BajaNomad

A Positive Blood Needed ASAP

CGB - 5-3-2011 at 09:19 PM

Urgent! Need A Positive blood ASAP. Must be donated in La Paz 5/4/11 @7am. Phone 612-125-4011. For more information follow the link below.
http://thebajaponyexpress.com/2011/1087--Jeff.2_050311.htm

Eli - 5-4-2011 at 05:57 AM

I just wanted to give this a bump in case someone is out there today who can help.

Info on what this is about....

mcfez - 5-4-2011 at 07:45 AM

From \
http://thebajaponyexpress.com/2011/1087--Jeff.2_050311.htm



URGENT...JEFF NIEMI WAS IN A SERIOUS KITING ACCIDENT YESTERDAY AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION IN THE LOS CABOS AMERIMED HOSPITAL, I WAS WITH HIM ALL MORNING, THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT HE NEEDS ABOUT 30 PEOPLE TO DONATE BLOOD. YOU NEED TO CALL THE BLOOD BANK AT 624 105 0354 TO MAKE AN APPT. THEY ONLY RECEIVE APPTS BETWEEN 9AM - 11AM. PLEASE DO NOT GO TO THE HOSPITAL, HE CANNOT SEE ANYONE EXCEPT HIS FAMILY. HE IS VERY UNSTABLE RIGHT NOW AND NEEDS ALL OF YOUR HELP. HE LOST A LOT OF BLOOD AND ONLY HAS 65%, THE LOWEST THE LEVEL IS SUPPOSED TO GO IS 85%.

ANY TYPE OF BLOOD IS OK AND NEEDED IN CABO.

REQUIREMENTS

BE IN GENERAL GOOD HEALTH
BETWEEN 10 AND 65 YEARS OLD
ONE DONATION EVERY 60 DAYS
YOU MAY NOT GIVE BLOOD

YOU MAY NOT GIVE BLOOD

KIDNEY OR LIVER DISEASE
HIV AIDS
VIRAL HEPATITIS
CANCER OR BLOOD DISORDER
HEART DISEASE

YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT

TATOO OR BODY PEIRCING IN THE LAST 2 YEARS
TRANSFUSION IN THE LAST YEAR
ARE PREGNANT
COLD, SORE THROAT INFECTION OR ASTHMA
HAVE A FEVER, A RECENT VACCINATION
TAKING CERTAIN MEDICATIONS
Kimberly Ford
011 52 1 624 132 2510 Mexican cell
760 494 0188 US

[Edited on 5-4-2011 by mcfez]

willyAirstream - 5-4-2011 at 07:53 AM

To the top of the list

from ponyexpress
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2011 - #1087 - Jeff#3

I Just received this from Gay Thatcher who works for the blood bank in Cabo and San Jose. Kimberly

The Santa Josefina Blood Bank can receive blood donors type A positive tomorrow as long as blood is needed for Jeff Niemi, if you know that this is your blood type and can donate for this patient we are giving these donors priority as this is the emergency blood that will be needed short term. The blood for this patient that has been needed so far has been sent to Amerimed and is being used, La Paz is also sending more units to stand by.

The platelets are drawn by aphaeresis which can only be done at the State Blood Bank in La Paz, it is a different process and requires a special machine that Santa Josefina does not have. Again, type A positive donors are needed, please go to the La Paz blood bank if you are a possible donor.

If you have any other type blood and want to donate to replace blood supplies in the name of this patient please try and help us with that next week, we do need it and want to attend to everyone but we must give priority to the type A positive donors tomorrow and Thursday to make sure we have an ongoing blood supply for Jeff Niemi

Thank you all for helping, please go to our web page at santajosefinabloodbank.org where you will find information on blood donation in both Spanish and English, again thank you and please be assured that Santa Josefina is doing everything possible to ensure the blood necessary for Jeff Niemi

Gay Thatcher de Herrera
Santa Josefina Blood Bank
(624) 105 0354

Kimberly Ford
624 132 2510
kiminbaja@gmail.com

Note from Cheryl: Jeff's sister and daughter are arriving today. As information becomes available to Kimberly, she will send reports to the BPE. Again, please refrain from calling Kimberly unless it's truly important. Jeff is in ICU and no visitors are allowed. He is scheduled for surgery tomorrow, Thursday. What is needed right now is BLOOD and the immediate need is A Positive to be donated in La Paz.

jenny.navarrette - 5-4-2011 at 09:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
While A Positive would be better, O Negative is a universal blood type and can be used.


