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Listen: Hope Breakfast's Sam Robinson chats to Sydney mum Rachel Taufer about the impact of giving blood
Note: the following video demonstrates the blood-donating process
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A Sydney Mother’s Story: Giving Blood Saved Two Lives at Once
By Ally Barnes
In 2015, a local Toongabbie mum found out she was pregnant with her fourth baby, a much planned for and wanted baby.
A week after seeing her OB, Rachel Taufer had a large bleed, and a bleed in the uterus was found. She was placed on bed rest. At her 19 week scan, she learned she had placenta accreta, which is where the placenta abnormally attaches to the uterine wall.
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At 21 weeks gestation, she had a large bleed at home and was taken to the hospital via ambulance. Rachel and her husband Nathan were told that if their baby were to come now, they were too small to be saved. The doctors would work to save Rachel’s life but there was no guarantee she would survive.
Rachel stayed in hospital on strict bedrest, never leaving her bed except for going to the toilet or being wheeled to any scans, while bleeding continuously.
At 26 weeks and three days gestation, her body couldn’t take any more. She went into preterm labour, and quickly became septic. An ALS (life support alarm) was called on both Rachel and her baby, and a large team of doctors quickly assembled to save their lives.
Estelle was born blue and not breathing. She was manually resuscitated, intubated, and rushed to NICU where she would begin her long fight, staying in hospital for the following three months.
“It is safe to say neither Estelle or I would be here today if it weren’t for the generosity of blood donors or the hard work and coordination of the Australian Red Cross,” – Sydney mum Rachel Taufer
During surgery, Rachel lost 5L of blood and crashed as her blood pressure dropped due to the blood loss. She received 14 units of blood and blood products – a doctor was always on the phone to the Red Cross ordering products as she continued to bleed out. Rachel was given adrenalin to keep her heart going.
The following day, several hours later, she awoke in ICU strapped to a bed and intubated, arterial and central lines in place. She was handed a photo of her daughter.
Rachel stayed in ICU for three days. She saw her baby five days later and held her a few days after that – a week after she was born.
During her time in NICU, Estelle suffered all the regular complications of an extreme premature baby. This included needing blood products. She received two transfusions over the course of her stay.
Hear the full conversation from Hope Breakfast in the player above.
“Blood Expert” Allison on Hope Drive
Do you know your blood type? Many of us would be familiar with the A B O system for grouping blood types, and that some types aren’t compatible with others. Allison Gould is one of Lifeblood’s “Blood Experts” and explains why giving a patient the right type of blood matters so much, and other vital information about giving blood.
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