Great feeling!!

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simini77
simini77 Posts: 67 Member
in Chit-Chat
Today, I donated my second pint of blood. Quite an achievement for me, as I am terrified of needles, but my OH has had several blood transfusions during his life and I thought becoming a blood donor would be a good thing to do, so that's my good deed of the day done!

Wonder how much a pint of blood weighs? :)

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  • martymays
    martymays Posts: 188 Member
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    Today, I donated my second pint of blood. Quite an achievement for me, as I am terrified of needles, but my OH has had several blood transfusions during his life and I thought becoming a blood donor would be a good thing to do, so that's my good deed of the day done!

    Wonder how much a pint of blood weighs? :)

    About a pound. Log it!
  • simini77
    simini77 Posts: 67 Member
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    haha! :)
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,148 Member
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    I used to donate regularly but fell out of the habit. Recently, they ran a blood donor clinic at my workplace so I contributed for the first time in more than a decade. Things changed, to say the least. I was required to complete a long questionnaire, get interviewed by a nurse who asked many of the same questions on the questionnaire plus a few more intrusive questions... and at the end of it all, the nurse handed me a pair of stickers to indicate whether or not you've answered the questions truthfully and not... and then leaves the room so I can apply the sticker anonymously.

    I understand they're trying to protect the blood system and prevent any embarrassment for those who engage in risky behaviours who might feel social pressure to donate. I'm just not sure embarrassing everyone equally is the best way of going about it.
  • HeatherSLosinIt
    HeatherSLosinIt Posts: 79 Member
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    Today, I donated my second pint of blood. Quite an achievement for me, as I am terrified of needles, but my OH has had several blood transfusions during his life and I thought becoming a blood donor would be a good thing to do, so that's my good deed of the day done!

    Wonder how much a pint of blood weighs? :)

    About a pound. Log it!

    I was just about to agree when it hit me... the reason we can donate blood is because our bodies replenish it... pretty fast when there's no leakage lol. Takes about 4 hours or so. :(
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Well done you for donating blood when you don`t like needles, forget about the weight side of it and be proud that you gave something of yourself to help another person :-)
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I used to donate regularly but fell out of the habit. Recently, they ran a blood donor clinic at my workplace so I contributed for the first time in more than a decade. Things changed, to say the least. I was required to complete a long questionnaire, get interviewed by a nurse who asked many of the same questions on the questionnaire plus a few more intrusive questions... and at the end of it all, the nurse handed me a pair of stickers to indicate whether or not you've answered the questions truthfully and not... and then leaves the room so I can apply the sticker anonymously.

    I understand they're trying to protect the blood system and prevent any embarrassment for those who engage in risky behaviours who might feel social pressure to donate. I'm just not sure embarrassing everyone equally is the best way of going about it.

    You can always be an organ donor then you don`t have to fill in any questionnaire cos you will be dead, but the upside is you maybe will give someone else the gift of life???
  • SherryR1971
    SherryR1971 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    I have been a donor for years...my brother was a security guard and got shot one night trying to get unwanted people out of an apartment he was working...he took every pint of blood of his type Virginia Blood Services had so we found out the importance of bein.g a donor...thank you for saving lives <3
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
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    How did you get past your fear of needles?

    I really want to donate. I went to a donation station once and as soon as I saw it I started having a mild panic attack. I couldn't do it. The girl there said that I shouldn't donate until I am passed my fear because if I have a terrible experience I will not come back. But how do you get past a fear without doing it?
  • katymcd81
    katymcd81 Posts: 73 Member
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    Well done! It is a wonderful feeling, isn't it? :D

    I have donated 26 times, and I have rubbishy little veins, and hate needles. I just think that if you can, you should, as it's so important and you'd want it to be there for you or your family if needed. I understand not everyone feels that way (my husband is pathologically squeamish about it, so even though he'd physically be a great donor, he's never done it), and I'd never give anyone a hard time for not doing it, but for myself, I can't imagine ever not being a donor. I'm on the organ donor and bone marrow registers as well :)
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,148 Member
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    I understand they're trying to protect the blood system and prevent any embarrassment for those who engage in risky behaviours who might feel social pressure to donate. I'm just not sure embarrassing everyone equally is the best way of going about it.

    You can always be an organ donor then you don`t have to fill in any questionnaire cos you will be dead, but the upside is you maybe will give someone else the gift of life???
    I'm willing to bet they do similar screening for organ donors too... although they might do so via post-mortem blood testing. Most organ recipients already have a compromised immune system so I can't see the doctors tolerating any risk of inflection, whether it's HIV, AIDS or HepC...
  • simini77
    simini77 Posts: 67 Member
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    How did you get past your fear of needles?

    I really want to donate. I went to a donation station once and as soon as I saw it I started having a mild panic attack. I couldn't do it. The girl there said that I shouldn't donate until I am passed my fear because if I have a terrible experience I will not come back. But how do you get past a fear without doing it?

    I have to be honest, I dont think I have got past it, and I doubt I will, but when you think about the good it can do and save someone's life, you just put your fear behind you. I asked them not to show me the needle and told them I was terrified and they really looked after me, made sure I was feeling ok.

    It is the most amazing feeling to donate, knowing you could really help someone and make a difference, and for me, it is very personal, as my husband has received several blood transfusions in his life due to chronic illness, and if it wasnt for other people donating, he would not be alive today. I didnt do it for me, I did it to help others like my lovely hubby.

    Should also add, was not serious about counting the blood loss as a weight loss.... I was being silly :)

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