End of last year was really pretty bad on both side of my family. My first degree cousin at the Rodriguez clan (my mom’s side) died third week of December, I was informed by my niece that she’s sick just middle of last year. I just thought that it wasn’t so serious. So shocked finding that she died a few months after. During that time also my first degree cousin at the Bayoy clan (my dad’s side). She was admitted to the hospital here in Davao for her illness (diabetes & heart). She’s been sickly now for 2 years or more.
So my cousin that was in the hospital needed a blood transfusion badly. If you’re on Facebook I think you saw that message from Bob asking if somebody would be willing to give blood. Here’s the whole message on his Facebook timeline:
“Friends, I have a request. It is not easy for me to ask for help, but this is for someone else. My wife’s cousin is hospitalized with complications from diabetes. She needs blood. If you are in Davao and if you have type O blood, would you be willing to donate for her? If so, please pm me and we will coordinate with you. Thank you to anybody who can help.— 
feeling hopeful with Feyma Bayoy Martin.”
Really a lot wanted to help from the announcement of Bob on Facebook. Problem most of them live abroad. I want to thank you guys for wanting to help out. One particular person contacted me and she was really willing to give. Luckily my cousin got blood right away. My cousin expresses her appreciation for you guys’ willingness to help and the offered prayers.
While were asking people to donate, we’re also asking our kids if they want to donate and they’re all willing to give blood for their Aunt. So I brought Aaron & Jean & Chris. When we got to the blood bank it said on the sign that anybody who want to donate to show ID and the person that donates cannot be below 18 years old. So the kids ages were okay. So we filled up papers for some info and my cousin’s info. We had to show the request from my cousin’s doctor that she really needed blood. First off to be interviewed by the person in charge was Aaron. First thing they asked what time did he go to bed the night before, Aaron answered 12am. He was out then. They immediately said, he can’t donate blood. Too late for him to go to bed. The latest should be 11 pm, they said. So I brought Chris next in line. They will not accept him, because of his mental capacity (he is a special child). I even tried to donate myself but they won’t accept because I’m taking medication.
So last one in the family was Jean. She was accepted. I helped out Jean on filling out the papers. Wow, all the writing was in totally deep Bisaya. Jean was having difficulty answering them. So after she filled out the papers, she waited for awhile before her name was called out. Finally when they called her, and it didn’t took her long inside and she came out. So I asked her if she’s done there? She told me that “oh they didn’t take out any blood because I’m not type O blood”. I’m shocked that the blood bank people didn’t talk Jean into giving blood even though she can’t donate to my cousin. They could have saved the blood there for other people, especially because Jean’s blood type is fairly rare, type A. I asked Jean later when we head home, that if they ask to donate would she donate? She told me yes, she would donate.
I brought Aaron and my nephew the next day. Both of them can’t donate that day because they’re blood pressure was up. The technician said they might just be so nervous about it. The next day my nephew went back and he was fine. His blood was drawn okay. So luckily my cousin really got the 3 bags she needed, one of my nephews in Kidapawan was a regular donor there and he brought some blood from there.
I was shocked that the blood bank was closed during the holidays. The Red Cross was not open 24 hours during the holidays either (they opened till midnight during New Years day). Maybe that’s also the same in the West.
Helpful information for you all if you want to donate blood:
- Sleep the night before not later than 11 pm.
- Bring with you a valid id.
- Make sure you’re not taking any prescription medicine.
- Make sure you don’t have cold, fever, runny nose.
- If you have high blood pressure they will not out take blood from you
- Try to relax, nervousness will lead to high blood pressure. They advise there to drink plenty of water.
- Don’t drink alcohol for awhile if thinking of donating blood.
- People with disability can’t donate
Those are the things I remembered that they reminded there.
If possible to donate blood do so. Bob and I really encouraged our family to donate.
Hi Bob liked the expat story on Davao. Very informative as I now am planning a trip there. Looks very international with a large influx of people from many parts of the world. Need to check if there are direct flights from SFO to Davao. Hope all is well.
Thank you so much Scott. Have a great day!
Hi Scott – Yes, Davao is a very international city. There are no flights from the USA to Davao directly. The only International flights coming direct to Davao are from Singapore.
Ok thanks Bob for the update. I read that PAL had in the works direct flights from the States. Maybe In the future.
I don’t think PAL has any plans to fly USA direct to DVO, but I could be mistaken.
Ok. Thanks again. How’s the weather there now? Tropical storm or such?
Davao gets no tropical storms. The weather here is the same 365 days per year. It is sunny and warm. We get thunderstorms usually for 30 minutes to 2 hours at night. Maybe 10 days a year it rains during daytime. It never changes! 🙂
Wow. That’s amazing! It’s like the climate there is very unique compared to even other parts of Mindanao.
Most of Mindanao gets no typhoons/tropical storms. Only the extreme north of Mindanao (Surigao, CARAGA). But, in other aspects the Davao climate is relatively unique, because we are protected by mountains that pretty much surround the city.
Ok. Thanks for the insight. I remember a lot of thunder rainstorms in Gen San two years ago. Not many mountains surrounding the area there.
Was Davao on holiday like Manila during the Pope visit?
Yes, thunderstorms are normal in the tropics. But, thunderstorms and tropical storms are completely different things! A tropic storm is a cyclone or typhoon (like a hurricane).
