Blood by Bonny Beswick

 https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0228634733?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tpbk_0&storeType=ebooks&qid=1 753570492&sr=1-1 

Finding killers is Calgary Police Detective Janice Maidstone’s job, for now, but her parents want her back on the  short-grass prairie in southern Saskatchewan to take over the ranch. Janice must choose between the police service  in a job she loves, or the life as a rancher to carry on the family legacy. 

The decision hangs over her head while she and her partner investigate their latest case involving a pregnancy, a  playboy fiancé, a greedy business partner, and a jealous bride. 

BLOOD 

Before I get to the main topic of my blog this month, I’m going to start again with our  nearest space neighbour. Here’s some late breaking news about the moon (and no, it’s  not about the Artemis mission). Chris DeWeese, Senior Editorial Writer for The Weather  Channel wrote this: 

“Thanks to new observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), NASA  announced that the moon will be spared from what could have been a very  explosive run-in with a “city-killer” asteroid in 2032. This new data suggests that,  instead, asteroid 2024 YR4 will pass 13,200 miles from the lunar surface. The  agency had previously given this asteroid a 4% chance of hitting the moon, which  might not sound like much, but is actually pretty high stakes, so far as these things  go.  

The large asteroid, estimated to stretch between 174 and 220 feet in diameter, was  first discovered in 2024, and scientists have been closely tracking it ever since. Early  concerns were that it could potentially hit Earth; if an asteroid this size did hit our 

planet, it could wipe out a city, carrying the equivalent force of 500 atomic bombs.  The good news? We don’t have to worry about that happening, either to us or to  our cold, silent satellite. 

So now that we can heave a sigh of relief about avoiding a catastrophe on our doorstep that we didn’t even know about, let’s get on to what I had planned to write about this  month! 

Blood. 

As a writer of Police Procedural Murder Mysteries, you might think I’m going to write  about gory crime scenes. Salacious suspense. Fictional femme fatales. Sorry. This month,  it’s all nonfiction. 

Blood makes up about 7-8% of our body weight. From high school biology, we know that  it’s made up of red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), platelets, and  a liquid portion (plasma). This straw-coloured fluid accounts for about 60% of total blood  volume, while erythrocytes make up roughly 40%, along with leukocytes and platelets.  (Physiology, Blood Volume Ragav Sharma , Sandeep Sharma) 

I’ve always been a regular donor at Canadian Blood Services (formerly the Canadian Red  Cross). Mom and Dad set the example early, and as soon as I turned 18, I made a point to  attend the travelling clinics. I think the first place I donated was in Pincher Creek, Alberta  in 1973. For many years, I gave whole blood. They didn’t even start accepting plasma  donations until 1998, when they became the Canadian Blood Services. 

Throughout those years, I was fortunate to have employers who were accommodating  and never questioned the two hours I took to trek across the city, donate and return to  work. At the time, I made the effort because it felt good, in a remote sort of way. 

But in August 2013, I became one of the approximately 52% of Canadians (they, or a family  member) who needed blood (or blood products), when I broke my leg, requiring a two week hospital stay and two surgeries. I ended up getting two units of whole blood and  suddenly the value of commitments made by volunteers to give blood became personal.  

After receiving the blood product, I had to wait a number of months before donating  again. After the deferral period was over, I never got back into the habit. Life got in the  way and I only went occasionally and even returned to donating whole blood instead of  plasma. 

Last week, a Facebook ad popped up reporting that most of the plasma used in Canada  comes from the United States. Plasma Donation in Canada - Canada.ca What?? The idea  that we are dependant on another country to maintain our blood supply, especially since 

so much of that blood is not given by volunteers, but by people who are paid to give,  doesn’t sit well with me. Although I’ve seen no statistics to the contrary, I can’t help but  think volunteers IN GENERAL would be healthier than those who give because they are  being paid. 

With that in mind, I’ve decided to make donating a priority again. In fact, I’ve made a  specific goal. Over the next 12-month period, I plan to donate 25 times. Since Canadian  Blood Services allows plasma donations every six days (weekly), it should be easy to roll  up my sleeve twice a month. 

But is that healthy? 

At each donation, haemoglobin levels and in the case of plasma, blood protein levels are tested. If I fail, even a tiny bit, to meet the standards, I’ll be deferred for several months,  and have to do a walk of shame out of the clinic (just kidding, they’re very nice about it and even let you stop and partake of the snacks before you go).  

Other common reasons for deferral include out-of-country travel, illness, surgery,  vaccinations, and tattoos. 

Recently, the news reported that two people died after giving plasma at a for-profit  Winnipeg collection centre. To date, no causal link between their donations and their  death has been established. 2 people die after giving plasma at for-profit Winnipeg  collection centres: Health Canada | CBC News. Over the course of my plasma donations  (well over 200), I’ve never experienced a negative reaction, nor has anyone that I know  who donates. 

But why is it so important to donate plasma? 

• Plasma is used for transfusion in hospitals for someone who needs more blood  volume because of burns, shock, trauma, or other medical emergencies.  

• It is used to help develop new medications 

• Clotting proteins found in plasma are used to help control bleeding (critical for  those suffering from clotting disorders) 

• The immune proteins contained in plasma assists in cancer many treatments,  chicken pox, measles, tetanus, immunodeficiencies, kidney disease, hepatitis B,  brain disorders and bone marrow transplants. 

While many people cannot donate (due to medical conditions or proximity to donation  centres), many more can, but never do. If you’re one of those that don’t, I encourage you  to do it. Take a friend. Who knows, you, or someone you love, may need it.

Fun Fact: Frozen plasma has a shelf life of one year. Some references: 

Plasma 

What Is Plasma in Blood?