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Ever donated blood?
Posted by crpitt • 3/05/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: blood, bloody, bloody hell, donateblood, giveblood, vampire, vampires
Last Friday I gave blood for the first time and I wrote about it here:
crpitt.blogspot.com/2009/03/day-of-blood-loss.html
The mumborg (mum) was the main motivation for this recent urge to give blood, as she had to get a lot of transfusions in a recent operation. It was the kick up the arse I needed.
crpitt.blogspot.com/2009/02/sod-rubber-sword.html
If you are going to give blood any time soon or would just like to encourage others to do it please consider joining in and blogging about it.
www.bloggersunite.org/event/world-blood-donor-day
So have you ever given blood?
User Comments
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Just blood? Or any kind of DNA?-
Yes just blood! Answer the ruddy question.
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Well other forms of DNA are available! I was just clarifying which you were interested in! It's all quite sticky and I just wanted to check which type your mum liked best.
P.S
Did you draw that pic? it's very good. -
You are a very naughty donkeh.
Yes I drew the doodle, the other one is a photograph
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I really like that cartoon doodle very original style, you should get a blog or summat.
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They appear on my blog as and when needed.
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You have a blog? You should list it here in BC. This is the world's fattest....blog....thingamajiggy....bob thing.
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I am not sure I could figure out blogging...
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It's not rocket science Anok has managed to figure it out.
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You can peruse my doodles at your leisure....
www.flickr.com/photos/crpitt/sets/72157603838457329/
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I've given blood in the past. Kind of a fun experience.-
Just the once? Would you do it again?
Did you do it just for the biscuits?
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I have never donated blood. The fact that I have some piercings, and am a carrier of a blood born disease prevents me from doing so.
Which is fine by me, because the whole thing freaks me out!-
Ahhhh you're not a Ninja at all you're a Mosquito!
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In the UK you can donate blood 12 months after getting a piercing.
What freaks you about it? -
I am a very BIG mosquito!
Claire - I hate the thought of blood being taken from my body. I don't even like giving it for blood tests. While a needle in and of itself doesn't bother me (piercings being dome with needles) - the idea that it's taking something from me and piling it into a vile makes me a bit queasy.
I've also had some bad, bad experiences with having blood taken. Nurses who were very rough, or inept sticking me like a pin cushion, leaving bruises and pooling of blood under my skin because they completely punctured the vein....*shudder* -
Mmmmm rough nurses...taken.....bad experiences.....shudder.....oh where was I???? Awful just awful! I hope you're better now.
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Ugh, bad donkeh!!!!
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Sounds like the two weeks I have booked in Gitmo in July.
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To the naughty corner with you!!
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I guess I was super lucky when I went then, because it was pain free!
Also the mumborg's pincushion hand has desensitised me.
Sorry you had an awful time of it
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I donate blood every 8 weeks, at the American Red Cross. It is easy and one donation saves many lives. Any of us could be in an accident and need blood that was donated, we need to help each other out.
It is also good to become an organ and tissue donor, if you die you can help others live. Have a wonderful day,-
Wow! That is excellent
You can only donate blood every 4 months in the UK, I shall be donating platelets when I can and have asked about bone marrow donations.
Would you/Have you blogged about it?
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I used to donate regularly when we had a blood center nearby. It never bothered me. I thought it was kind of cool to watch the blood move up the tube and into the bag. One time I was donating and I started watching the tube. This guy on the bed next to me started watching too... until his eyes rolled up and he passed out.-
So were is you nearest one now? Miles away?
I thought it was cool too. -
The nearest one is about an hour away. I work from home, so I don't have blood drives at work anymore either.
However, I think they're building one in my town soon. We'll see...
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I tried to but they rejected mine.
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Oh noes
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Yeah I felt bad.
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At least you tried
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Is there a list somewhere of medical conditions that are contraindicated for would be blood donors?
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Here is a link to the UK national blood services info on who can't or may not be able to give blood.
secure.blood.co.uk/c11_cant.asp -
Me too, I can not do it
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No, I am diagnosed with anemia-
Oh that's a shame, eat more spinach
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Yeah, I'm genetically anemic. If they took that much blood from me, they'd have to put it back in before I could stand up to walk out of the place. I would love to do it, but I'm physically unable. I do, however, encourage my co-workers to participate in local blood drives whenever possible. -
Yes my mum is the same, do you have to be on iron supplements all the time or do you handle it by your diet?
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My body can't use the iron to make RBCs, so I'm actually on an iron-restricted diet (well, supposed to be). I just don't try to run marathons or bleed much.
