would be charged.

Collection ($280/pint) storage (per day charge) and disposal of unused

blood (don't know ammount). It is just causing me so much stress I

will just do with previously donated blood. Plus the woman answering

the phone is has the worste people skills I have ever run across. I

could not believe that any one let her have contact with people on a

regular basis. That was my experience. I even complained to the

hospital about how terrible she was.

Jolynn

>

> I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed this around

> here before...but for me the blood donation was the most stressful

> part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I would

> recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see what

> the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are no

> charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not charged when

> he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see if BI

> can handle your donation.

>

[Guest guest]

Honestly based on my encounter with the NEBH blood donation center I

would go to another hospital if I could. I am truely hoping that

this is not reflective of the care that I will receive whilt there.

Jolynn

>

> I was reffering to the NEBH donation center. I red cross was 10

times

> more helpful. THe NEBH told me that my husband could donate one

pint

> for free with in a 8 week period and that mine would be charged.

> Collection ($280/pint) storage (per day charge) and disposal of

unused

> blood (don't know ammount). It is just causing me so much stress I

> will just do with previously donated blood. Plus the woman

answering

> the phone is has the worste people skills I have ever run across.

I

> could not believe that any one let her have contact with people on

a

> regular basis. That was my experience. I even complained to the

> hospital about how terrible she was.

>

> Jolynn

> >

> > I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed this

around

> > here before...but for me the blood donation was the most

stressful

> > part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I

would

> > recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see what

> > the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are no

> > charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not charged

when

> > he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see if

BI

> > can handle your donation.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

--- jOLYN,i was not charged a dime to donate a unit of blood at NEBH,

this was just in Dec/2005. My sisters both donated a unit with out

any problem. I did not pay a dime to do this..or my insurence covered

it,,,it was never brought to my attention anything different what I

understod...<PA

In , " leominsterhsg "

<leominsterhsg@...> wrote:

>

> I was reffering to the NEBH donation center. I red cross was 10

times

> more helpful. THe NEBH told me that my husband could donate one

pint

> for free with in a 8 week period and that mine would be charged.

> Collection ($280/pint) storage (per day charge) and disposal of

unused

> blood (don't know ammount). It is just causing me so much stress I

> will just do with previously donated blood. Plus the woman

answering

> the phone is has the worste people skills I have ever run across. I

> could not believe that any one let her have contact with people on

a

> regular basis. That was my experience. I even complained to the

> hospital about how terrible she was.

>

> Jolynn

> >

> > I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed this

around

> > here before...but for me the blood donation was the most

stressful

> > part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I would

> > recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see what

> > the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are no

> > charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not charged

when

> > he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see if BI

> > can handle your donation.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hillary from Dr Rands office and I have been trying to co-ordinate

this and we both keep getting all different answers about it. I have

not canceled my appointments just yet and am waiting for a call back

from the blood bank manager. I have called billing at NEBH my

insurance and spoken with 2 seperate NEBH blood banking staff

members and every one at NEBH is not on the same page. They all gave

differing answers and none of them sounded too sure of themselves.

Hillary said she had this problem everytime she gets deeply

involved with the whole blood banking thing that she gets tons of

completely different answers. She said she never had a problem with

insurance not covering it, but given that my insurance company said

they do not cover your own blood being banked for yourself then I

have to believe them. Plus the whole co-ordinating of the days seems

like such a pain in the rear. That the stress of getting unknown

blood is way less than the stress of dealing with all of these

people who can't tell me anything. I am glad it worked out so well

for others, but hey if this is the only hitch I'll be good to go.

Jolynn

> >

> > I was reffering to the NEBH donation center. I red cross was 10

> times

> > more helpful. THe NEBH told me that my husband could donate one

> pint

> > for free with in a 8 week period and that mine would be charged.

> > Collection ($280/pint) storage (per day charge) and disposal of

> unused

> > blood (don't know ammount). It is just causing me so much stress

I

> > will just do with previously donated blood. Plus the woman

> answering

> > the phone is has the worste people skills I have ever run

across. I

> > could not believe that any one let her have contact with people

on

> a

> > regular basis. That was my experience. I even complained to the

> > hospital about how terrible she was.

