FOB donates blood, saves life

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Reynaldo Reyes, physician assistant from San Diego, Calif., assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni, Task Force White Eagle, sticks a needle into the arm of U.S. Army Spc. Jorge Enriquez, machine gunner from Rockland, Mass., assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni, Task Force White Eagle, during whole blood drive Aug. 17, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. The base asked all A positive blood members to donate blood for a surgical patient. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Spc. Hector Lara, combat medic from Pasadena, Calif., sticks a needle into the arm of a blood donor during whole blood drive Aug. 17, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. The base asked all A positive blood members to donate blood for a surgical patient. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - For the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen on Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Aug 17 began with an e-mail, or knock on the door, saying someone needs A positive blood, go to the provincial reconstruction team’s area immediately.

For the patient, it began when he was shot in the abdomen between his protective plates.  The bullet damaged his small bowel, right kidney, inferior vena cava, and large bowel.  He was put on a medevac to FOB Ghazni’s foward surgical team.

Once in the operating room, the surgical team realized the patient needed whole blood, and put out the call for whole blood donors.

“Whole blood is only good for 24-hours, so we can’t store it,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rewa Price, from Harrisburg, Pa. assigned to FST, Task Force White Eagle, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of advanced trauma.  “We only initiate the whole blood drive when we need it.”

FOB Ghazni has a “walking blood bank” – 186 Americans who have been pre-screened for blood donation, ready to donate when asked.

In fact, according to U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Megan Cotter, from Staten Island, N.Y. assigned to FST, Task Force White Eagle, NCOIC of blood bank and laboratory, the surgical team was able to give the first unit of whole blood within 30 minutes of the patient arriving in the operating room.

“It was pretty quick,” she said. “We had donors within 10 minutes of making the call.”

The whole blood is important, because, though they gave the patient 10 units of packed red blood cells, 10 units of fresh frozen plasma and factor 7, they have no platelets at the FST.

“We need the whole blood because it has every component to save life,” said Price. “When you’re bleeding, you’re bleeding whole blood.  That’s why it’s the best thing to replenish the patient with. You can instantly see it in the patient’s vital signs.”

During the blood drive, medical personnel from throughout the FOB collected 26 units of whole blood, 14 of which were given to the patient in the operating room.

“We essentially replenished his entire blood supply, saving his life,” said Price. “Additionally, we always collect extra units in case we need to infuse the patient with more blood. We also send it to [Bagram Air Base] with the patient in case they need it.”

The blood was donated by 26 servicemembers from almost every unit on the base, with tens still waiting outside to donate if needed.

“There is no doubt the blood drive saved his life,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Gregory Stuart, from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. assigned to FST, Task Force White Eagle, operating room NCOIC, who assisted with the surgery.