You are not reading the post, Diana. The patient needs blood PLATELETS. Blood platelets are not red nor white blood cells, but much smaller cells that form clots. They are gathered by a different process, where blood is withdrawn from a donor, the platelets are filtered out, and the blood returned to the donor. That is why the donors have to go to La Paz where they have the machine to do that. The platelets can only be stored for about 5 days. They are typed using HLA typing which is much more specific.

If the doctors say they need type A+ platelets, that is what they need for surgery, not type O-. Fortunately, type A+ is a very common blood type. There are probably 200,000 Mexicans in BCS with that blood type, as about 1/3 the population is type A+. I'm not sure why they are appealing to the handful of Americans down there. He should be flown to the US for this, if he is well enough.

I hope he recovers.

willyAirstream - 5-4-2011 at 10:27 AM

update from pony express

Blood update 5/4/11-9:27am
Just got off the phone with both places. The SJ blood bank can't receive anymore until Monday.. I guess a lot of people have come to help. La Paz will accept until 8am-7 PM so we are headed there soon. It took a while to find so I thought you might share the info. The La Paz Blood Bank is at Nicolas Bravo #1010, open 8am to 7pm. Make plans to go on Monday. Jeff needs blood! Doug

willyAirstream - 5-4-2011 at 01:07 PM

update from pony express
Update on Jeff May 4, 2011 - #1090 - Jeff#4

1. 10:15am I am at the hospital waiting for the doctor to give me an update on Jeff's condition, I want to extend many thanks as there are currently about 30 people at the blood bank in Cabo san Lucas donating blood, there are also about 15 people in La Paz donating blood for the platelets that are needed for Jeff's surgeries scheduled for Thur. It is very comforting to know that there are so many generous and concerned people, keep the prayers coming and if we need more blood I will keep you posted. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Kimberly Ford

2. 11:45am Latest update on Jeff Niemi's condition....I was able to go in to see Jeff and he is sleeping, he seems to be comfortable and there is a nurse in the room with him 24/7.
I also spoke to the surgeon and the orthopedic surgeon and they said that Jeff is stable and will be receiving 2 units of blood today, he is scheduled for surgery tomorrow, he has many fractured and broken bones, last night his right lung began to leak air so there is a chance that if he is air lifted to the states his lung could collapse. Jeff's sister and daughter are arriving today. Jeff is currently conscious and able to make decisions for himself, if he is unable his family will be here to make them for him. The doctor told me that he has never seen such a response to donate blood and that Jeff must be a very special guy, I told him that we have a very tight community in Los Barriles and that everyone helps each other, it it very comforting for me to see the outpouring of love prayers and blood. Keep the prayers coming. They said they have enough blood for now, however if Jeff stays here they will need more for his future surgeries. They also need to replace the blood that they are using. Also not all of the blood will be accepted so this is why it is so very important to keep giving.
The number to donate in Cabo is 624 105 0354 and the number in La Paz is Cesar Amora 045 612 158 1726
Thank you everyone for your love and support, it is what we need for Jeff right now...I am also posting updates on my facebook page Kimberly Glick Ford, if you would like receive these please send me a friend request. With all my love, Kimberly

BajaBlanca - 5-4-2011 at 02:02 PM

wonderful response to the request for blood. go Nomads. I feel honored to be a part of this community.

mtgoat666 - 5-4-2011 at 02:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by willyAirstream
he has many fractured and broken bones,


from kite boarding? what happened?

BajaBlanca - 5-4-2011 at 02:21 PM

I recently learned from kiteboarding guests that if you get slammed against the sand, it is very dangerous .... and bones get fractured/broken.

