When a weekend errand requires emergency transfusions
Melissa Trahan of Plano recounts the quick trip that took a traumatic turn
Routine drives often have the most significant consequences.
The Texas Department of Transportation recently reported that more than 251,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in one year alone.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration further noted more than half (52%) of all vehicle accidents occur within just five miles of home. Expand the radius to 10 miles and the figure jumps to nearly 70%.
That range could include familiar errands such as dropping off the kids at school, going to a doctor’s appointment or, as Melissa Trahan recalled, making a quick run to the neighborhood grocery store.
On a bright morning in 2015, Melissa and her husband had gone grocery shopping, a typical errand on another casual weekend. The Saturday routine took an unexpected turn, however, near the intersection of Coit Road and the President George Bush Turnpike in Plano.
“We were involved in a serious car accident that left me with no feeling in my legs,” Melissa said. “Firefighters had to cut me out of the car.”
Melissa was rushed to the hospital for major surgery. Complications arose during the operation when a nerve was accidentally severed.
“As a result, I required blood transfusions both during and after the procedure. Even after the surgery, I was unable to walk for six months,” Melissa said. “But, without those blood transfusions, I would not be here today.”
Though she continues to endure back pain several years after the traumatic accident, Melissa credits blood donors for supporting her overall recovery.
“Receiving donated blood changed my life and I carry that gratitude with me every day,” she said. “Blood donors’ generosity made it possible for me to be here. Thank you for being someone’s miracle: mine. You are God-sent angels.”
The experience prompted Melissa to encourage others to share their lifesaving gifts at Carter BloodCare’s local donor centers and mobile blood drives.
“Please consider taking the time to donate,” she emphasized. “Your donation could mean the difference between life and death for someone else. Make it count.
“Donating blood truly saves lives,” Melissa said. “I am living proof of that.”
Additional resources
Local patients need you and you can help: As Melissa asked, please donate this week at your nearby Carter BloodCare mobile blood drive or donor center. When you do, as a thank-you for supporting our community, you’ll receive a Donor Appreciation Gift.
And there’s another way you can help: If you’ve ever received a transfusion, your patient experience can motivate others to donate to save lives. Make a difference when you Tell Us Your Story.