Emergency Cruiser Blood Drive

An urgent request for type A-negative blood was broadcast to the Banderas Bay cruising fleet via VHF on Sunday, November 26, by Dick Markie, harbormaster at Paradise Village Marina.

The blood was desperately needed for Liz Barrow, wife of former Vallarta YC Commodore Andy Barrow.

Eight hours before, Liz had some veins in her throat “explode” while at the couple’s land-based home near the marina. Doctors had previously warned Liz and Andy that this was a possibility, but Andy says they had been in denial. What couldn’t be denied was that Liz, who had looked healthy as could be when the Wanderer saw her a week before, was suddenly in a life-and-death situation, as there was blood all over the bathroom walls.

“It looked like a scene from a horror movie,” said Andy.

Fortunately, it was only a few blocks to the very modern San Javier Hospital that is part of the Paradise Marina complex. Upon arrival at about 1 a.m., Liz’s blood pressure was found to be 65 over 30. Close to death, she needed blood transfusions immediately.

Liz has A-negative blood, which is only found in 1 of 16 people. San Javier had two pints on hand, which she got in transfusions. But she needed more.

When Dick Markie found out about the emergency the next morning, he got on the cruisers’ net and put out an urgent call for A-negative blood. Cruisers responded. By noon the San Javier Hospital had enough.

Liz would receive five pints of blood in all. Doctors would also perform an esophagostomy so they could repair the veins, which they did by a more sophisticated version of “putting rubber bands around them.” According to Andy, who was thankful beyond words to the cruisers who had donated blood, the doctors at San Javier did a fabulous job.

Liz was released from the hospital a few days later, almost as good as new, with an admonition to stay away from tortilla chips.