No, the Pope did not come to Davao, so it was business as normal here.
So Davao was not forced into shutting down schools, banks, malls and other businesses?
No, as I said… business as normal.
Thats good. Thanks again.
Hi Feyma,
Sorry for the loss of your cousin. Some of the rules you wrote about for giving blood don’t seem to make sense. I am O+, but again like many of the others I am not living in the Philippines. My Dad is O- the truly universal donor. The flip side of the coin is that O blood can only take O blood. My wife would probably not be allowed to give because she weighs less than 100 lbs. I think you have to weigh at least 105 lbs here in the US. Is that also a rule there? Thanks for sharing your information!
Hi Jay – Thank you for the sympathy. Yep, the person has to be a little over a 100 lbs to donate.
Good to see you again here. Have a great weekend!
I am a collections tech at the Red Cross in Oregon. I’m the guy that asks a bunch of rude personal questions and then sticks you with a needle. The standards for blood donors here seem to be a little bit different from the Philippines standards. That is not a great surprise, and it is ok. Even though science is universal, medical opinion differs. Even state law matters, and not just for issues like parental consent for minors.
At my center, collections does their thing 364 days a year, and somebody is working in the lab, processing and testing blood, 24/7. I’m sure that for an emergency directed donation, somebody would be called in on the odd chance that we couldn’t find a convenient drive that was up and running already. There is enough blood product stored in the system that it doesn’t matter so much if we aren’t producing at the very moment any particular person needs blood. Again, things might work differently over there, maybe they are running on much tighter margins.
At some point a person can be mentally handicapped enough that informed consent would be impossible or difficult. The bar is set rather low, I’ve drawn some people with distinct limits. An especially handicapped person that couldn’t follow directions and hold their focus for a few minutes at a time might be a problem also. This is definitely an “ask your supervisor” area. That being said, I’ve drawn on 16 year olds and a 91 year old, on field hands and on cardiac surgeons. It’s all good stuff. In the U.S. about 38% of the population is eligible to donate, about 10% ever do and less than 4% are any kind of regulars. I have no idea what the Philippines numbers might be.
It is a little disappointing that the numbers are as low as they are. It just isn’t that big of a deal, especially if you prepare for it. Be calm, rested, have a decent meal a few hours ahead of time and be hydrated. Really well hydrated. Start pounding down a bunch of extra water even two days ahead of time. If you’re going to the small room just a bit too often, perfect. If you’re not sure if you are eligible, call. Just don’t go on rumors. I hear people saying all kinds of crazy things that just don’t matter. Your local Red Cross or other blood banking .org probably has an eligibility hotline. It is their job to know these things, including any local regulations and peculiarities.
It is important to note that I don’t speak for the Red Cross, I hardly even speak for myself. If you want real answers, you should call them or talk to somebody with an actual medical education. That said, I’ll answer whatever questions I can.
Hi Chad – I can understand the really thorough questioning. The only thing here, In the Visayas and Mindanao they uses the deep Cebuano that the youngsters just don’t understand it. It just so funny listening to my daughter and she doesn’t understand most of what it says there. LOL
*** “At my center, collections does their thing 364 days a year, and somebody is working in the lab, processing and testing blood, 24/7. I’m sure that for an emergency directed donation, somebody would be called in on the odd chance that we couldn’t find a convenient drive that was up and running already.” ****** ————– I just don’t know of any other place that opens like you guys there. When we went to Red Cross, the security guard told us that they’re closed at 12 midnight. Then when we went to blood bank, the guard stop us at the gate and told us that they’re not open until after the holidays. That was New Years Day.
I think I understand their stand on handicapped people. Not sure if they were in trouble before. Just the way the technician guy talked to me, it sounded that they were. I could be wrong on that though.
I’m sure they had phone number to call, but I think during the holidays I think nobody will answer the phone.
Honestly, here emergency like that, it’s better to go there in person than on the phone. That’s how it usually works here.
I really thank you for your good input. It helps a lot. You know how it works there. I really appreciate your comment.
Have a great weekend!
When I question donors I must use follow the script precisely, zero variation, none. I even must make the grammatical error in one of the questions. The technician doing the deep Cebuano questioning may have known exactly what was going on but may have had zero choice. Just guessing, since I don’t know their orders at all.
Certain things have to be done the same way because that is physical reality, but other than that, the phrase about there being more than one way to skin a cat applies, huh? One may not be better than another, and surely they have reasons for the way that they roll.
Hi Chad – The list of questions were printed on a colorful paper. I think it came from Manila office. The norm here, everything should be coming from the head office in Manila.
Yep, they had to follow what the main office told them to do.
Anyway… Thank you for the input. Good to see you here.
Have a pleasant day!
Hi Chad –
As you already know, I’m sure, there is a reason why blood techs have to follow the script exactly as they are told and trained when questioning potential donors. This is blood you are dealing with, not just a piece of merchandise. People’s lives are in your hands. You can’t ad lib or free lance on your own. You have to stick to the script exactly as handed to you. The questions you ask potential donors are pretty well-researched by medical professionals and scientists. Any deviation from the scripted questions, however slight, could compromise the purity of the blood bank.
Incidentally, the doctor who first issued the warning back in the 80s about the possibility of contracting the HIV virus through blood transfusion has recently died.