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Oh that's interesting, well probably not to you, more of a pain in the arse for you.
Thanks for answering my curiosity
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I've given 130 time so far. I'm older than the average blogger. It's a relatively painless process. It costs you nothing. And because I don't do any other good deeds, I figured I might as well do that one.-
Wow you deserve a special badge
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Actually, the Canadian Blood Services gave me a plaque after 100. It's sitting somewhere in my place gathering dust. The also gave me a gold donor card. Unfortunately, no benefits come with my gold card.
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So would you ever blog about it? Ever convinced anyone else to give it a whirl? Donating blood I mean
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No gold card benefits?! Not even Happy (Donation) Hour? -
crpitt: No I wouldn't blog about it unless something funny happened during a donation. So far, nothing funny has happened. I do my best to make mine a humour blog. I sometimes fail (some people say I usually fail), but I always try.
Giving blood is just something I do. I rarely boast about it, but you asked.
Whether or not anyone else give blood is there business. They know--or should know--why it's a good. They'll have to make up their own minds. Besides, some people aren't eligible to give blood. Some of the reasons are listed here. I wouldn't want to make those people feel guilty for not giving. They shouldn't feel guilty.
I just hope that if I ever need a transfusion there will be some blood left in the bank for me. My donations don't push me to the head of the line for blood. -
Friday13: Nope, no benefits whatsoever. I get the same coffee and cookies as everyone else after donating. (Don't tell anyone, but I really give blood just to get the coffee and cookies afterward. And Starbucks has been donated pastries for the past year or two at the clinic I go to. Even more incentive.)
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Not asking anyone to boast about it and your quite right that people shouldn't feel guilty about it either.
But if no one talks about it, it is easily forgotten. Its only my mums recent blood transfusions that got me thinking about it again and I suppose it was just the kick up the arse that I needed. I cant expect anyone else to feel the same. -
JoelKlebanoff: Here, I think they'd probably just say "Thanks for donating, now go buy some orange juice or something. Bye!".
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Right after high school there was incredible pressure by my employer for everyone to donate but I didn't weigh enough.-
Well I don't think you should be pressurised by anyone to do it, especially your boss.
This is just a friendly nudge
Yes a couple of friends got told they couldn't because if the weight restrictions.
Have a cookie -
I was thin b/c of teenaged high metabolism. I ate banana splits back then. You had to weigh at least 120 lbs to give blood. Maybe they've changed the rule since then.
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Not actually sure what the weight limit is over here in the UK,I know they are pretty strict about it though.
looked at info it says you cant if You do not weigh over 50kgs (7st 12).
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I'm so thin, I think I would pass out from all the missing blood.
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Have you been told your too thin to give blood?
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No. It would be weird if someone walked up to me just to say that.
Then again, it might be a good subject for a blog post ... hmmm ... -
How about you go and donate blood then?
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Oh, no. My health is bad enough without missing some blood. Maybe when I gain a few pounds (of health).
But it is definitely something I would like to do. -
Okay that's good enough for me
for now....
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not yet....I get woozy too with needles, courage gimme courage!-
It really wasn't bad at all, my sister absolutely hates needles and gives blood regularly. She does it for the biscuits, they are that nice
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Yes i have donated blood twice. The second time was of great satisfaction as i donated my blood for someone who was injured in a car accident. First time i donated in a camp. My blood group is O- and i am sought after when someone needs that. It is good that you have donated your blood.-
I wasn't aware you could find out where your blood goes?
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Nope; I haven't -
Joel has made me feel mean, I hope you don't think is a guilt trip?
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Guilt trip? No. I had signed up to give blood, once, but I wasn't allowed. It was sad, 'cause I was *actually* gonna do it. Still got a t-shirt, though
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Hooray for a t-shirt
I suppose its pretty good that they are strict with whose blood they take, keeps everyone safe. -
The woman said I had beautiful blood (iron and oxygen levels, at least)
But, they were iffy on the weight thing (have to be at least 110). Oh, well, my dad gives blood every time they come to his work, so that makes up for it, I suppose. -
Beautiful blood, but I suppose they don't want you to faint and hurt yourself. I presume that is what would happen?
Hooray for the dad
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I give blood pretty often. Last time I donated platelets I almost threw up though. I think I will stick with plasma and rbc from now on. Having your blood coming in and out of you for a couple hours doesn't seem to do well with me, probably because I'm thin.
The only downside to donating is they always have their telemarketers call me every day trying to get more until I yell and tell them to stop; I'll donate when I can.-
Is this in the US? Why are they so aggressive with the calling?
