As many of you may already know, February is 'Heart Month,' so I decided to write a bit in my column about blood donations, since that seems to be related to the theme.

The heart is the pump for our blood, and myeloma is one of the three main types of blood cancer, the other two being leukemia and lymphoma.

Back in my pre-myeloma days, I was an occasional blood donor.  Although I only donated about 20 times overall, the process left a big impression on me.

Not only was the process very well organized, but I also felt that the small portion of blood that I donated was very efficiently used in a variety of ways to help many patients.

I learned a lot along the way. For example, every potential blood donor first has to have a quick test to determine their iron levels to see if they are eligible to donate. Also, on average, 488 mL, or almost two cups, are collected with every donation.

There are, as it turns out, lots of interesting facts related to blood donation. Did you know that …

• The whole blood that is donated is rarely used for transfusions? Much better use of the blood can be made by dividing it into its different components (plasma cells, red blood cells, white blood cells).
• Blood can also be donated through a process called apheresis? It is a technique in which the donor's blood is circulated through an external machine that separates the blood into its different components.
• Blood can be donated every 56 days?
• Platelets can be donated by apheresis up to 24 times a year?
• Blood plasma can be used fresh or frozen for use at a later date?
• Platelets must be stored at room temperature and used within five days? That is one reason why a blood collection center is open almost every day.
• Blood is ‘typed’ according to the antigens on the blood cell surfaces?
• There are several different systems to type blood?

Little did I know that my experiences as a donor would stand me in good stead later, after my diagnosis with myeloma.

When my stem cells were being collected by apheresis, I calmed myself by thinking that this was just like another blood donation.  The stem cells were orange, not deep red like whole blood, but the concept was familiar to me.

Later, after the transplant, my blood counts fell precipitously as the blood cells in my circulating blood died and were not yet replaced by my new blood cells. My white blood cell counts in particular fell very low about a week after the re-infusion of my stem cells.

Every weekday for more than two weeks, I went to the outpatient clinic and had my blood tested.  Then, my family and I waited for the ‘stat’ tests to be read. 

If my counts had fallen below safe levels, I would have had transfusions of blood products to correct the imbalance.  My stem cells started producing new blood cells within enough time to avoid that scenario, but I was thanking the blood collection center on a daily basis at that time.

Looking back, I am so grateful for the blood collection system.  Having seen a bit of it from before and after being a patient, I appreciate it all the more. 

I have had some interesting conversations about the system with a good friend who works as a nurse at our local blood collection center and several friends who are very regular donors.  All the people who work at the clinics and who donate are really doing a wonderful service for patients who need blood products.

There are scientific advances being made which may provide synthetic versions of plasma and platelets soon at our blood clinic.  I don’t think that that will diminish the need for donors, but it will provide new, more convenient products for patients.

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The quotation for this month is from Albert Camus (1913-1960), a French author, journalist, and philosopher, who wrote "In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."