Posted on 12/19/2005 4:28:38 PM PST by wallcrawlr
The family of a 5-year-old boy from Braham who was severely burned last week is pleading with the public for blood donations such as the ones that have been used to treat the boy.
Sky Williams remains in critical condition at Hennepin County Medical Center after he suffered third-degree burns over nearly 100 percent of his body.
"Sky's getting all the blood he needs, and the family's request came out of their hearts," said Dr. Elizabeth Perry, associate medical director of the Minneapolis-based Memorial Blood Center. "They just wanted to say help us."
Somewhat complicating the boy's case is that he has O-negative blood and can receive transfusions of only that type. No other blood type has such a limitation. About 7 percent of the U.S. population is O-negative.
During skin graft surgery performed Saturday, he received several blood products, Perry said.
He was burned late Thursday morning when his father briefly left him alone at home. A lit candle ignited his shirt.
Sky's great-grandmother, Billie Williams, told WCCO-TV: "He's fighting for his life, and he needs blood - a lot of it. There's going to be a lot of surgery down the road."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Oh Lord...please watch over this young one.
I think O positive is the most common type (it's my own). This concerns O negative.
The RH factor is the problem. If he get blood that is + his body will not accept it.
It might help if the blood banks lifted some of those crazier restrictions. I used to donate regularly, until a couple years ago, when I was told that I was suddenly ineligible to donate. Something to do with mad cow disease and me having lived in Europe back in the 1980's. Good grief! If I were infected, wouldn't I have found out by now???
This is so heart breaking...Prayers for this little guy that he will receive the blood and corrective surgery that he so badly needs as soon as possible. I also wish for a miracle that he will not feel any more pain.
In Jesus' name
Amen.
Amen
Very sad to hear, I hope this kid is able to make it through alright.
Please, Lord, don't let this child feel anymore pain.
Help him and his family survive this.
Dying of blood loss is not a bad way to go, sort of like freezing to death or kidney failure. It beats suffering weeks of agonizing pain and then succumbing anyway to an infection, which is what the future holds for this boy if his blood is replaced.
This boy's life is over, bless his poor innocent soul. He should not receive any more blood, and should be kept pain-free on heavy opioid analgesics until he inevitably slips away.
-ccm
I second your post. No more pain for this youngster. Prayers asking for a miracle.
Wow. Your post brought tears to my eyes.
"O" is the most common type of plood. It's the "negative" part that is rare.
I have to agree with you.
I'm O- and I have given blood alot. How can I help?
I know that I will be castigated, but it probably would be a blessing to let him go. He is just going to be an experimental lab rat...lets see how far we can take him... to the medical team.
There are some things more terrible than death.
The family is also on a fixed income and in need of financial assistance to get to and from the hospital. If you'd like to help, donations are being accepted in Sky Williams' name at 811 Central Drive West; Lot 45; Braham, MN 55006.
BTTT
Sadly; agreed. I don't think I would want my child to survive if he were that badly injured. I've seen enough pictures of burn victims and heard of the agony they go through in the burn treatment center as they clean up the dead skin from the burns. I pray that the family will have the courage to decide to let him go. And for that poor father, too. I can't imagine the guilt he must feel and how this whole episode is tearing that family apart.
I'm O- but I'm in Texas. Can they get it there??
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