"Could Be Bigger Than AIDS"
I am an active duty member in the United States Air Force. I have been in the military since 1978. I first learned about CJD and v-CKD about week ago (15 Oct 99) when, after donating blood for 23 years, I was rejected by the blood bank. I am/was very close to the four-gallon mark for donating. It is something I love doing and the feeling of giving something back to humanity is very appealing to me. They took that all away from me with the simple question of "Have you ever lived in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996?" After telling me I was "disqualified indefinitely" not to be confused with " disqualified permanently," they told me I better look up CJD on the internet to become familiar with my "disqualifer".
My first assignment over-seas was to Royal Air Force-Lakenheath, England from September 1980 to September 1982. Given the fact that the food on-base was provided by the local economy and I ate off-base just as much as I did on-base, consumption of local beef was inevitable. The very next day after being rejected as a blood donor, I contacted the on-base, military hospital. They were unaware that military members were being turned away as blood donors. I have also found out there is no vehicle in place to notify military members, who have been stationed in the U.K., of their disqualification to donate blood.
I have read that the incubation
period for CJD
could be as long as decades. Since it has been only 17 years since I have
returned from
England, I could "theoretically" (another term used frequently in
articles) still be at risk. I honestly hope I can be cleared from
"indefinite"
status mostly for my wife's and four children's (ages 14, 10, 4, 2) sake
and to a lesser
degree because there is so much good
gained from donating blood. Just my perception, but there seems to be two
extremes in the
CJD
arena. One is, "Could be bigger than AIDS." and "Don't
worry, you had to
eat the cow's infected brain tissue to be at risk." I don't know
enough about CJD to
know which camp is closer to the truth but my awareness and knowledge level is
significantly greater now.
I plan on many inquiries to military officials to see what educational campaigns have been implemented or plan to be implemented. I consider myself well informed, well read and well educated (B.S. in Business Management). I find it very difficult to accept I was totally oblivious to this issue, especially being a blood donor for 23 years. I bow deeply to you for this site and an opportunity to share my experience.