Alpharetta Apheresis Traditional Cache
gpsfun: This cache has been archived. If the owner would like to replace it and have it reinstated, please contact me through my profile.
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-gpsfun
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Travel Bug Only Depot
What is apheresis? (Sounds Greek to me!) The funny sounding word "apheresis" (pronounced A-fer-E-sis) is actually derived from a Greek word meaning to "take away". Meaning for us geocachers, take a travel bug away. But PLEASE only take a TB if you have one to leave. If you do not have a TB, please just sign the log for credit. No need to leave anything else, we want this just to be a Travel Bug Depot.
The original contents for Alpharetta Apheresis:
1. Shake, Rattle & Roll - Inaugural Cache
2. Watch Me - Inaugural Cache
3. One Eye Mike - Inaugural Cache
4. Color On Bear - Inaugural Cache
5. Life's A Beach
6. Capitol Bug
7. Beanie Baby Rabbit
However, a more important use of Apheresis comes from the Red Cross. We've all heard about blood shortages, but have you heard about the need for white blood cells? Most patients undergoing a bone marrow transplant, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation treatment or organ transplant need platelets in order to survive. In fact, doctors are finding that platelets play a vital role in more and more new therapies.
Until recently, the only way to collect enough platelets for a single transfusion was to take blood donations from 5 to 10 donors, separate the platelets from the other blood cells, and combine the platelets to obtain a large enough quantity for transfusion.
Today, sophisticated medical equipment — blood cell separators — can collect enough platelets for transfusion from a single donor. Using a technique called apheresis, blood is drawn from the donor's vein into an apheresis instrument, which separates the blood into separate portions by centrifugation. By appropriately adjusting the instrument, a selected portion of the blood, such as the platelets, can be recovered, while the rest of the blood is returned to the donor either into the same vein or into a vein in the other arm.
This process takes more time than whole blood donation, but the percentage of platelets is much greater. It is a simple, safe process — very much like regular blood donation. In fact, your body starts replenishing platelets immediately after your donation. Within 48 hours, your body's platelets should be completely replenished.
So if you have the time and the will, check into becoming a Apheresis donor. It will save a life.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pnpur vf va na Bssvpr Cnex. Qba'g rira GUVAX bs gelvat guvf sebz TN 400. Arne Zbeevfba Cnexjnl.