Eli - 5-4-2011 at 03:45 PM

The story I got was; Jeff was down in Spa alone going out with an onshore wind which is mighty tricky, even though he is very experienced. Anyway, the wind picked him up and slammed him into a wall. A few fellow kiters just happened to go down to that area and found him lying on the beach, they thought he was just sleepin in the sand until they checked him out close. Accidents happen, that's all.

drarroyo - 5-5-2011 at 08:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Eli
The story I got was; Jeff was down in Spa alone going out with an onshore wind which is mighty tricky, even though he is very experienced. Anyway, the wind picked him up and slammed him into a wall. A few fellow kiters just happened to go down to that area and found him lying on the beach, they thought he was just sleepin in the sand until they checked him out close. Accidents happen, that's all.


there is nothing 'mighty tricky' about kiting at Spa. (unless you're a novice like your daughter)
The regular El Norte wind dictates that it will be on-shore conditions due to the bay's geography.
The PROBLEM is that there are inevitably structures (walls / houses / portable piers / pangas etc etc) directly downwind!!
So if the mierda hits the fan ... you could be kissing any said structure real hard. It's not rocket science.
This is why one simply should NOT kite directly upwind of structures.
When we kite there (to chase the increased wave action with said on-shore conditions) we have travelled further west .... beyond brick walls etc.
The technological advances in kite construction starting 4-5 years ago allowed for potential control in even extreme gusty conditions (one is able to 'spill off' the majority of the kite's power very easily)
SO ... this is still a mystery as to what actually happenned)
Sending positive healing thoughts to Jeff!!!

willyAirstream - 5-5-2011 at 09:07 AM

JEFF UPDATE #5
a. I SPENT MOST OF THE DAY IN THE HOSPITAL WITH MY FRIEND CHANTAL, THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY BLOOD DONATIONS FOR ONE PERSON IN SUCH OF SHORT PERIOD OF TIME!!! TO ALL OF YOU; WHEN CHANTAL AND I SAW A GUY WALKING IN AT THE AMERIMED WITH A COOLER FULL OF BLOOD SURPLUS SAYING " SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR JEFF'' THAT WAS PART OF YOU CROSSING THIS ROOM FOR A SECOND CHANCE OF LIFE!... AND 5 MINUTES AFTER HE HAD A TRANSFUSION OF THIS BLOOD, OF HOPE! OUR EMOTION WAS SO PALPABLE... JEFF KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HE IS VERY TOUCHED BY ALL YOUR ACTION OF HELPING. BUT THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER YET AND YOU NEED TO KEEP GOING FOR DONATION OF BLOOD, IN HIS CASE HE WILL NEED A FEW MORE TRANSFUSIONS BEFORE HE WILL BE OUT OF THE WOODS! ALL TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT! EVERY DROP COUNTS... THANK YOU CAN NOT HAVE A MEANING STRONG ENOUGH FOR YOUR ACTION AND HELP, I TRUST LIFE FOR THE BOOMERANG EFFECT IN ALL OF YOU... URGENT: BLOOD DONATION FOR JEFF "A" POSITIVE IS THE EMERGENCY NEEDED FOR HIM TO HAVE A SURGERY WHERE: AV. DE LA JUVENTUD ESQ FRANSISCO VILLA INTERIOR HOSPITAL ANIKAN, CABO SAN LUCAS. NEED APPOINTMENT: BETWEEN 9 TO 11AM ... PHONE: 105~0354= MENTION HIS NAME JEFF NIEMI OR LA PAZ ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE OLD HOSPITAL SALVATIERRA, PHONE 612 125 4011
JEFF IS SCHEDULED FOR A SURGERY TODAY TO REPAIR SOME OF HIS BROKEN AND FRACTURED BONES SO PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS AND CONTINUE TO GIVE BLOOD. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
KIMBERLY
PS I AM ALSO POSTING UPDATES ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THEM JUST SEND A FRIEND REQUEST TO KIMBERLY GLICK FORD

Eli - 5-5-2011 at 09:26 AM

Yeah for the experts, thanks drarroyo for clarifying.

BajaBlanca - 5-7-2011 at 04:45 PM

BUMP

How is he doing ?

willyAirstream - 5-7-2011 at 04:47 PM

update ( fast huh :)
SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2011 - #1094
Jeff Update

