Something Red

We have something to ask of you.

Remember last month when you kept asking 'what can I do?'  Perhaps you were shut out of meal sign up. Maybe you responded a minute too late, putting you in 6th place for the DustBuster.  You actually wanted to haul cases of water through a parking lot and up to Harry's room.  What we ask now is easier and harder.

We want your blood.

This isn't Dracula or Tony Soprano. This isn't like when you grandmother would complain "the next thing they will want is my blood."   We really want your blood -- and your platelets in particular.

This is not for Harry specifically, but for Children's National Medical Center.

CNMC is desperately low in platelets.  Platelet donation is more involved than blood donation.  It requires 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  You first need to get a spot test.  Then you get to answer a lot of private questions that will surely give you great cocktail party conversation for months.  (Make certain you ask your spouse in advance how many transgender prostitutes they have been with this month.)  Finally, you get hooked up to a machine that will draw draw blood continually, suck out the platelets and return the rest back in.  And, if you come up to the infusion center, you can see the machine in action - actually giving those platelets to a child in desperate need with sickle cell anemia, leukemia, or an array of illness which lower their platelet levels.

If you cannot donate platelets, donate blood.

But here is the important part: you need to go to Children's National Medical Center at 111 Michigan Avenue, NW to give.  While it is wonderful to donate to the Red Cross, they are actually sell your blood to the hospitals.

That's right: CNMC has to pay the Red Cross for blood.  So please contact Kara Mazer of CNMC.    kmazer@childrensnational.org.  Her number is 202-476-6524.  She can answer questions, schedule appointments, and let you know if you are allowed to donate (trips certain countries could prevent you).   I am attaching the eligibility requirements above so you can see if you, your spouse and/or your children can be donors. 

The donation center closes at 4 p.m.  To donate platelets, you need to be there before 1:30 p.m.  (I actually got caught by this twice.)  But it does open at 7 a.m.

In addition, we also hope to have the bloodmobile visit JPDS, Kesher, Adas and Sidwell in the Fall.

And as long as you're there, don't forget to get swabbed to be a possible bone marrow donor.  All this takes is a swab on the cheek.

No blood involved.  Harry is very lucky as Raina is a perfect match, should we need it in the future.

But many children wait months, possibly years, and we see their parents on the 4th floor hoping to find that match.

Please contact Kara.

Many thanks for all your support, good wishes, positive karma, keeping us in the light and every positive measure of faith, love & friendship.

Amy

P.S. And yes - please forward this on!