The day I was a vampire

There is nothing like living on a mobile blood bank...nothing.

Rewind back with me to just over three weeks ago. I, again, should have been sleeping. Instead I was up praying for Brian and his mama, as I had just heard that Brian had been transferred back to the ICU that morning, and I was sure I would be taking care of him again that night, if he made it that long.

Unable to sleep, I read and prayed for a while, then made my way up to deck 8 to relax in the sunshine, enjoy the breeze, and watch the sun slowly sink into the ocean. I had been up there a few hours and was almost asleep when we heard the announcement, "All crew with type A+ or B+ blood please report immediately to the laboratory. If we do not find enough donors then surgeries may have to be cancelled." I packed up my things and headed down, knowing they wouldn't let me donate again after just 3 weeks, figuring I could help draw samples or units for donation. Less than a minute later I found myself unable to get down to the lab via normal routes; the stairs were already packed with potential donors, and nurses there to volunteer. As I rapidly set up a makeshift phlebotomy station with tourniquet, tubes and alcohol, I heard the next overhead page. "All nurses not currently working, please report to the laboratory immediately." And the floodgates opened.

Most of our patients have type A+ or B+ blood. We have no way of separating blood parts, or even properly storing units, which means donors must be an exact match, and donate immediately before transfusion. Since A+ and B+ are less common among Caucasians, those of us with this type blood and no debilitating illness end up donating often, though even this is not always enough.

An hour later I found myself marveling along with the lab techs at our small miracle. Down from 1 B+ donor left on the grid, we now had several. Enough A+ blood for the next few weeks, Lord willing. Deckhands, ship officers, doctors, galley crew...and the nurses! There were nurses everywhere, donating blood, collecting, and generally helping organize everything. It's amazing to live and work in an environment with such a heart for others. Thank God for my amazing crew mates! And God bless them as they continue their work and service...with just a little less blood now that it's been given away.