Jessica Brennan
A beach trip on Sunday the 8th of February 2009 ended in nightmare for me and my family. Five days later, I awoke in the Intensive Care Unit at the Kingston Public Hospital. My Mom explained that we had been in an accident and I had suffered tremendous trauma. My left collar bone was broken, so was my 1st and 2nd left rib, spleen was completely crushed and had to be removed. One of my lungs punctured and the other collapsed, pelvic broken in four places, left femur broken and that I had lost 80% of the blood in my body.
She also said that at the time of the accident, the hospital had a shortage of blood and without it I would have died. However, within 48 hours of the hospital asking for blood donors, my mom, friends, school mates, and caring Jamaicans all got together. There was a massive blood drive at my school that was fully supported by parents, students, and teachers. Over four-hundred units of blood were collected. I received many platelets,(blood cells) however, not having a spleen, meant clotting was difficult so I had to have a steady supply of blood.
Thanks to the many friends, families and of course many people unknown to myself and my mom, this was possible. Mom says that being in the greatest hospital, or having the best doctors would not save my life, if I did not have the blood that was needed. I spent my twelfth birthday, February 15th 2009, in the Intensive Care Unit. I was hospitalized for over a month.
Today I am happy and grateful to be back at school and as my mom would quote from Miss Lou’s poem, “ She is walking, talking and standinopin”.
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage more people to donate blood. As my life was saved because of the blood I received. Please donate blood today. Don’t wait for a family member or friend to be in dire need of blood.
Give today and save a valuable life. It could be you!