Donating Blood

[civic09]

Hello again gentlemen, and I am a blood donor. Always have donated blood since I was told I was allowed and I donated a lot while I was in the service. I honestly dont know how many people lifes I may have saved with my blood, but I am healthy, strong and still young and love to help. The drives usually are at a RED CROSS center about 15 miles from me or one of the two malls near me.


let me know if you gentlemen donate blood and thank you in advance if you do.

 

[jmsjags]

i've donated twice now with the military. sitting there watching and feeling the blood drain out of my arm makes me queasy, so i don't do it often. but it is a good feeling afterwards, knowing that you helped somebody. i would just rather do other forms of charity personally.

 

[civic09]

Thanks for the reply Jmsjags, and yeah, it took me a bit to get over the bag hanging from my arm, etc. I like doing it and donate as much as possible. I try to; the day I am donating drink a lot of water and not drink much coffee.


Adam

 

[DutchBrad]

I donate blood as often as I can, total is around 3 gallons. I last donated in Oct, did the double red blood cell machine. You get credit for two donations when you do that, but they also extend the days until you can give again. I am good until sometime in Feb. I wish the process to donate was quicker. I have a blood card, wish I could just get the mini physical and get started with the donation. They test all the blood anyway. I think if it was a quicker process it would get more participation.

I don't feel any different after the donation. I have a friend who gets really lightheaded, his wife drives him home. I think he is a real trooper to continue to give even when he feels like that.

 

[The_Jeff]

Thanks OP.

I did it a couple times and it wasn't for me.

The guy had a hard time finding my vein and then mumbled, uh, could I get a supervisor? I'm an "easy stick", BTW.

The Red Cross gets to charge for their expenses, $400/pt IIRC, so I think they should make it part of their "expense" that I should be comfortable and not stabbed all over by a less competent "vampire".

This extends to the canned OJ that tastes like metal they gave me afterwards. I know it's not a day at the spa, but jeez.

Oh, and the first time I donated I skipped lunch I fainted and fell right over. They lifted my legs and I rebooted like it never happened.

So, yeah, thanks to those of you who put up with it.

 

[civic09]

Thanks for the reply guys and eljefino, yeah, one time the female nurse thought she could find my vein and I had like 3 holes in my arm. Finally I said, "do you need to sharpen that needle or are you just going to torture me?" Nice older lady nurse came over, wiped the blood trails off my arm, saw my vein perfectly, and all good. I just like the fact that people that do it, help someone in a ER that otherwise would die without blood.

Thanks to everyone here that donates blood!

adam

 

[Al]

I donated when I was in my 20's and it almost knocked me out. But now at the age of 65 I can go donate and I don't even feel slightly bad. I should donate more. I have been donating once/year. I have a couple gallons to my credit. This year I am going for 4 times

Only problem is that my veins really stick out and they want to go for the two big ones that roll. I have to tell them about it sometimes.

 

[joaks]

They have me on heavy rotation. I'm on my second card and maybe 3rd gallon. I generally don't mind but the staff are very lousy (let walk ins go before appointments, grouchy etc.)

 

[simple_gifts]

Donated in 1983; walked out to the canteen, drank some bug juice and promptly passed out and went into convulsions. Woke up with an army of nurses looking down @ me.

Nurse said I should wait a few months before thinking about donating again.

Tried in college, but they couldn't seem to tap my arm....

In AF basic training, I was deferred from this because of the 1983 issue.

Guess it is something I'm not destined to do....

It is not a needle thing, having had 15 years of AF innoculations without issue.

 

[Rick in PA]

I always wish they had better eats for you, I mean, HELLO, I did just give blood. Ah well...

My favorite was a middle-aged no-nonsense nurse that took my blood at one blood drive. She lined that needle up, and inserted it with authority, WHOA, right on target, no fidgitin' around!

 

[Shannow]

My family were sticklers for donating, as my sister had used so much in her treatments for Spina Bifida and it's complications.

Might sound silly, but at university, the blood drive came specifically on a Thursday, which they knew was the usual night on the town,as Uni students would donate a pint, then go out on the town cheap.

Dad recieved a staf infection in his elbow, and the foremost infection Professor in the country wrote that the only conceivable means for a staf infection that far into a joint, and with the timing of it was through his blood donation.

Was touch and go with his arm, 2 weeks in hospital while they forced antibiotics into his swollen elbow (not much blood flow in an elbow joint)...no sick leave, as he was a self employed contractor at the time.

