Anybody a blood donor?

Baldie88 · 10-25-07, 10:08 AM

Today I hit another milestone. I've donated 12 gallons so far.

I was reading recently that there is a severe shortage of blood. Nobody seems to donate anymore. I'm guessing that the WWII generation were probably the biggest donors because of the war effort and they are now dying off.

For those of you who don't donate, you might consider it. Doesn't take too long and is relatively painless. I hardly feel the stick anymore and usually doze off it somebody isn't talking to me.

Ron
"Baldie88

p.s. I really HATE needles. Don't get other shots because of needles. But this is different.

BigMike5 · 10-25-07, 10:15 AM

I was up to about 4 gallons until I had to go on Coumadin for an A-fib about 10 years ago. Now they won't take my AB+ unless I purge the sytem for 30 days. Course I would probably be deceased by then, but you never know. Anyway, if you can give and have never given, the slight discomfort is more than made up for by the feeling that you are doing somebody good. Congrats to Baldie, quite a milestone.

Erik S. Klein · 10-25-07, 10:37 AM

I give every 8 weeks like clockwork. My next donation is tomorrow, in fact.

I'm not sure where I'm at gallon-wise but I've been on this schedule for the last four or five years (I was fairly erratic before that) so I'm probably in the 3-4 range with this collection center (Stanford.)

12 is pretty damn awesome!

DRTH VTR · 10-25-07, 11:23 AM

I have become a regular donor. I have only given a couple of gallons. I have worked in cancer treatment for the last 15 years, so I know how important blood is for those patients. It is a small thing to give blood. I am also an organ donor. in the event of my death, I won't need those organs any more. I am also part of the bone marrow registry.

Erik- blood donation strikes me as a sort of "liberal" thing to do.

Erik S. Klein · 10-25-07, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRTH VTR

I am also an organ donor. in the event of my death, I won't need those organs any more.

Same here. I had to have a friend co-sign my card because my wife doesn't like to think about that kind of thing. . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRTH VTR

Erik- blood donation strikes me as a sort of "liberal" thing to do.

Yeah, I know. I never said I was perfect!

Red Vette · 10-25-07, 12:48 PM

Our office has quarterly donations, but I don't keep track. Last time I donated they were not sure if they could use it because they detected an anomoly, Corvette fever, highly contagious to susceptible individuals, that course thru my veins; cannot be filtered out. I guess the fever is with me for life! Whoever gets the blood hopefully will rush out a purchase a corvette and join CAC.
Barrett

Scottsredvette · 10-25-07, 02:08 PM

Every eight weeks, Been doing it for so long that most of the Memorial Hospital employee's know me by name. And, they give doners the worlds best mint brownies to munch on while you're waiting

Scott

rascal_rascal_99 · 10-25-07, 04:56 PM

I do on a regular basis...Type O- ...wanna guess how happy the local donorsaurus was to have me start dropping in? lol

nelson84 · 10-25-07, 05:33 PM

Do they test you before you give blood? for aids, hep, etc?

Or after?

In Canada we recieved blood from the USA and later found out it came from the prison system and was tainted with hepatitis and it ended up killing a bunch of people. Do they even test it?

MsSchroder · 10-25-07, 06:24 PM

I used to donate a pint here and there when they brought the blood mobile to work. I stopped a number of years back when I got under the weight limit, but I don't have that problem any more

I can't imagine getting up into the 2-digit gallons range. Wow!

I guess it is time to start back again.

DRTH VTR · 10-25-07, 06:28 PM

The blood is tested for (at least) HIV, Hep B, Hep C, West Nile, and other things. It is done after the blood is taken, but before it is released. The test that is used actually looks for specific gene sequences. I suspect that the outbreak that you are talking about was Hepatitis C. The blood borne infections that I have read about were due to the use of blood with a newer infectious agent that was not well characterized, and no test had yet been developed.

randomize27 · 10-25-07, 11:34 PM

I used to donate as often as possible. 3 gallons.

Then about 10 years ago, I discovered plasmapheresis.

Then I found out, you could get paid.

When you're at my end of the income scale, an extra $40-$50 a week is VERY important.

Unfortunately, due to a FUBAR a few weeks ago, I can't donate again until 11/16/07.

Machine setup was fouled up and halfway through the first draw, it sprung a leak, blood went all over the floor, and it was a huge mess.