Lifelines (Winter 2002-2003) - One in a Million Chance

One in a Million Chance
By Angela Woon

	Blood Recipient, Meghan Daily

“You never know when you or someone you love may need it.” That’s a phrase we often use to illustrate the importance of donating blood regularly. The truth is, most people who have never needed a blood transfusion, assume it will be someone else who will need this lifesaving gift. Meghan Daily was one such person. She never imagined her life would depend on the generosity of hundreds of blood donors, whom she never knew or would know.

“A month before I was diagnosed with anything, I went on a 50-mile backpack trip to Yosemite,” said Meghan, an English major at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. “Later, I developed swelling in my hands and feet, and experienced weight gain, but I attributed it to college student weight gain. Then, on my Thanksgiving break home last year, I somehow, didn’t look quite right.”

Meghan immediately saw a doctor, but no one was able to determine for certain, but even then, doctors weren’t sure what was wrong with her. Her blood was sent for testing and on December 8th, Meghan was diagnosed with lupus nephritis, an autoimmune disease.

"I feel like one of my life purposes now is the advocacy of blood donation"

According to the Lupus Foundation of American, Inc., with lupus, the body’s immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. Immune complexes then build up in tissues to cause inflammation injury to tissues and pain. It is estimated that 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year. For most, it is a mild disease, but for others it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems.

“Within the next three weeks, I gained 30 pounds,” said Meghan, an Orinda native. “I was treated with heavy doses of immuno-suppressants and lasix, which made me urinate more, as my kidneys were not functioning.”

Upon her hospital admission, Meghan passed out. Her hemoglobin count was only three and she had only four units of blood in her body! The average adult body has approximately 10 pints of blood.

With the dramatic loss of blood, doctors figured something other than lupus was the matter with Meghan. They were right. Meghan was diagnosed with thrombotic thrbocytopenic purpura (TTP). A rare blood disease that affects one in a million. Meghan became that “other person” who needed blood.

According to Meghan, TTP works paradoxically. “It impedes clotting and has a clogging effect, and it was breaking down red blood cells in my kidneys,” said the 20-year-old. “In a sense, I was bleeding to death.”

Fortunately, the community came together to help. “I received 987 units of blood components within the next three months,” said Meghan, who ironically ran a blood drive in her senior year of high school at Miramonte High School in the spring of 2000. “If there weren’t 987 people to give blood, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

Meghan’s parents also organized a blood drive, which collected 46 pints of blood. One week later her school organized a blood drive, which amassed 49 units of lifesaving blood. In addition, last spring, Westmont College organized a blood drive in Meghan’s honor and collected 52 units of blood!

As part of Meghan’s treatment to recovery, she had to undergo eight months of dialysis. “On July 5th, my kidneys started to improve, which baffled everybody!” said Meghan. “It’s now questionable as to whether I have lupus, since the symptoms are
similar to that of TTP.”

During her ordeal, Meghan had an amazing amount of support from her friends and family. Not only did her relatives fly out to be with her, she also received more than 30 stuffed animals during her stay at the hospital, which Meghan donated to Thunder Road, an adolescent program in Oakland.

Meghan believes faith also helped in her recovery. “Faith played a key role,” said Meghan. “To believe in something greater than the words or actions of others in a life or death situation. My faith in God is what carried me through.”

Today, Meghan is doing well and has regained her energy for life again by going camping, hiking and rollerblading. With all that the community has done for her in giving her back her life, Meghan feels it’s time to give back. “I feel like one of my life purposes now is the advocacy of blood donation,” said Meghan.

If you’d like to learn more about lupus nephritis or TTP go to: