Today I gave blood, and I was just wondering what the users of Hubski have to say about it.
It's only my second time - I first gave back in October or November after a friend asked me to come along. Before that, I hadn't really thought about it in a long time; I was always underweight. It took forever to have my blood taken that time, because there were so many people there, but today it was Monday noontime and at university, so there weren't too many.
I can't really see any reason not to give blood, provided it is medically okay for one to do so. I see myself continuing to give blood from this point forth - hopefully I don't become lazy about it.
My blood type is B-.
And while we're on the subject, how about organ donation? I carry around an organ donor card. Again, I personally see no reason not to - they're not going to be of any use to me, and I don't care about the idea of people taking parts of my body once I'm dead.
It helps sick people, so it's good in my book.
I donate regularly, I'm O- ( universal donor ) so they hound me for my goods. I am also an organ donor. A few years ago I went to Antigua Guatemala, and after that trip I couldn't give blood for, I think it was two years. But I'm back in the swing of things.
I'm also 0- universal donor. Maybe we're twins separated at birth 25 years apart in parallel universes. I have given blood often over the years, sometimes more often than others. It's a donation in Canada. All you get are cookies and the ability to save lives (which is pretty awesome.) I once received several pints of blood, some of it semi-frozen (a story I've told here before). I am very grateful for this. Once the transfusion nurse couldn't find an effective vein and needled me four times before giving up. That turned me off from donating for several years. Twice they rejected my blood - once low hemoglobin (my normal is slightly anaemic) and following a trip to France and too much rich food, they rejected my blood again. That turned me off France. Good question AnSionnachRua.
Hey sis, just an FYI that you only get cookies in the US too. It's completely voluntary and without any sort if compensation.
Good, voluntary makes the blood safer I imagine. It's good that you are a negative. (Probably the only negative thing about you.) It also means less danger of Rhesus Factor problems ... negative means the absence of the Rhesus Factor. Your babies are safe if your baby mommy is negative or positive. But if you were Rh+ and your baby mommy was Rh-, it can lead to problems. For hubski readers, here's my understanding of the Rh factor story: Because I was Rh-, and my baby's daddy was Rh+, I had to take some a treatment at five months that would prevent complications. My understanding is this: in an Rh- mother and an Rh+ father, the antibodies to the Rh+ factor multiply with each successive baby. Consequently the lblood of my youngest brother (youngest of five) was at war with the antibodies in my mother's blood, and when he was born, he required a complete blood transfusion. But that was in 1960. Now if there might be an Rh-/+ issue, the mother is given a treatment to reduce the possibility of Rh-related complications. I'll check Wikipedia at some point, or maybe someone else will.
At least in the US, you'll get a T-shirt or a coffee mug, once in a while (at least in Oklahoma). Nothing but cookies, fruit, and juice/tea/coffee in NZ.
Here they have a crapton of snacks and drinks for you to eat - which makes sense given that you've just lost half a liter of blood. Yesterday they had sandwiches! Other than that, you can take a bunch of giveblood.ie pens.
Yeah, a friend of mine can never give blood because they lived in Britain during the Mad Cow years.
Prion diseases are poorly understood, so to be safe, they just say no thanks. Maybe in the future the policy will change, but they're a pretty conservative bunch--for good reason; you're probably too young to remember Ryan White.
Beyond mine as well. I really don't know why Antigua Guatemala was on the naughty list?
Sometimes I try if the school or work have a drive. Sometimes they won't let me because I'm itty bitty and never seem to like the amount of iron in my blood. I'm O something, can never rememeber. I am an organ donor though. I figure if I can help someone after I'm dead, why not. If there really is a heaven/hell situation I'll be running around organless with a bunch of other rat bastards, right?!
I donate very regularly. In fact, just made an appointment yesterday for my next jabbing. I'm O+.
I gave blood regularly for several years after I was old enough to do so, but then the "Mad Cow Disease" scare erupted in England, where I was born, and the Red Cross here in America stopped accepting donations from anyone who might have eaten beef from England between the years when they think the threat was present. The prions (misfolded proteins active in the brain) that cause "Mad Cow" can, in humans, cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Since it's difficult to screen for, the Red Cross simply stopped accepting donations from those who might have been infected. Fortunately the disease is extremely rare in humans, but it has a 20-year incubation period. It's now been more than 20 years since I lived in England, so it should be safe for me to donate once more. I guess I should look into it.
I used to give blood. Then I had a really weird and disturbing phlebotomist tap me, I've have had cold feet since. I even went in to give blood once since it happened, I signed the paperwork, and then snuck out of the building feeling queasy and sweaty. I don't want disturbing people digging around in my veins. Maybe I'll get over it and go back someday.
I actually have never given blood. I have four tattoos and some facial/body piercings, and I have managed to get them over the entire time period I've been eligible to give blood, pretty much, and the tats and piercings were spaced in such a manner that I haven't been eligible to give blood since I was 18 (which is 5+ years ago at this point). Honestly needles really bother me and I have a tendency to passing out that seems to run in the family (the blood bank actually told my dad not to come back because he passed out every single time he gave blood - they would have to keep him there for an hour or more), but I am willing to try. I am not expectant that giving blood would go well for me, but at some point in my future I am going to do it! (Still have about 6 more months before I'm eligible, though!)
I've been on the bone marrow registry forever. At the time it was free, I took part of a drive. Then a few years later they were charging people to the costs to get the blood work done etc., which was not inexpensive. I know it does cost money to run such a program but it seemed like a barrier for people. I'd say cut out the quarterly four color glossy newsletters to myself. I hope they changed that policy.
I've been a marrow donor for a number of years, too. They once called me to tell me they were doing extra testing on my marrow, so I thought I was actually going to be put to use, but then I never heard from them again. Part of me really wants them to come calling one day.