Blood Drive sighting

[PepperElf]

..... um

ROFL. cos it usually only takes me 5 minutes to donate

[dalesys]

Take a page from christopher titus.

Get ex junkies to work for red cross because you KNOW they're gonna find a vein.

5 minutes you're in, you're out and you got your sugar cookie.

Looks over at next cot, sees rump in the air w/needle...

[MergedLoki]

Take a page from christopher titus.

Get ex junkies to work for red cross because you KNOW they're gonna find a vein.

5 minutes you're in, you're out and you got your sugar cookie.

[PepperElf]

that's why i said id save that topic for fratching

i just havent made the post yet. might not. been kinda busy.

*gives a group to all*

[iradney]

And we're gonna keep it to sightings at blood drives, folks. Ideas or speculation about why blood is not accepted is for fratching, mk?

[PepperElf]

That's bullshit....you sure they can't just screen it like they do everyone else? Damn it sucks that it pays to just lie....

yeah that's one of the stipulations for accepting blood.

i somewhat know the real stories behind how it happened, as explained in a college micro-biology class
but that might be better for fratching

[Pagan]

I tried to give blood a couple of months ago and they wouldn't let me because of my pulse rate. It was around 90bpm, where it always is (I've got the pulse rate of a bird and the blood pressure of a dead person). And I told them this, but no go.

I used to be able to donate, but I haven't in a long while since I started taking the Pill for...women's issues. I don't think I'd be able to just because of the way the drug works (risks of clotting, etc.)

That doesn't stop you from donating. If it did, there would be very few women eligible to donate.

My Dad is A+, my Mom is B- and they made all the blood types they could...A-, B-, AB- & O-. I'm B- and my hubby is O+, our daughter came out with O+ so I had to get the Rh factor shot.

Huh. My mom is O- and I'm B+ (so's my dad) and she didn't have to get the Rh factor shot. Actually, none of us knew my blood type until after my recent aborted attempt to give blood. I had last given blood several years before, but I almost passed out. Turns out I was still too close to the weight limit.

I always thought that if you had type AB- blood you could only be transfused with type AB-. Turns out AB- can accept A-, B-, AB- and O-. AB+ on they other hand can accept all blood types no matter the Rh factor.

O- is the universal donor and AB+ are universal receivers.

[KiaKat]

Smiley, I'm with you.

I have a phobia of needles that rivals, well, just about anything.

And it goes back to when I was a baby. During a vaccination session, I started holding my breath. I turned blue. The doctor and my mom had to blow in my face to get me breathing again.

It's just gotten worse from there. I had a full panic attack, complete with passing out from hyperventilation when I was 13. A few years ago, when I had to have a blood draw, they didn't believe me and I passed out again.

They've learned. Dope me up on atavan before anything involving needles.

[Not_a_Miracleworker]

I'd like to say THANK YOU to all those who donate - I had to receive 2 units a couple of years ago due to massive prolonged blood loss b/c of unidentified medical condition involving female parts. I know I'd be dead or comatose without it.

I've wanted to donate since that time, but I've had so many other health issues and had to take so many meds I don't think they could use it.

[raw456]

I was a regular blood donor until my doctor advised I was anaemic and really shouldnt The last time I went to give blood the woman had obviously had a bad day and took her bad mood out on me. First, she went to my right arm (after I directed her to my left as it was the best one for veins) she then stuffed up the insertion and nearly snapped the needle off in my arm. After a second failed attempt, she told me it was my fault and sent me on my way. I ended up with a huge lump and bruise where she stuck me. Had to go to the doctors to get it all sorted. (that was when he advised me not to give blood)

[jjllbb]

I'm AB negative.

It's supposedly rare, but it doesn't really do anyone else any good.

In most cases you can save my life but I can't save yours unless you're AB as well.

le sigh.

I have donated before and had a good experience though. I like the idea of being able to help.

At least you tried.

[telecom_goddess]

I used to love donating blood. Always felt great afterward. Then I made the unforgivable mistake of coming out of the closet and having sex.

Doesn't matter how many blood test prove you're healthy; if you're gay and sexually active, even if you wrap yourself in 10 body condoms each time, you're not allowed to donate.

That's bullshit....you sure they can't just screen it like they do everyone else? Damn it sucks that it pays to just lie....

[boringscreenname]

I've donated blood and plasma before. The hospital had a blood drive about a month or two ago but I didn't donate because it was a couple hours in the morning, and I had worked the night before and didn't want to hang out for a couple hours when I could be sleeping. But I wanted to donate because they were giving away prizes like a grocery store gift card and tickets.

Anyway all the times I've donated I've had good experiences. My veins are fairly to easy to stick and I always drink water before hand just in case. My son has had to get a lot of vaccinations and a finger stick which he hated, but we never make a big deal out of the needles and just comfort him when he's done.

[Yfandes]

Little hint to get the veins up: drink a litre of water on the way to the appointment. Always works for me.

I'm not eligible for blood donation due to the fact that I lived in the UK in the '80's, and have had chemotherapy.

Which is ok, because I'm basically down to the one reliable "lucky vein" which is in the crook of my dominant arm, and it goes sideways. ALL the phlebotomists want the lucky vein, and they get one chance at it - but the last one put the needle in sideways to the vein!!! She now gets to poke around elsewhere for a cooperative vein.

[ADoyle90815]

I found that if I'm going to donate blood, it's better to do so at a blood drive that's not at the Red Cross donation center because the people at the Red Cross building don't always know what they're doing. My mom had such a bad experience, she refuses to donate anymore.