I cannot stress enough about blood donations until it hits home in your own family. My name is Stan Joslow and I have been a long time blood donor.

I Required Blood During Surgery
On Thanksgiving of 2006, I was in the hospital for a routine heart surgery. It was a bypass and valve replacement. I never questioned the procedure, and was satisfied that there were not any complications. Several weeks later, when I received the hospital bill, I noticed a charge for 11 pints of blood. I thought this was a typo error. However, after calling the billing department, they assured me it was true. Looking at a medical book, I discovered that the body of an average height & weight person only holds about 10 – 12 pints. Upon calling the surgeon, he then told me the operation wasn’t average. It was coming out as fast as they were pumping new blood into me. He would not tell me what caused it, but was happy that there was enough blood on hand for the transfusions. Imagine 11 genorous persons, and the church prayers for me saved my life.

Blood Saved My Grandson's Life After An Accident
The next incident occurred in October of 2008. My 21-year-old grandson was involved in an auto accident that threw him out of the window, causing all kinds of injuries He was ejected onto the road. Two cars in back of him swerved to avoid hitting him. He was bleeding profusely. The next vehicle was an ambulance, coming back from dropping off a patient to the hospital. They stopped and immediately lifted him into the ambulance and started emergency procedures. Miracle #1. Then by chance or fate the Ellington Airport was only about two miles from the accident, and there was a life star helicopter on the runway to airlift him to the Hartford hospital. Miracle #2. He was almost drained of blood and his heart stopped. They pumped 10 pints of blood in him, and during the operation, they had to administer another 6 pints. He survived, but still has another year of operations to get him on his feet.

So you see that God will never be outdone in generosity. When you donate blood, it might very well come back to you, as it did in the above two incidents. When the bloodmobile comes to your area, please be there.

Yours in Christ,
Stan Joslow

Red Cross blood donors help patients just like Stan in cities and towns throughout New England and across the United States. Please….give blood.

Patient Stories