Give the gift of blood this Christmas!!!!

Give Blood this Christmas!!!!

My story:

This time one year ago I gave birth to my son Pádraig. It was the most exhilarating and scary experience of my life. After an induced labour of 8 hours my son was born. Within a few minutes of his birth it transpired that something was wrong, I was hemorrhaging badly. I received immediate care and was rushed to surgery. After 40 minutes of frantic and magnificent work by the surgical team they announced I had stopped bleeding. In the end I lost just under 3 litres of recorded blood loss due to a torn cervix and my blood vessels in my uterus not closing after birth. I received 4 blood transfusions, 2 platelet transfusions along with a mix of other stuff. I was kept over night for observation in the high dependency ward where fabulous night nurses looked after me. The next day I finally got to meet my son properly, it was the end of an unexpected nightmare and the start of a fantastic new adventure with my husband and son.

The surgical team in the Our Lady of Lourdes delivery ward were amazing and I can't thank them enough for the treatment I received on the day of my son's birth. I especially want to thank the Irish Blood Transfusion services for the stellar work they do on a daily basis. I would like to encourage EVERYONE who can to give blood this Christmas season, it is amazing how simple a gift it is. You can save lives with this gift. I know as I'm convinced my life was saved that day by the treatment I got and the transfusions I received. I cant explain how grateful I am to the people out there who gave the blood and platelets which saved my life. I remember thinking while I was in surgery that I was going to give blood from now on, not knowing that once you have received blood you can no longer give blood.

Thank you for reading this and I hope it encourages some of you to give blood this Christmas.   

Happy Christmas!