Okay, I hadn't forgotten, this was the last 'to post'

on the list.

But then I read Aaron's blog and my exasperation came back to the forefront.

I regularly donate blood about twice a year. I've always considered it a public duty (the only time I every forged my mom's signature was to donate when I was 17; I had her oral permission and was away at college, forgetting I needed it in writing), especially as I have O+ blood (almost universal donor, except for the Rh factor) and somehow managed to avoid anything that would defer me permanently from donating. I am also, by the way, on the National Marrow Donor Registry. I believe that it's important to donate, because you very well could save lives.

Now here's the hard part. I, like several other family members, am
latex allergic. This means that I am allergic to materials made from the rubber tree, including natural latex gloves and a whole plethora of equipment in the medical world. Latex allergy can range from eczema and hives to full blown anaphylaxis and death. Exposure to latex can increase your chances of adverse reactions. In terms of allergy, it tends to be on the severe side, say, along with peanut and shellfish or beesting allergies. Many people with latex allergy carry epinepherine with them in case they have a life-threatening reaction. No one can predict whether or not someone having relatively 'mild' reactions will one day go into shock. For that reason, people with latex allergy are told to avoid it as much as possible, to alert medical personnel, and educate themselves. Websites like the one above and various groups have spent the last few years educating people and companies about latex allergy. The incidence of latex allergy blossomed quickly after medical personnel started using latex gloves to help protect against HIV and other blood-borne diseases. Latex allergy is most prevalent among healthcare workers, plant workers where latex products are made, people with certain urinary or spinal disorders (especially spina bifida), people with multiple surgeries, or people (like my family) with multiple allergies. In addition, certain foods can cross-react with latex allergies (it's one of the reasons I can't eat melons anymore, although I'm okay with bananas, which are probably the number one fruit that's an issue).

It used to be there was just not much info out there to protect us. But OSHA issued warnings about this several years ago, and theoretically, most workplaces (at least in healthcare) should have a clue by now. In fact, ignoring it could bring about legal liability for anyone not treating their workers right.

Which is where I get to this rant. Aaron works for the same organisation where I give blood. When I gave a few weeks ago, they, as usual, were woefully unprepared for a latex-allergic donor on the bloodmobile. They sometimes have a few small gloves, but very rarely. So, I had picked up a tourniquet and gloves from our lab in the hospital (since we treat spina bifida, we are very cognisant about latex and even ban latex balloons in the hospital). I always forget, though, that there are two people who have to use the gloves...the person who checks my iron level and the actual phlebotomist.

Well, I have actually had the finger-stick people forgo gloves before, in order to protect me, although technically they could be risking themselves. This time I pointed out that I take my blood sugar for my diabetes anyway, so I'm used to sticking myself, and we worked out something where I did the fingerstick and filled up the tube, and then the person donned latex gloves to handle the tube and lancet, but didn't touch me. However, it is a somewhat different fingerstick, requiring more blood than a glucometre, so she had to talk me through it.

Then, when I got to the actual blood draw, I saw a woman putting on gloves and told her I was latex allergic and it turns out she is too. The gloves she was putting on weren't latex, or nitrile. They were COTTON. They went down to her knuckles and were worn under LATEX gloves to help protect her skin...but it really wasn't proper protection. The idea of a latex allergic person being required to handle latex materials every day as part of his or her job when the organisation should certainly be aware of the health risks and liability of such is mind-boggling. I don't think they were given much (if any) training on handling latex allergy at all. Theoretically, I take a chance going into a bloodmobile (which is a closed environment with iffy air circulation) because the latex proteins can become airbourne. But I do it only a couple of times a year. If I could feel more comfortable giving blood in a latex-free environment, I'd probably do it every couple of months. It should not be a matter of taking your life into your own hands to help others, when it is much easier today to avoid latex in terms of medical supplies. However, latex-free materials are generally more expensive, or at least have been. Perhaps a higher demand will drive the priced down. And when it comes to it, I think money is the issue with the organisation.

Our lab supervisor had suggested I use a comment card, but I didn't see any. I think an actual letter may be in order instead.

In the meantime, if any of you are latex allergic, please educate yourself on the dangers of this allergy and the ways you can protect yourself. And keep in mind, latex isn't just found in the medical field. It's all around us. One special area for which there isn't a lot of research is practising safer sex for the latex allergic. I've written an article [.pdf file!] addressing that elsewhere.