> >

> > Jolynn

> > >

> > > I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed this

> around

> > > here before...but for me the blood donation was the most

> stressful

> > > part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I

would

> > > recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see

what

> > > the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are

no

> > > charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not charged

> when

> > > he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see if

BI

> > > can handle your donation.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I skipped donations and lived to tell about it and actually have a

doc who prefers his patients don't donate so that tbeir bodies are

as prepared as they can be going in to surgery rather than trying to

build back up donated blood. Since I had donations for my first

three surgeries (even though I donated before one of them), I don't

see how using my own 'tainted' blood will make a difference now!

just my buttin in...

> > >

> > > I was reffering to the NEBH donation center. I red cross was

10

> > times

> > > more helpful. THe NEBH told me that my husband could donate

one

> > pint

> > > for free with in a 8 week period and that mine would be

charged.

> > > Collection ($280/pint) storage (per day charge) and disposal

of

> > unused

> > > blood (don't know ammount). It is just causing me so much

stress

> I

> > > will just do with previously donated blood. Plus the woman

> > answering

> > > the phone is has the worste people skills I have ever run

> across. I

> > > could not believe that any one let her have contact with

people

> on

> > a

> > > regular basis. That was my experience. I even complained to

the

> > > hospital about how terrible she was.

> > >

> > > Jolynn

> > > >

> > > > I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed

this

> > around

> > > > here before...but for me the blood donation was the most

> > stressful

> > > > part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I

> would

> > > > recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see

> what

> > > > the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are

> no

> > > > charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not

charged

> > when

> > > > he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see

if

> BI

> > > > can handle your donation.

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I felt the same way about the NEBH blood bank, especially after

experiencing the service and care in the Brigham and Womens Hospital

Blood Bank. I also thought the administration of the pre-op day at

NEBH to be awful....and don't get me started on having to STAND for

20 minutes in the outpatient xray unit. HOWEVER, I think the world of

Dr. Rand and the post op care at NEBH was terrific. Ann

> >

> > I was reffering to the NEBH donation center. I red cross was 10

> times

> > more helpful. THe NEBH told me that my husband could donate one

> pint

> > for free with in a 8 week period and that mine would be charged.

> > Collection ($280/pint) storage (per day charge) and disposal of

> unused

> > blood (don't know ammount). It is just causing me so much stress

I

> > will just do with previously donated blood. Plus the woman

> answering

> > the phone is has the worste people skills I have ever run across.

> I

> > could not believe that any one let her have contact with people

on

> a

> > regular basis. That was my experience. I even complained to the

> > hospital about how terrible she was.

> >

> > Jolynn

> > >

> > > I think I have said it before, and I know we have hashed this

> around

> > > here before...but for me the blood donation was the most

> stressful

> > > part of preparing for surgery. Jolynn, before you give up I

> would

> > > recommend calling the Blood Donation Center at NEBH and see

what

> > > the " deal " is there...I suspect you will find that there are no

> > > charges. My brother donated a pint for me and was not charged

> when

> > > he came to visit between stages. Val, Likewise check to see if

> BI

> > > can handle your donation.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I skipped donations and lived to tell about it and actually have a

> doc who prefers his patients don't donate so that tbeir bodies are

> as prepared as they can be going in to surgery rather than trying to

> build back up donated blood. Since I had donations for my first

> three surgeries (even though I donated before one of them), I don't

> see how using my own 'tainted' blood will make a difference now!

>

> just my buttin in...

>

>

This makes a lot of sense to me. I think I ma going to skip the

donation thing. I do want to be in top physical condition for the

surgery-A-thon that 2 in a row will be.

Jolynn

[Guest guest]

--

Jolyn,

I got 5 units of donated blood, 2 from my sister and 3 from

strangers...I had donated but had to have mine discarded becasue I

got sick the next day after the donation..I was running a temp when I

donated and did not know it. I really was not concerned at all..I am

trusting the blood supply is as safe as it can be....I have never

given it another thought..the donated blood, that is.. <PA

- In , " leominsterhsg "

<leominsterhsg@...> wrote:

>

>

> >

> > I skipped donations and lived to tell about it and actually have

a

> > doc who prefers his patients don't donate so that tbeir bodies

are

> > as prepared as they can be going in to surgery rather than trying

to

> > build back up donated blood. Since I had donations for my first

> > three surgeries (even though I donated before one of them), I

don't

> > see how using my own 'tainted' blood will make a difference now!

> >

> > just my buttin in...

> >

> >

>

> This makes a lot of sense to me. I think I ma going to skip the

> donation thing. I do want to be in top physical condition for the

> surgery-A-thon that 2 in a row will be.

>

> Jolynn

>