Red Cross told him to go jump, and if he wanted to take civil action, a) they were a protected species, and b) Dad would go broke a long time before they did.

Most of the Dr. that Sis sees have her prepare her own blood stocks leading up to it.

BTW, one of my mates has that excess Iron accumulation thing that can cause serious issues. Donating regularly saves his (liver I think).

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: Shannow


BTW, one of my mates has that excess Iron accumulation thing that can cause serious issues. Donating regularly saves his (liver I think).


My mom sometimes had anemia and couldn't donate but wanted to. The "fix" was drinking lots of prune juice, or so she told me.

It was only much later when I heard of all the other "wonderful" things prune juice does.

 

[civic09]

LOL, Eljefino that is priceless!!! Yeah, my mother one time couldnt give as her iron was too low.

 

[Dave Hess]

When I donated blood I didn't notice feeling weak or dizzy. I can not look at any needle going into my arm. The pain I can take no problem.

 

[bruckus]

I donate plasma on a regular basis. Similar to donating blood but they return the red blood cells to your body. Plasma is also very important for many people. The advantage is you can donate twice in a 7 day period and you also get paid for your donation. Where I live that is about 60.00 per week. Not bad money for about an hour for each donation. I donated 90 times last year. Good oil money.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
My family were sticklers for donating, as my sister had used so much in her treatments for Spina Bifida and it's complications.

Might sound silly, but at university, the blood drive came specifically on a Thursday, which they knew was the usual night on the town,as Uni students would donate a pint, then go out on the town cheap.

Dad recieved a staf infection in his elbow, and the foremost infection Professor in the country wrote that the only conceivable means for a staf infection that far into a joint, and with the timing of it was through his blood donation.

Was touch and go with his arm, 2 weeks in hospital while they forced antibiotics into his swollen elbow (not much blood flow in an elbow joint)...no sick leave, as he was a self employed contractor at the time.

Red Cross told him to go jump, and if he wanted to take civil action, a) they were a protected species, and b) Dad would go broke a long time before they did.

Most of the Dr. that Sis sees have her prepare her own blood stocks leading up to it.

BTW, one of my mates has that excess Iron accumulation thing that can cause serious issues. Donating regularly saves his (liver I think).


My roomate in college did the iron donation thing. The other story is horrible. Unbelievable.

I always faint when doing blood tests. After 9/11, I went to give blood since I was close to NYC and DC, and thought it was a good thing to do. Fainted when they [censored] my finger. They told me not to come back.

I was a match with an in-law that needed blood for operation. I went (brought the wife along to distract me), and it worked fine.

If the RC charges $400 per pint, that is somewhat disappointing, especially given that the source is free.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: bruckus
I donate plasma on a regular basis. Similar to donating blood but they return the red blood cells to your body. Plasma is also very important for many people. The advantage is you can donate twice in a 7 day period and you also get paid for your donation. Where I live that is about 60.00 per week. Not bad money for about an hour for each donation. I donated 90 times last year. Good oil money.



but they tap you twice, right?

 

[SaturnIonVue]

I use to donate. They loved my blood type! Universal donor. I'd get a call within days of being eligible to go again. Never had a problem in those days, with missed veins, or feeling less than par. Then I got a bit old(er) with blood pressure issues and a few other meds that made me non-eligible, so the vampires threw me under the bus. LOL. I kinda felt useless and relieved at the same time to not be cronically "a pint low." Donations weren't a lot of fun and were hardly worth the treat of cookies and juice--but when the hospital based blood banks called and begged me to come in urgently--how can you say NO! Not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, I could never figure out how to tell them no. So I went.

 

[Burt]

I have donated a lot over the years as I am O-negative and they like that because my blood is compatible with anyone.

One time when my daughter was young, she looked at the collection bag and said "ewwww, its got bubbles in it!"

Thanks for the moral support.

 

[bruckus]

They only tap you once. It draws for a few minutes and then returns for a few minutes. It cycles a few times until it gets the appropriate quantity dependent on your weight. A very easy process with no ill affects.




Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: bruckus
I donate plasma on a regular basis. Similar to donating blood but they return the red blood cells to your body. Plasma is also very important for many people. The advantage is you can donate twice in a 7 day period and you also get paid for your donation. Where I live that is about 60.00 per week. Not bad money for about an hour for each donation. I donated 90 times last year. Good oil money.



but they tap you twice, right?