American Red Cross

Friends,
I stopped by the American Red Cross and made a special donation yesterday.
I am an Apheresis donor, meaning they don’t take the traditional whole blood, only the component (s) they need the most, and returning the rest to me. Yesterday I made a triple — my donation of platelets was enough to help three separate recipients. Apparently, this was a first for me, as I have made double donations many times before.
Apheresis involves being hooked up to a machine and having the blood cycled through, filtering out the component that they need most. In addition to platelets, I have given red blood cells in the past, sometimes double-​red donations.
I was told of a video that was shot a couple years ago here in Detroit by a local TV station — WDIV Channel 4. It walks you through the whole process from donor to recipient (s). A little over 12 minutes long, even if you have never donated blood, it should be interesting to see how the blood makes it’s way from one arm to the next, saving lives that would otherwise be lost.
Go to:

If more of the public saw donation centres like Berkley’s, they might be inclined to swing around every 56 days to pump out a pint. No longer do you have to experience the life of British sailor on the high seas, swinging in a cot of nylon straps about a foot off the floor. Modern conveniences turn this blood donation into a luxury cruise. Really, you don’t have to go anywhere and you get to watch traffic sail by on Woodward with a slightly lightheaded feeling. Friendly staff cater to your needs, bringing pillows and making sure you are comfortable. At the end you get to stop at the snack bar for cookies, juice and water, serenaded by soft rock and smiling seniors who volunteer and work here. Being stabbed in the arm by a long, pointy needle isn’t that different from being on board the average ship, right?
Like a good Princess Cruise or Carnival boat, you’re expected to sprawl out and enjoy yourself in cozy reclining chair/​beds. Do away with those horrible strappy contraptions at temporary donation sites, and hie yourself here for a great thirty minute stopover. Get in some reading, chat with the entertaining staff, or daydream. It’s cheaper than popping down to a dock and you have far less chance of getting Norovirus. Cruise ships only wish they were this clean.
The longest part of your visit will be post check-​in when you run the gauntlet of reading materials and waiting on a doctor or nurse to check your hemoglobin in. Customs on a tiny island is usually worse though peak hours can be a bit of a drag. Unlike those ports of call, Berkley Blood Centre offers magazines for those who don’t come armed with their own book or Kindle. Once you’re through, though, the stay is a quick and efficient one. The staff have their procedures down and smoothly progress through setting you up and explaining the rules until you’re pumping your fist in the air and looking forward to that prize cookie.
The Blood Center sits at the corner of Catalpa and Woodward across from Trader Joe’s and the easy parking. Ample parking can be found in the lot adjacent to the small complex, though expect crowds if the ever delicious Donut Cutter is open. Stop in before hand for a treat to get your blood sugar up in advance!