On October 27, 2016, my mother went in for a procedure that was supposed to take a few hours; 12 hours later she was still in surgery. My name is Lindsay, and I am one of Sally Humbert’s children. Sally and her husband, Michael, are devout Christians and have been members of Old St. Andrew’s for six years.
It was not until midnight of that scary day that we found out exactly what happened in the surgery room. The doctors and nurses worked hours on end to try and get my mom stable. She bled out over and over again. Throughout the surgery, she needed 118 pints of blood. They continuously gave her blood just to keep her alive. To give you an idea of how much blood that is, our bodies are made up of 10 to12 units; she received 118.
Everyone in that operating room walked out saying it was nothing short of a miracle she was still alive. The head anesthesiologist said, “The hand of God saved your mother.” There was no medical reason for how she survived. When MUSC and Roper hospitals ran out of blood to give her, the Red Cross stepped in. The road was long to recovery for my mother, but with her faith, family, and church community, she was going to fight her way back.
From that day forward, we vowed to raise awareness about the importance of donating blood and giving back each year. This year we held our third annual blood drive in honor of my mother. With the Red Cross, we collected 84 pints of blood over the three years. One pint of blood donation can go to help three people. With our 84 pints, we have been able to help approximately 252 people.
Not many people think to donate blood. We tend not to think about vital things that keep us alive until they are the only things keeping us alive.
If you’re interested in hosting a blood drive, know that the Red Cross works with you the entire time to help you recruit donors and gets you organized for the event day. Old St. Andrew’s has hosted our blood drive each year. With their love and support, we can continue to make a difference because you never know when you or someone you love is going to need saving.
Head to www.redcross.org to find out how you can donate at your closest blood drive and to ask for information on how you can host your own!
By Lindsay Myers, Associated with Old St. Andrew’s Church, Charleston
