"I had been a donor for years then life and time got in the way and I stopped donating, not ever thinking I would end up on the receiving end."
-Christie Busby
Polk City, Iowa
"Fast forward to 2023 and I started feeling lethargic and weak. By the time I finally went to the doctor, my hemoglobin was down to the life ending level of 3.4hgb and was immediately sent to the ER for a four-unit blood transfusion to get me back up to the critical level of 8hgb.
The doctor advised me with a 3.4 hgb I shouldn't have been alive and was literally on death's door when she sent me to the hospital. I received four units of donated blood with my transfusion just to get my hgb level back to an 8, which was still at a critical level. The nurses monitored me the whole time for any adverse reactions, but I tolerated it really well. Within hours of the first two units, I started to feel better and after the fourth unit, I more liked my old self and was getting my rosy cheeks back. It's an amazing sensation to feel your body gaining its energy back.
After spending three days in the hospital, I was finally well enough to go home and vowed that when I was able to, I would start donating again to pay it forward and hopefully save someone else's life, like my donor did mine.
I am extremely grateful, and it gave me a new appreciation for the donation process.
If I could meet the person who donated the blood that helped me, I would thank them for their selflessness because it truly saved my life.
LifeServe staff make the donation process quick and easy. I always knew that donating blood was important but now I feel everyone able to donate blood should make it a priority. When I donated in the past, I never thought that in my everyday life would I ever be on the receiving end of the donations, but I was and I am so grateful for my donor."
