Why a Canadian man run over by a truck in Thailand is struggling to get treatment

[realenglish1]

It would seem that some Medical Staff working for the Red Cross had cheated on exams and has not fully understand that giving blood is not an age restricted activity

Goes to show you what I have always said Thai education is poor

[lostinisaan]

Maybe the medical staff could revive the WW2 practice of using the juice from drinking coconuts to rehdyrate him intravenously.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2925/can-coconut-juice-be-used-as-blood-plasma-plus

I assume it's got something to do with sugarcane too?

[lostinisaan]

I donated blood over 20 times in the UK.

I am unable to donate in Thailand because I lived in the EU for more than 6 months from 1980 to 1996.

This policy is in place to reduce the possibility of transmitting CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - AKA Mad Cow Disease)

A similar policy exists in the USA.

That's really weird. But when reading some posts here it seems that some posters are tremendously affected by the MCD.

[Rumblecat]

I was refused to donate blood as well even having been a donor all my life starting at my 18th sometimes 4 times a year with my O- now i am over 55 tooooo OLD !!!!

But you've donated in Thailand before..?

[balo]

Stupid question but cannot the Canadian government do something through their medical system to help one of their nationals. This man has needed this blood for some time and has not been a solution. Surely time must be of an essence. No solution coming soon within Thailand give some of the ridiculous stipulations.

Maybe someone should contact Canadian media to make this a high profile case ? Nothing can beat the power of the media.

People will line up for donations.

[Baerboxer]

" Furthermore, Red Cross stipulates donors must have been in Thailand for a minimum of six months."

Why?

A sort of "quarantine" period. Any diseases that might effect the quality of the blood or the health of the donor should be noticeable by then.

I went to give blood with my ex in the UK once. They stopped us when they found out we'd been to the Seychelles a couple of months before.

[F4UCorsair]

Red cross does not have an age limit

as long as you are healthy to donate.

YET

Thailand exclusion of over 55 year olds excludes myself,

he could have my blood , and i know as a former donor how high

my platelets are,

I am sure Mr C would be happy to have my donation,

more red unnecessary TAPE.

Does the Red Cross ask for ID? If not, just give them a false birthdate, or if they do, borrow ID from a guy under 55, provided you look reasonably similar...... two eyes, two ears, etc.

[johnatong]

Some misinformation in this thread.

The Thai Red X Blood Donor Criteria can be found in the link.

https://english.redcross.or.th/node/49

[elgordo38]

The man should not be dying because of a technicality of age.

[freedom4life]

" Furthermore, Red Cross stipulates donors must have been in Thailand for a minimum of six months."

Why?

Because it's the Dead Cross...

Edited May 17, 2016 by freedom4life

[Issangeorge]

I do not have rh negative blood, although at one time that was marked on my card, but they discovered it was positive. I have donated blood in Thailand four or five times, I was over 55 every time and the last over 60.

[kiwikeith]

Red cross does not have an age limit

as long as you are healthy to donate.

YET

Thailand exclusion of over 55 year olds excludes myself,

he could have my blood , and i know as a former donor how high

my platelets are,

I am sure Mr C would be happy to have my donation,

more red unnecessary TAPE.

Why can't the Red Cross inconjunction with the Canadian Embassy fly some blood in from Canada or any other comonwealth country???

It would be easy, but to hard because simple things these days are to hard unless you pull a wad out.

Surely the Thai hospitals could organise blood to be flown from overseas, or organise their stupid blood donation rules.

[hawker9000]

Why not fly in blood from Canada. Must the blood be from Thailand.? If he is Canadian and Canada can send blood they could use it right.

Or Australia.

[johnatong]

Red cross does not have an age limit

as long as you are healthy to donate.

YET

Thailand exclusion of over 55 year olds excludes myself,

he could have my blood , and i know as a former donor how high

my platelets are,

I am sure Mr C would be happy to have my donation,

more red unnecessary TAPE.

Why can't the Red Cross inconjunction with the Canadian Embassy fly some blood in from Canada or any other comonwealth country???

It would be easy, but to hard because simple things these days are to hard unless you pull a wad out.

Surely the Thai hospitals could organise blood to be flown from overseas, or organise their stupid blood donation rules.

"or organise their stupid blood donation rules."

I think you will find the the Thai Red X donation criteria meets International standards/practice.

Perhaps you should check "the stupid rules" that apply to blood donation procedure in your own country and then perhaps provide a list of all those Western countries which do not impose "stupid blood donation rules".

[lungnorm]

Seems like the Red Cross is causing a lot of heartache with their STUPID out of date rules. Donors have to have been in Thailand for 6 months . Mmmm is that to give them time to get HIV? Dont the Red Cross know that Thailand is full of tourists not just expats? What a stupid one eyed way to run the Red Cross. Doners have to be under 55yrsd of age, Another stupid rule, Its the same in Australia, I couldnt donate my own blood for an operation I was going to have, the reason I was given I was not a registered blood donor, How freakin stupid is that, I had to buy 4 units of somebody elses blood at a cost of $464 and to rub it in I did not need any of it in my operation. And yes no refunds. Its about time someone put a rocket up their ass's.

[sead]

Get the poor guy to another clinic. There has to be other options.

[johnatong]

Get the poor guy to another clinic. There has to be other options.

How would moving the man to another "clinic" help ?

What do you believe the "options" are ?

[Artisi]

Why not fly in blood from Canada. Must the blood be from Thailand.? If he is Canadian and Canada can send blood they could use it right.