I was thinking about platelet donation, maybe not! -
Yes, in the US. Everywhere will be different, as there are hundreds of different blood banks. I guess the ones in my area are just very desperate for blood. The people at the actual blood-bank are very nice, and they buy you lunch too if you are donating platelets or plasma.
RBC and plasma has never been a problem for me, but the platelet donation I gave was just very long. The process takes 70 minutes to 2 hours. When your blood is returned to you (and then the saline solution at the end) it is not body temperature anymore and since the room was probably around 65-70 degrees, the blood was probably in the very low 80s or high 70s coming back into my arms and almost 2 hours of that just was too much for me, so I had to have them stop about 15 minutes early.
It's a very weird feeling being cold from the inside-out.
Platelets only can be stored for 5 days, so I guess once they find someone willing to donate them once they are very keen to keep that person coming back. -
Oh thanks for the info, in the UK there is only the National Blood Service that people donate too, as far as I know.
Thanks for elaborating on the platelet donating, I had no idea what went into it.
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Yes. I used to work in a hospital and the staff were among the first to be "encouraged" to line up. Once when I was sick my boss said that since I couldn't give blood, I should work the desk and help to fill out forms. That was an interesting experience.
While working one blood drive, I saw big, strong macho guys that you might think were tough as nails act totally insane. One guy swore that the "loss of blood" was making him hallucinate after the fact. I also saw a fireman tear the needle from his arm, stand up with blood dripping down his arm and faint dead away. The idea of having one's blood drained has a very strange effect on people.-
I think I must of been lucky where I went, because it seemed like they were hardened regulars. Not sure how I would of reacted if anything like that happened.
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The thought scares me since I'm highly afraid of needles. Although I do have a medical exam coming up for immigration purposes. I was contemplating on the idea of donating blood since they're going to take a blood test anyway...
I'm just not sure how the nurse/medical attendant will react to the idea. @_@;;;-
Its worth asking about it, if its something you want to do.
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Sure have. But my blood would not be accepted by the Red Cross today. Never mind if I am HIV negative.-
The Red Cross and other blood banks actually aren't too happy with that either. They tried to get the government to change the law, but you know...it's very hard to talk sense into the officials in charge.
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Yep I think the same would happen in the UK too, I wonder if there is any plans to change the law soon? Or is it just not up for debate?
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Well it's up for debate, but it's a rather one sided debate as the FDA (who regulates the blood donations in the US) isn't going to budge any time soon. It is very political, of course.
Black males account for the highest percentages of new HIV infections in the US - almost twice as many as white males. Many of these infected black males are not even homosexual. Can you picture the US government telling black men that they are banned from donating? Yeah, right - there would be riots! The gay rights movement simply has nowhere near the clout that the black rights lobbyists have. Piss off the black community, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton will be on every news station within the hour. Piss off the gay community....and....maybe a few friendly protests, but no unified voice of objection.
Perhaps if there was more of a public outcry against the pointless ban, the FDA would be more inclined to change it.
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I has done it before, thats my first and my last (yet for now). The nurse had done something wrong with the needle inside my left hand, and it took me an additional 45minutes (approx; I can't exactly remember - but it was a real long recovery time with a real big cold ice cube) before been approved by the doctor there to leave the donation center. Ahahai tragedy.-
Sorry you had a horrid time of it.
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Yes I have given blood a few times. In order to give blood where I live I have to make a 200 mile round trip. Giving blood doesn't hurt, and it sure can help someone in need.
My hubby has a rare blood type so they always want him to donate when he can.-
Whoa that's a long trip, I am sure its appreciated and hopefully the biscuits are nice?
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Good for you Claire. Growing up in a medical family, I have seen the need to consistant blood donations -
I faint from the site of blood, but I gave blood because my mom needed a transfusion. I barely made it through....but of course it was worth it. -
Sure. I don't do it nearly as often as I should, though. I have small veins (seriously, they're tiny) which makes the process slow going sometimes. But it's a worthwhile endeavor.
I tried to give platelets once. That was a not so much (see also: tiny veins, above). -
I hope donate in future. -
Oh yes, I have donated blood many times although I have a rare blood type (AB Negative-less than one percent of the world's population) -
Never donated because they won't take my blood...I'm too thin.
I need to gain some more kilos before being allowed to donate.
Here one rule is that the donor has to have more than 50kg and I don't have it. -
I can't, but I made my husband do it and we got free tickets to a renaissance faire. It was an incentive from the Blood Bank. -
Yes, 8 times in my life time.
The interesting thing is i'm very much afraid of needles.
I shout like anything before piercing the needle
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