Giving blood to someone who needs B+—I was up for it, and we even drove the forty minutes to David but was refused! Because of my age!
What Started the Giving Blood Idea
A couple days ago on one of the Boquete Facebook pages, someone needed nine pints of B+ blood to have an operation. Immediately Lin and I discussed it because I thought I had B+ blood. Then we searched to find something to confirm it. Finally, we found it.
So, I googled the hospital and got a phone number and texted them. They shared important information, and we planned to go.
Later, Lin came up with more specific questions, so I texted them to the number for the hospital and went to bed.
We Drove to David
So yesterday morning, we drove to the hospital in David. They responded to the text with specific identification of the building where I could give blood, but not specific directions.
We arrived at the hospital about 9:15 AM and we could not find a parking spot. Eventually we found one at the hospital next door. So, we walked over, but still we didn’t know exactly where we were going, only knew we were looking for Tower F.
So I did what I do in a crunch like that—I ask questions of anyone who looks like they might know.
We Found the Place
Eventually, after asking a couple people, we found the building. Someone graciously walked us over to the place to draw blood.
I looked at the waiting room, and I saw a sizeable crowd! Oh, my! I stood in line and was waited on quickly. The receptionist understood my Spanish and had a stern look on her face, as she seemed to measure me.
Immediately she asked for my birthdate and how old I was?
I told her my birthdate, “I’m 72.”
She asked for my ID card and peered at the computer screen for a couple minutes, then she stated, “You cannot give blood.”
I asked if it was age. She said, “Yes!”
Lin had found a seat and was waiting patiently in the waiting room. I told him the news and he seemed surprised.
Why the Limitation
So it wasn’t a wasted trip, we did accomplish something we had intended to do since we arrived here—we registered our insurance cards with one of the hospitals.
On the drive home, I texted the hospital number to let them know I had come to give blood, but hey refused me because of my age. I asked if they knew why.
Their response, “I don’t know.”
So I headed straight to google for the answer:
“Upper age limits for blood donors are intended to protect elderly blood donors from donor reactions. However, due to a lack of data about adverse reactions in elderly blood donors, upper age limits are arbitrary and vary considerably between different countries.”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4164071
Finally,
after some more research on the age limits set for giving blood, I saw there’s a dire need for donors in Panama, so how sad it is they follow the rule when people might need my blood. I just hope the man awaiting his surgery got enough blood to do it.
Have you ever donated blood? Yes, it’s not pleasant, but you can help someone in need, and some day you might be the person in need! Think about that!
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I love how you held both the disappointment and the gratitude at the same time. Even when the answer is “no,” the willingness to give still matters—and that came through so clearly here.
I have not given blood but my daughter gave blood plasma for almost one year. I salute her. Don’t know that I could have kept it up so long.
Thank you for sensitive response to this topic. I really appreciate your thoughtful consideration of it!