Do you donate blood?

Janiot

I used to in the UK but they won't take my blood in Australia in case I have Mad cow disease as I was living in the UK before 1986!
Shame as I am AB +ve.

katemme

I would if I could but I can't since I am anemic I try to hang onto all the blood I can...

^^

and i don't weigh enough. i've tried to give blood twice with friends, and i get so jittery and anxious they don't wanna put a needle in me anyway!

manda1002

I've been meaning to, but just keep forgetting to find out if I would qualify (like, what meds are not approved and such). However, the last time I donated anything, it was cord blood, so that counts as like triple or something, right?

10acity

Please remember if you don't qualify it is not because someone is out to get you or dislike you because of lifestyle choices it is all about the health and safety of the RECIPIENT not the feeling of the making the donation. We need to insure a safe blood/plasma system. In the past we had a very unsafe supply and still there are times when "Bad Blood" slips through. I am very passionate about insuring we have a safe supply because my family relies on a safe supply for our very lives. There is 30 thousand units of purified, dried blood product sitting in my fridge right now. Is it safe? I have no idea but we are tested at least once a year for hiv and hep.
If you have time there is a good documentary netflix "Bad Blood a cautionary tale"
http://badblooddocumentary.com/

This sounds like a bunch of silly logic and reason and science hooey!

samf36

I wish I could because my mom needed a transfusion a few years back and I wanted to help out, but there's a law (rule?) in Canada that if you lived in Europe for so many consecutive years after 1980 you can't donate... and because I lived there until 1996, I'm out. Something about mad cow disease.

So thank you to all of you who do donate!. :flowerforyou:

It is all about prions and how they are not sure if you could pass them on in blood product. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) it is called and you should read up on it. Very interesting.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs180/en/

It is not about mooing it is about a very serious neurodegenerative condition.

Me too mee too! I do not MOO!!!

It is not about mooing it is about a very serious neurodegenerative condition.

obsidianwings

I would like to, but a couple of the rules here rule me out of doing it.

rmartin72

Yes I donate blood any time I can.

ratherbeskiing

I can't- I pass out. :blushing:


BUT I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THOSE THAT DO!!! WHOOHOO!

munkey418

I donate a double red every 16 weeks. I have donated over 2 gallons of blood and only stopped for the pregnancy and birth of my first daughter. Donating is such a big part of my life that before i get a new tattoo or piercing I go to a state government website and verify that the blood center is ok with the shop im going to! I really have not a single thing i dislike about donating, none of it really hurts me and everyone is so nice and tell you thank you a million times!

Im O- and get phone calls and emails to make an appointment as soon as im elligible and i enjoy telling them I already have I first donated at age 17 at a blood drive my high school has each year but it dodnt become truly important to me until the summer of 2008 when my own mother nearly died from internal bleeding that no one even knew she had. They pumped 3xs the normal amount of blood into her, it drained the blood bank of the hospital she was in, one nearby and sadly i was out of state and couldnt have given her my own

Im very glad to say my mother pulled through and was able to be there for my wedding 6 months later and has been present for each birthday her grand daughter has had! Since I will never be able to tell the people who gave their blood for my mother thank you i feel like each donation is my way of repaying a debt. If i can save just 1 other persons mom Ill be happy

Thank you everyone for donating and saving lives!!!! You are a real life hero who will never get the thanks you deserve but you ARE making a difference!

dakitten2

I always donate blood for my own surgeries and then if it is not used, release if for general use. I'm set up to donate on a regular basis as allowed and usually do so when they call and ask.

I usually drink the OJ but pass on the sweets. For a long time I was anemic and not allowed to donate but now my blood levels are all good and so it makes me happy to be able to help someone else.

delco714

you mean like the prions that will eventually cause zombies?

I loved learning about that in infectious disease.. like as a provider I would ever see it.. maybe during an autopsy though.. one could only hope.

As for donating blood.. I do once a year when some one I know runs a drive.

