TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — The impact of giving whole blood in the field during emergency responses in Southern Colorado continues to save lives.
“It worries me to think about what might have happened had I not had that blood because here I am, you know quite removed from a from a hospital, so yeah it was really important,” said motorcycle crash survivor, Guy Theriot.
On a Saturday in August, Theriot went for a motorcycle ride with a buddy on the winding, rural mountain roads in Teller County.
He lost control and went down hard, breaking all of ribs on the left side of his body and causing internal injuries.
He said, “I have a scar that runs from just below my sternum to about three or four inches below my belly button, so obviously they opened me up quite a bit,
Doctors had to remove a lung, an adrenal gland, and his spleen.
“That was the real problem with me was rupturing that spleen and starting to bleed out.”
When paramedics and an EMT first assessed Theirot. they knew he had serious injuries but his vital signs were stable.
Minutes into transporting him the hospital his vitals tanked indicating, likely internal bleeding.
I rechecked his blood pressure, and it was, I believe like 60 over 40, which is very low,” said Paramedic, Kaylinn Hathaway, “I couldn't feel a pulse on his wrist, so I had my partner Jerek call for a blood response."
Teller County in collaboration with UCHealth had just put in place whole blood transfusion protocols.
Colorado Springs Fire Department was the first in the state to implement the program and Teller County emergency medical leaders envisioned it saving lives, especially in rural response situations.
Another Teller County paramedic with the assignment of carrying whole blood, merged with the ambulance and crew transporting the motorcycle crash patient.
“It [whole blood] is something that truly buys the patient time to get them to the hospital,” said Paramedic Janee Karle
Hathaway added, “The whole blood, it really is just replacing exactly what you lost.”
Everyone involved in the transport witnessed the impact of a whole blood transfusion.
“Once we got the blood going, he was like, ‘wow, this juice you guys are giving me is awesome,” Karle said with a chuckle.
Now a motorcycle crash survivor is meeting the team who gave him whole blood and saved his life.
“I’m delighted to be here,” said Theriot.
Insurance does not pay for the whole blood transfusions, so departments rely on community support and foundations.
Another way to donate is to give blood.
Southern Colorado has a few blood drives coming up soon, and organizers recommend signing up ahead of time.
UCHealth will host two blood drives in Colorado Springs December 4.
- Memorial Central's blood drive is from 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Memorial North's blood drive is from 2:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
- Ute Pass Regional Health Service District will host one December 13 in Woodland Park from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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