Lisa Rau understood the importance of blood donation long before she ever needed blood herself. As a regular blood donor, she knew donated blood helped patients withstand health emergencies. But after a frightening emergency of her own, Lisa came to understand the lifesaving impact of blood in a deeply personal way.
On the last day of a vacation, Lisa unexpectedly began losing a significant amount of blood. She would later learn the bleeding was caused by an atypical endometrial polyp. By the time she and her husband arrived home, she was extremely weak. Her husband called her OB-GYN, who told them to go to the emergency room immediately.
When Lisa arrived at the ER, her hemoglobin level was critically low. She was admitted right away, and two units of blood were ordered. But the bleeding did not slow.
“Unfortunately, the doctors were unable to slow the bleeding, so I was losing blood almost as quickly as they were transfusing it,” Lisa said.
Her care team made the decision to perform an emergency D&C (dilation and curettage). During surgery, Lisa received a third unit of blood. After surgery, she received a fourth.
By the next morning, Lisa’s hemoglobin was finally rebounding. Her doctor suggested a fifth unit, but Lisa knew her body and how well she typically recovered after blood donation. She respectfully declined the additional unit and was released from the hospital.
The experience changed the way Lisa thinks about every blood donation.
“As a regular blood donor myself, I understand how valuable donated blood truly is,” Lisa said. “This experience gave me an even deeper appreciation for blood donors and the lifesaving impact of every donation.”
For Lisa, those four units of blood meant the chance to recover and return home. “Without those four units of blood, my story could have had a very different ending,” she said. “I am forever grateful for the medical professionals who cared for me, but also for the unsung heroes — the blood donors whose generosity helped save my life.”
Now, Lisa encourages more people to give. “I hope my story inspires others who are able to consider donating this lifesaving gift,” she said.
People need people, make a difference in someone’s life by donating blood.
We must rely on each other for the gift of blood, and patients in your community rely on the generosity of Versiti’s blood donors to help. Please consider scheduling an appointment to donate. If this is your first time, donating blood is quick, easy and relatively painless. And, it is a great way to give back and help patients in your community.