a. This is what occurred per Ian and Ben:
Ian and Ben showed up to kite in BV around 2:30 p.m. The wind was on-shore and blowing over 30 mph. While on the water Ian noticed another vehicle pull up and recognized it to be Jeff Niemi's. It is important to correctly note because Jeff showed up to kite alone; Ian and Ben did not know he was coming. Ben kept watching for Jeff to get on the water, but he never did, so Ben went in to investigate. Ben walked up the beach to find Jeff, but didn't see him immediately, so Ben walked up towards the houses and saw Jeff up against a wall. Ben ran over to him to see if he was all right, saw he was not, and waved Ian in off the water. As soon as Ian was in and he got to Jeff, Ben ran to the car to call Megan. Megan and Kevin then called Char. Ian administered emergency first aid, and kept Jeff still. While they were with Jeff, Ian noticed Jeff's harness spreader bar was broken. It was an aluminum windsurfing spreader bar, NOT the stainless steel kitesurfing spreader bar. Windsurfing spreader bars are not designed to take the load of the kite. Ian assumed that while Jeff was attempting to "self-launch" from his car, the bar broke and caused the kite to take on full power, and drag him down the beach into the seawall. Ian left Ben with Jeff to go talk to the neighbors to try and get a timeline on the accident. They said they saw the kite fly over and the bar hit their window 30-45 minutes prior. They went out to look, but didn't see Jeff. Ian went back to Jeff and waited until Char and the ambulance showed up.

b. There are two unsung heros that need to be identified and given thanks to and acknowledgement of their incredible assistance -- Ian Sanders and Ben Skaggs. These two fine young men were Jeff's true angels and first responders. If Ben had not been curious as to Jeff's whereabouts and then tenacious in walking up the beach looking for Jeff, and without Ian's first aid skills and quick assessment, in all likelihood, Jeff would not be here today. Betsy O'Leary

c. 5/7/11 10am: I was offline all day yesterday as I needed to rest. I just spoke to Char and Jeff is doing incredibly well, he made it through 3 surgeries to his shoulder arm and hip. Thankfully he is in great physical shape and has been able to withstand the trauma that his body has incurred. The Doctors at Amerimed are incredible and he is getting the best of care. Keep the prayers coming....
Kimberly Ford

d. 5/7/11 2:30pm: Hello this is Jeff Niemi’s son Ryan. Thank you for all your help and contributions with the blood drive. Everyone contributed immensely. Jeff is doing well, he had internal surgeries on Wednesday, orthopedic surgeries on Thursday, and his last calf graft this morning. We are trying to get him air-vac’d to Tucson, AZ this Monday. Jeff has limited insurance so we are going to try to come up with a fundraising project to help with his recovery and air-vac to a trauma care at University Medical Tucson. I'll post a future column concerning the fundraising. All of you guys helped him with the blood drive and I appreciate how everyone rallied together in this community. Thank you all for you efforts and help. Any questions or suggestions on fundraising can be forwarded to my email: ryanniemi@yahoo.com
Thanks all very much and keep Jeff in your prayers…

willyAirstream - 5-9-2011 at 01:31 PM

JEFF UPDATE - Received 5/9/11@ 11:30am BT (BajaTime)
Jeff is sedated as of yesterday morning, he needed a tube line to be put down his throat to his lungs so that he could breathe easier, as he was having a lot of trouble. The trauma of the surgeries is catching up with him. He is still sedated with the tube and will be flown in about two hours to University Medical Tucson,, a great trauma facility,, he will be sedated till he gets there. He has family and friends located in Tucson. At the moment we are trying to set up a fundraising page. He has a big balance up to 100,000 at the Cabo hospital as we needed 3 teams of surgeons. The Tucson hospital wants a deposit of 50,000 so we are trying to work on that as well. If its not to forward any donations will be accepted through the form of PayPal to the email of my sister- lex.niemi@gmail.com ,, if you have any other suggestions please email me at ryanniemi@yahoo.com ,, I appreciated everyone's help especially with blood drive,, I will update
everyone with Jeff's condition when he arrives in Tucson on, keep you prayers with him. Thank you all...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

bajafam - 5-9-2011 at 01:33 PM

wish I was there to give ~ godspeed Jeff!

slimshady - 5-9-2011 at 06:39 PM

What a horrible accident. In hearing about this accident and seeing how they are fundraising to help with medical expenses. I was wondering if he had insurance of any kind with Amerimed? What kind of insurance would they take to avoid having to come up with 100k so settle your bill prior to being released. They say they take blue cross but from what I hear you will have to pony up the money and let your medical insurance pay you back.

Do they offer an insurance where you paying nothing to the hospital and the hospital is reimbursed by the insurance company.

BajaBlanca - 5-11-2011 at 10:24 PM

hope Jeff gets better soon. maybe the kiteboarders could get together and do a fund raiser in ventana ????