Stupid blood donation lady.

[Banrion]

Or if you are like me and had to have a total blood tranfusion within hours of birth, you could not match your biological parents. My dad is A+, my mom is O-, and I am AB+. I have had my blood typed about 7 times in my life. I was A+ at birth, but the following transfusion is documented as AB+ and I have been AB+ ever since. The theory is that I had no immune system, therefore there was nothing to attack the mis-match blood, and my body just learned to live with it. It works out in my favor anyway, I can take anyone's blood, so no blood shortages for me!

[KMMCurly]

Missing the vein when sticking a needle in you, reminds me of my ops. On the back my left hand there is a really juicy looking vein that you would think was just perfect to stick a needle for the IV into it. Wrong.

First op I go in to the prep room, nervous as all hell, and the IV guy tells me what hes going to do then bends over my hand... "Oops!"

'Oops'? What do you mean 'oops'? There should be no 'oops'!!!

The guy tells me the vein moved so hes going to try the right hand, fair enough and it goes in without a hitch.

Fast forward to second op. Back in the prep room, guy goes to stick the IV line in my left hand... "Oops!"

Oh you are kidding me! Same thing had happened. If I ever have to go in again I'm just going to tell them to just use the right hand 'cause the left clearly doesn't want to play.

[Delphae]

I used to get regular blood tests due to a medicine I was taking. The only way to get my small veins is using butterflies, the smallest of the needle. I would tell the nurse, and most listened to me, but one time she didn't. It took 2 or3 pokes before she conceded and got the butterfly. Then she had to use my wrist.

[JustADude]

Then she had to use my wrist.

GAH! I will literally threaten someone with bodily harm if they try to stick a needle into my wrist for ANYTHING. My forearm and elbow may be more difficult, but for some reason it seems like my veins and my major nerve bundles all want to play together in my wrists. After ending up feeling like my hand was being chopped off the first half-dozen times something like that happened when I was a kid I got REALLY phobic about needles, especially butterfly types. *shudder* I've since figured out that it's just my wrists, but that just makes me want to avoid them more.

[Der Cute]

Yall's are wimps. :P

I've had to have blood draws on a regular basis since I was a kid. Used to be more often, like once a month, but now it's more like once every 6 months.

On with the pokeys...

One day a phlebotomist (sp?) was told to draw 2 vials from me. She then proceeded to poke BOTH my arms and BOTH OF MY HANDS over 14 times total, in search of a vein.

My dad walked into the lab (he worked @ hospital) and asked, "Why aren't you done?" I told Dad she can't get the blood out of me. He then took needle and syringe and went POKE and got a vein right off. Pissed her off too.. hahaha.

I also had to tell another vamp to use a butterfly! SHE couldnt get blood from me either one day, I said why not use butterfly or the finger draws? "Ohhhh..ok!"

Be good in this skill, it comes in handy...hello!

Cutenoob

[Imogene]

I can't give blood, having had a stroke. I know my brother and father will do so every so often, though.

In other news, I have an impossible to find pulse. Seriously, impossible. I've heard so often: "Well, you must be dead." It should be one of those horrible jokes like, "It must be free."
If I'm dead, how am I sitting upright talking to you, moron? Check my left arm instead of my right, you'll likely find it. Or, in a very unorthodox twist, if you are very, very careful, you can get my pulse by gently holding my earlobe between your fingers.

[Shabo]

That would be me. I have never given blood because I don't think I could handle it. My blood pressure tends toward the low end of normal, and I have been known to pass out for no apparent reason. I have also gotten dizzy having a few vials drawn for blood tests. So I don't know if I could handle a whole pint. I definitely wouldn't go by myself without someone to drive me home afterwards.

There's actually a slew of reasons why people can't give blood, such as unprotected intercourse in a certain amount of time, traveling outside of the country, not weighing enough (110? or 115 now? I don't know.), being anemic, drug use, etc.

However, you can donate blood platelets. What that is is the stuff in your blood that helps it clot, and they basically take the blood out of your system, filter it for the platelets, then put the blood back in. You can do it more often then donating blood, and there are fewer requirements for it (such as weight not being a factor). But yeah, I have never given blood either. I tried in HS after I turned 17, but I wasn't allowed to because of weight. I still can't to this day, even though I want to. I have no idea what my blood type is, so should anything terrible happen to me, they're going to have to figure it out really quick.

[tollbaby]

However, you can donate blood platelets. What that is is the stuff in your blood that helps it clot, and they basically take the blood out of your system, filter it for the platelets, then put the blood back in.

You can do white blood cells that way too. It's called pheresis donation. My dad's been doing it for years (he likes it because you can donate every three weeks instead of every three months!).

It's used for cancer patients, AIDS patients, and anyone whose immune system is suppressed by the medication/treatment they're receiving.

[Polenicus]

I can't give blood, having had a stroke. I know my brother and father will do so every so often, though.

In other news, I have an impossible to find pulse. Seriously, impossible. I've heard so often: "Well, you must be dead." It should be one of those horrible jokes like, "It must be free."

Simple solution to that. As soon as they say that, murmur "Well, that explains it..." go glassy-eyed, and start to moan 'BRAAIIIIINS!'

Then, when they laugh or chuckle, grab them, bite them on the head, then push them away and spit and make an exaggerated look of distaste. Then wander off moaning 'BRAINS!' more insistently.

[Crow The Robot]

I donate, whenever I do, though, I just lay down for the rest of the day. Our college used to have donuts when you donated. Mmmmm...donuts. Anyway the woman in the orginal story is an idiot. At least she apologized.

[EmiOfBrie]

First op I go in to the prep room, nervous as all hell, and the IV guy tells me what hes going to do then bends over my hand... "Oops!"

'Oops'? What do you mean 'oops'? There should be no 'oops'!!!

Suddenly I thought of an old Bill Cosby joke from the 1960s