The author recounts personal experiences during and after the September 11 attacks, including a first platelet and plasma donation reaction and later writing about bioterrorism.
Approach:
Blood donation: After being unable to donate immediately, the author later gave plasma and platelets and developed symptoms that a nurse identified as a citrate reaction.
Bioterrorism writing: Following reports of anthrax letters, the author researched and wrote six articles covering seven pathogens and biological agents, including diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Sharing information: The author submitted the articles to Chinese media and social platforms and presented a report at departmental Grand Rounds.
Key Findings:
The author’s tingling, numbness, chills, muscle twitching and cramps, nausea, and perceived slowing heartbeat resolved within minutes after the nurse intervened.
The author later learned that citrate used during component donation can return to the donor’s circulation and temporarily bind calcium, lowering ionized calcium.
A subsequent donation several weeks later did not cause a reaction.
The author reports that readers said the bioterrorism articles helped them understand the risks of such attacks.
Interpretation:
The account describes a personal introduction to clinical pathology through a donation-related citrate reaction and the author’s response to the anthrax attacks through public education.
Limitations:
This is a first-person narrative, not a clinical study.
The account provides no independent verification or detailed methods for the bioterrorism articles or reader responses.
Conclusion:
The author reflects on September 11 as an event to remember and calls for love rather than hate.
