Oka Manchi pani
TLDR: Phew! Such a long writeup, never intended to be this big. Anyway, Donated platelets to my boss’s relatives, realised principles of blood separation matching with my analysis made during the process. Felt useful and happy about patient recovery and my correct analysis 😊
A LONG BORING READ AHEAD, this might be one of pages where novel writers explain minute details which much not add anything to the plot and after reading this you might it would have better if you skipped it. If you are intelligent enough, skip it😬
As I finished lunch and about to complete a task, my phone pinged with a unusual sound - the text read from my boss as blood platelets as well as blood required at jubilee hills apollo for one of his relatives. One of colleagues and I volunteered for this - sadly didnt see much of participation from others. Boss arranged car and we dropped at apollo.
Met the patient attendees - an old man (75+) and middle aged man (40+), finished the formalities and answered the rhetoric questions on the same. I enquired about the procedure time as previously it took nearly 4 hrs for transfusion, staff takes nearly 1-1.5 hrs for complete process. One being compatibility test on a sample (40 mins) and then actual blood platelets collection (rest of time). Colleague and I are called upon for sample - staff checked for nerve for sample collection. My colleague retorted “Balisipoyi unna naku dorukuthadandi” that cracked me like hell. 😬
I was selected for transfusion and he for blood donation. Procedure started with a machine beside whirring and it has 5 knobs and display screen and pouch for collection. As the technician handover me the report - I noticed haemoglobin percentage is at 15, max 16 i.e. denser and viscous blood same as dad - i wondered is it an early symptom for heart ailment🤔.
I noticed needle as it being inserted, it is a lesser dia meter than the needle used for donation - I justified it to be due to compensation for the process of separation of platelets from blood which takes time requiring regulated quantity if blood than blood donation which is simply drawing blood. A sharp quick pain as needle inserted and blood collected in a pouch for additional testing, tech. remarked thick red blood and i showed no reaction.
Three tiny pipes on rear end of needle, the middle one is stripped with a single blue link, I guessed first one for drawing, second for return, third probably for relief. The pipes ended in the machine with knobs. The first 15 mins is for drawing blood - I was required to squeeze and release the smilie ball handed by the technician. The next 20-30 mins is uneven cycles of blood draw and return. The blood drawing cycle lasted for 38 seconds and return is only 19 seconds which is obvious as the separation which occurs after draw cycle takes time.
Tech instructed me to squeeze and release the ball only when the display shows draw which require head to turn in an obtuse angle and was mildly discomforting. I observed the cycle times of draw and return, as well as the sounds made by respective rotating knobs. For drawing it is 38 seconds, a knob rotates sounding similar to train sound and for return it is 19 seconds with a sound similar to ticking of clock. I opened timer on mobile and synced with these cycle times, as the needle touches 19 seconds on timer, i lapped it, which resets and again lapped as it touches 38 seconds paying an attentive ear to the distinctive sounds made by the knobs. It turned into a game for me.
As the knobs rotating i realised the process of separation is as simple as centrifuge which makes denser particles to rotate near the centre (RBC and WBC) and throws lighter particles to the edges (platelets). The last return is for 5 mins, technician returned and collected the pouch with my platelets - pale yellow colored thick liquid, noticed only lower portion of the pouch is full.
Staff put a regular fruit sachet and biscuit on my right hand, as my left started to recover from a long strain. I returned to waiting hall with my colleagues bearing comic proud of myself and attendees customarily thanking me. I consumed the drink and colleague devoured the biscuits.
Sleeping on that night (yesterday) - got to know the patient is recovering. Felt useful and happy.
Having searched and confirmed my hypothesis about blood transfusion using centrifuge principle by perplexity - felt lowkey proud of myself, began to wonder reading all those stories of sherlock Holmes had got an effect on me