I wish I could because my mom needed a transfusion a few years back and I wanted to help out, but there's a law (rule?) in Canada that if you lived in Europe for so many consecutive years after 1980 you can't donate... and because I lived there until 1996, I'm out. Something about mad cow disease.

So thank you to all of you who do donate!. :flowerforyou:

It is all about prions and how they are not sure if you could pass them on in blood product. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) it is called and you should read up on it. Very interesting.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs180/en/

10acity

I donate when I can. It used to be every 60 days (or whatever) like clockwork as the Red Cross came to my former place of employment and set up for the day.

The worst part is the finger prick, especially when I know my iron is always through the roof. Oh, well! And occasionally I'll get a phlebotomist who insists on asking every 20 seconds whether I'm okay and/or flipping out when I down the water & Lorna Doones and am on my way. Appreciate the concern, but lady, I'm fine.

Oh, and I've learned to refuse them my phone number.

tat2dmrsgrimm

I wish I could because my mom needed a transfusion a few years back and I wanted to help out, but there's a law (rule?) in Canada that if you lived in Europe for so many consecutive years after 1980 you can't donate... and because I lived there until 1996, I'm out. Something about mad cow disease.

So thank you to all of you who do donate!. :flowerforyou:

It is all about prions and how they are not sure if you could pass them on in blood product. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) it is called and you should read up on it. Very interesting.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs180/en/

It is not about mooing it is about a very serious neurodegenerative condition.

Me too mee too! I do not MOO!!!

It is not about mooing it is about a very serious neurodegenerative condition.

I KNOW that. it is called sarcasm. It has been over 25 years and my understanding is that if you do not develop it in 2 decades you most likely will not.

emgawne

when i can i do, havent been able to in a while because of a combination of tattoos/meds i was on, almost time to be able to give again though! just have to make sure my iron is high enough.

catfish9

As often as I'm able! I started for a 'do something to help your community' project that I procrastinated on, when they just so happened to be having a blood drive in the student center. And then they suckered me in with the letter of thanks. It makes me feel so good to know that I can help people, pretty much just by existing.

The worst, I think, was when I donated for the 16th time at a church, and everyone clapped when the cute old lady gave me a pin for a gallon's worth of donations. I hate being the center of attention.

Incidentally, thanks for posting this. I'm due to make an appointment, and you just reminded me.

Jill_newimprovedversion

no, I would be one of those people that they would call ALL the time to donate (I'm O+), and every single time I have to get an IV placed, they blow my veins...EVERY time.

if they promised to not harass me to donate, I may be more inclined to donate.

WOW, this is EXACTLY the same thing I've experienced. I have itty bitty veins that "roll"- I've asked if they could use smaller needles (they DO have them, use them for the double red blood cell donations) but they say NO- can't accommodate me.
I've tried anyhow, and my arm has been so painful from the bruising that I've missed a day's work the next day as a result.

delco714

rolling veins? no problem.. their technique sucks and that's the truth.. make sure they hold the vein with their "other" thumb (their hand around your forearm) about 2 inches below where they are sticking you

as for blown veins? the tourniquet is likely too tight

no, I would be one of those people that they would call ALL the time to donate (I'm O+), and every single time I have to get an IV placed, they blow my veins...EVERY time.

if they promised to not harass me to donate, I may be more inclined to donate.

WOW, this is EXACTLY the same thing I've experienced. I have itty bitty veins that "roll"- I've asked if they could use smaller needles (they DO have them, use them for the double red blood cell donations) but they say NO- can't accommodate me.
I've tried anyhow, and my arm has been so painful from the bruising that I've missed a day's work the next day as a result.

sc1572

I love donating! Unfortunately, out of four times, I blacked out twice, and completely passed out once.

sheilarosella

I do O+ ..hate the finger prick. ..love that I am helping someone in need my little way of doing something good .

dga226

i donate plasma it helps out alot to i stopped going but i am going to go back any one else donate plasma