Do you donate blood?

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NOT to the Red Cross but to the Armed Services Blood Program.

My association with the RC during my active days was not real positive and contrary to popular belief they are not a real friend of the military.

YMMV...Smoky
 
Started donating blood in 1978.
Eventually donating phaletes every 2 weeks.

I hated the needle.
The faster the needle was put in, the better.
The needles have a special shape on the end (somewhat beveled).
Sometimes I never felt it, other times I did (like a pinch).

Stopped donating when I reached 500 donations.
 
Coming up on two gallons.

I do it as part of my health maintenance routine. Donating blood reduces iron levels in men, which is good. Reducing iron is an important factor in reducing your risk of heart disease. You know anti-oxidant vitamins? Well, elevated iron levels are "oxidizing" your blood.
 
I gave a whole bunch of whole blood a few years back because I was a match for an inlaw cousin who needed it due to a surgery. Went with my wife, laid down, came out fast and well.

Still makes me sick, and I usually faint from blood tests, but they never want to lay you down.

Id give again, but not something that particularly interests me because it makes me sick.

I had a roomate in college who had high iron and had to donate every 6 weeks or so.
 
Used to be pretty regular about it when the Red Cross came to work every 2 months, but they haven't been back for a while. They called me last week and when I looked at my card it had been 3 years since I gave. Went in Saturday and had it done.
 
Nope. Tried it once, never again. I hated every second of it and I finally couldn't take it anymore and had them remove the needle. And of course if they pull the needle out early, they throw the blood away. So I did it for nothing.
 
Would if I could, but from having Polio when I was a teen and Leukemia 12/15 years ago puts me out of the program.
 
I would like to, but I pass right out as soon as they pull out the needle. They don't even need to put the needle in - just show it to me and I'm done.
 
I am O+ so the local blood bank likes for me to donate "double red cells." A machine with a centrifuge is used to concentrate two units of red blood cells and return the plasma to the donor. I donate the maximum allowable times per year - every 16 weeks. Since I have high iron levels it is most likely good for me in the long run. I used to pass out just giving samples for lab work, but you get used to it.
 
I would love to do it, but I can barely stand getting blood drawn annually for checkup/bloodwork. I don't think I could sit there with that huge freakin needle in my arm that long. I'd probably pass out from that before blood loss.
 
Yeah I passed out giving blood at the doctors office when I looked at it draining into a bag. Put the oxygen mask on me to bring me back. Not fun but I was sick with something. This was when I was a teenager.
 
Lost track when I hit the 5 gallon mark. Used to donate platelets every few weeks to the ARC when I lived in Atlanta, have only bothered to do whole blood since I moved to Chicago. But I should probably look that up as well.

Currently on a year time out due to spending a day at Chichén Itzá last spring. Will pick up my regularly scheduled donations again in April 2014.
 
I used to but started a break in between 2 and 3 gallons. I think they have been calling me and not leaving a message lately.

I don't mind the needles but I think they should run the business better. I would make an appointment but instead of going on appointment times they would just say "whos next?". They could at least look on the sign-in sheet.

I sold plasma for maybe a year or so awhile back. Went twice a week for that and got around $50 per week. I would like to do this again but it is hard to schedule. I think they still pay the same even though it was 10 years ago when I went.
 
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