[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A heartbreaking story has emerged of a woman in Canada who contracted a rare incurable disease due to a nurse’s mistake while donating blood to help sick people.
On the 19th (local time), foreign media reported the story of a woman who has been battling Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) for four years as a side effect of blood donation.
Gabriella Eckman (21), who lives in Ontario, Canada, visited a blood donation bus four years ago to help those in need. She recalled, "I was in very good health. I had finally reached the age where I could donate blood."
At the time, the nurse appeared clumsy and unfamiliar with inserting the needle, suddenly taking a deep breath while rolling up Eckman’s arm. She said, "After a long breath, the nurse began drawing blood. About 10 to 15 minutes after the blood draw, I started feeling something was wrong. But since it was my first time donating blood, I didn’t know what was wrong."
During the blood draw, Eckman felt dizzy and uncomfortable, quickly informing the nurse, who didn’t know what to do and advised her to go to the hospital.
She immediately visited a hospital for examination but did not receive proper treatment. Eckman said, "The doctors said they didn’t know what the problem was and just sent me home."
However, the condition of her arm worsened, and after a few weeks, bruising spread from her wrist to her shoulder, making it impossible to fully extend her arm.
In unbearable pain, Eckman returned to the hospital and was diagnosed by a doctor who said, "The cause was drawing blood from an artery instead of a vein." She then underwent emergency surgery to close the hole in the artery and remove blood clots, followed by several minor and major procedures and physical therapy for rehabilitation.
However, there was no improvement. Due to the aftereffects, she experienced unexplained pain in her arm, rendering it immobile and making daily life difficult due to the pain. She said, "I realized right after the surgery that my life could never go back to how it was before donating blood. The pain did not disappear, and my arm did not move."
The medical team diagnosed Eckman with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). CRPS is a neurological disorder that occurs in a specific area after trauma. Symptoms include autonomic nervous system dysfunction, skin changes, and functional impairment.
It is characterized by needle-like pain in the affected area such as the arm or fingers even without stimulation, and since its exact cause and core treatment methods are unknown, it is considered a rare incurable disease.
Now 21 years old, Eckman expressed her frustration, saying, "(Donating blood) seems to have ruined my life and taken away my future." Battling CRPS as a side effect of blood donation for four years, she reportedly said, "There is no way to return to how things were before donating blood," and "I always have to wear a brace to protect my arm and cannot move it on my own."
She added that losing the use of her arm meant she could not perform everyday tasks such as eating or driving by herself, living at home relying on her mother. She also reported that the pain interfered with her schoolwork and caused significant mental stress, including depression and anxiety.
She said, "People believe they should donate blood. I wanted to donate blood in the first place because I believed giving life to others is a beautiful thing," and urged, "I hope people become aware of the potential risks."
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