My PICC Line

My personal journey, with aplastic anemia, through the healthcare industry

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Entries Tagged ‘blood transfusion’

The blood test I didn’t need, then I did, but I didn’t

Aug.12, 2009 in healthcare

Last week, at the clinic it started with a question. Does a transfusion dependent person need a type-and cross every three days or four? A type and cross is a blood test to determine the best blood for a patient prior to transfusion. The doctor said four days. Settled. That test would not be necessary [...]

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Four days of horse serum

Jul.15, 2009 in Personal

I started a new treatment on Tueday, July 14th at 2:30am,  the same treatment a reader addressed last week, below is a snippet of her comment.
I have aplastic anemia, but am 4 yrs in “remission” after ATG & Cyclosporin treatment. My sister is a bone marrow match, but the immunosuppressive therapy worked for me. Diagnosed at 16, now [...]

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Platelets and the chances of my brother being a match

Jul.08, 2009 in Personal

I ended up needing a blood transfusion today, just a single unit of platelets– those little, sticky blood cells that help stop bleeding. The lifespan of platelets range from six to ten days, the shortest second shortest of the the blood cell line (which also includes red and white blood cells, which have the shortest lifespan 1-2 days) so the transfusion—even [...]

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I'm Matt Sheehan. In July 2009, I learned that I was suffering from a disease called aplastic anemia. What exactly caused it I may never know. What I do know is that for the next few years, I will endure thousands of hospital hours and the bureaucracy and confusion of the U.S. health care industry. I'd like to share my story. Please come back often.

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