So long as you have import licence, and everything has to be arranged by a Thai (no farang can get a work permit for this employment), and don't forget the hassle thru' customs, immigration, and probably a dozen or more stupid and useless rules and regulations, all accompanied by the standard well stuffed brown paper bag or lunch box. Remember the hassles for the volunteers after the Tsunami -- nothing is easy, logical or useful in LOS.

[Thunderbirds20]

I am sure the recipient, David would gladly waive such idiotic restrictions, .. Typical Thailand! Not an ounce of logic anywhere

[johnatong]

Why not fly in blood from Canada. Must the blood be from Thailand.? If he is Canadian and Canada can send blood they could use it right.

So long as you have import licence, and everything has to be arranged by a Thai (no farang can get a work permit for this employment), and don't forget the hassle thru' customs, immigration, and probably a dozen or more stupid and useless rules and regulations, all accompanied by the standard well stuffed brown paper bag or lunch box. Remember the hassles for the volunteers after the Tsunami -- nothing is easy, logical or useful in LOS.

The international transfer of blood/blood products etc is a complex and expensive business !

https://www.edqm.eu/medias/fichiers/blood_and_blood_components_recommendations.pdf

Only some 300 pages and those relate to Europe !

[jaiyen]

If you are English,most of us cant give blood anywhere cos they think we are infected with Mad Cow Disease. Plenty of mad cows in Thailand, mostly with 2 legs and 2 udders !

[bigote54]

The British Embassy has 4 litres A- on fridge as POW isA-

why not ask them

[D3030]

From what I read, David Connolly's sister is a Canadian journalist, radio talk show host and "may" have written this story herself...

She also left just enough info out, about her brother, that many of us, the problem solvers we are..

Trying to figure out, why he's not getting the help he needs..

Which is, his rare blood type donated "only", which apparently he needs for a blood transfusion??

Anyway, something sounds out of whack here, so..

Tossing this booger back!

Enjoy...

[Bluespunk]

From what I read, David Connolly's sister is a Canadian journalist, radio talk show host and "may" have written this story herself...

She also left just enough info out, about her brother, that many of us, the problem solvers we are..

Trying to figure out, why he's not getting the help he needs..

Which is, his rare blood type donated "only", which apparently he needs for a blood transfusion??

Anyway, something sounds out of whack here, so..

Tossing this booger back!

Enjoy...

Clicking on the link to the full story makes it very clear this man has had problems in the past but was recovering.

They hide nothing.

The only thing out of whack is questioning whether he should be helped.

[SunsetT]

I have A-Neg blood, live in Thailand for over 12 years and am a registered blood donor at the Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattahip.

Via some contact I offered to give blood 10 days ago and was informed that he had been transferred to Bangkok where there was enough of this blood.

I'm off on a trip, later today, but back on Friday.

Also think that some issues are lost in translation here, you can't give blood in many western countries for 6 months if you have been in Thailand.

Yes, but it depends where in Thailand and if it is an area with risk of malaria. I am in the UK and just had by blood donation declined as Ive come from Nakhon Phanom area. Because NKP is on the Laos border it is deemed to be 'High risk' but in 10 years Ive never heard of a case there.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Why not fly in blood from Canada. Must the blood be from Thailand.? If he is Canadian and Canada can send blood they could use it right.

I was wondering the exact same thing.

They should be able to ship blood in a some sort of refrigerated container. I am sure this is not the first time the Red Cross made shipments. Could be from their to here in 24-hours. I don't get it?

I know my past Polish Girlfriend was a Nurse and she sent me a Red Cross Package to Saudi Arabia. I got it hand delivered to me right away. But the Intravenous Bottles weren't filled with Medication. Instead she filled them with Vodka. I could have killed her for that. But in a nice way. I soon got over that but told her not to do that anymore.

[lvr181]

According to the Red Cross: There is no upper age limit for blood donation as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities.

So why does Thailand have an age restriction of 55, especially when someone's life is at stake? This country can be so infuriating with its own bizarre logic.

And as mentioned, how could it possibly matter is you've been here for at least 6 months. Have they got this mixed up with one of their immigration laws?

Is there anyway to get the media involved to perhaps wake somebody up regarding Thailand's disregard of world-wide Red Cross blood donation standards?

Because they have a stupid fixation with age. Damn ridiculous

Seems "....they have a stupid fixation..." FULLSTOP! How can the Govt and/or the Red Cross countenance such silly ideas as this? As one OP mentioned, life is cheap in Thailand.

Give reasons why something cannot be done rather than finding ways how something can be done.

Edited May 17, 2016 by lvr181

[lostinisaan]

I'm volunteering got an organisation with an office in office called DHV. ( German helping organisation for emergencies)

A good friend of mine got very sick then needed blood and i did all i could to check out all the blood banks over this country. Asking the doctor how necessary the blood was, didn't give me a satisfying answer.

However, using this forum and a lot of DHV members who live all over this country, we finally found enough blood for ten guys,

They gave him the blood in the morning and my friend died on the same day at night. You would think if somebody receives a blood donation, because his helper cells were too low would be very helpful, right?

The day before he got his blood he told me that he'd "walk over the Jordan" and he's damn right. When his gf called me and i "rushed to the scene" watching them increasing the voltage more and more i only said that they can stop it. He's gone.

Since that day I'm a little bit skeptical when it's about donated blood. I truly hope that the guy will receive his urgently needed blood without any complications.

Most Thai government hospitals are already a really complicated complication. Get well soon.

Edited May 17, 2016 by lostinisaan

[stevenl]

Many people slamming Thai red cross here, and how many of those have knowledge of blood donations, infections and other risks, not to talk about international procedures. Probably none.

[connda]

Death my Bureaucracy. Sad and unavoidable.