Give Blood. It may save a life...YOURS!
Jul 3, 2013, 8:18 pm
#406
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: PBI
Programs: DL 2.8 MM/PM, AA MM/GLD, Marriott LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,746
Hope it went smoothly, Cassie55! I had a doctor once hit the nerve with me and it is a horrible, horrible feeling. I am surprised the blood center folks would be that bad at it though.
I gave on Sunday--I'm finding that the good thing about giving right when I hit the window is that the mark from where the needle went in last time is still visible, so I can say "There."
I have pretty small veins and it's not pretty when they try to get creative, just go with the tried and true...
And pbjag, a happy belated birthday! Glad to hear this one was spent in a much better place.
I gave on Sunday--I'm finding that the good thing about giving right when I hit the window is that the mark from where the needle went in last time is still visible, so I can say "There."
I have pretty small veins and it's not pretty when they try to get creative, just go with the tried and true... And pbjag, a happy belated birthday! Glad to hear this one was spent in a much better place.
Jul 7, 2013, 2:44 am
#407
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: UK
Programs: Aadvantage Gold
Posts: 549
Hope it went smoothly, Cassie55! I had a doctor once hit the nerve with me and it is a horrible, horrible feeling. I am surprised the blood center folks would be that bad at it though.
I gave on Sunday--I'm finding that the good thing about giving right when I hit the window is that the mark from where the needle went in last time is still visible, so I can say "There." I have pretty small veins and it's not pretty when they try to get creative, just go with the tried and true...
And pbjag, a happy belated birthday! Glad to hear this one was spent in a much better place.
I gave on Sunday--I'm finding that the good thing about giving right when I hit the window is that the mark from where the needle went in last time is still visible, so I can say "There."
I have pretty small veins and it's not pretty when they try to get creative, just go with the tried and true... And pbjag, a happy belated birthday! Glad to hear this one was spent in a much better place.
There must have been a note on my file as the nurse mentioned that I had experienced a problem last time.
They were super nice and I treated myself to a mocha cookie crumble Frappuccino as a reward afterwards.
Jul 14, 2013, 2:22 pm
#409
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Prescott, AZ
Programs: US, UA, Marriott, SPG, HH Silver
Posts: 173
I finally got over my fear of needles and donated last January. I was planning on going to the next blood drive at my school but ended up getting sick a few days before, and didn't know what it was (allergy/flu/etc), so I simply skipped it to avoid contaminating blood or more people.
I gotta say, being the only A- who can donate blood in my mom's side of the family, I was pretty much on standby when my grandma had surgery, just in case they couldn't get enough donors (A- seemed to be on low supply) or if they had to replace blood blank blood.
I gotta say, being the only A- who can donate blood in my mom's side of the family, I was pretty much on standby when my grandma had surgery, just in case they couldn't get enough donors (A- seemed to be on low supply) or if they had to replace blood blank blood.
Jul 21, 2013, 12:33 pm
#410
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Indianapolis, IN USA
Posts: 2,066
Blood Type: O Positive
Eligibility: Whole Blood - 09/11/2013
Double Red Cells - 09/11/2013
Platelets - 07/20/2013
Plasma - 08/14/2013
Last Donation: Date: 07/17/2013
Procedure: Whole Blood Type: Donor Center Location: Fishers
Donations: 2013 donations: 3 Lifetime donations: 39
Eligibility: Whole Blood - 09/11/2013
Double Red Cells - 09/11/2013
Platelets - 07/20/2013
Plasma - 08/14/2013
Last Donation: Date: 07/17/2013
Procedure: Whole Blood Type: Donor Center Location: Fishers
Donations: 2013 donations: 3 Lifetime donations: 39
Jul 21, 2013, 10:54 pm
#411
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 26
I'm in the habit of giving blood every 2 months. It's a good thing to do.
Before they take your blood, the do a test of your 'iron'. Your iron level should be between 15 and 16. That's healthy. So today, my iron level was 17.
When you give blood, you reduce your iron level. So by giving blood today, I was able to bring down my iron level.
I wouldn't even know that my iron level was high unless I gave blood, or went for a check-up.
The otherr way to know if you're iron level is high is by looking in the mirror. Is your face a little redder than normal? How about your ears? This is a warning sign.
A friend of mine had high iron and didn't know it. After he died, his entire family got tested. Several of them now give blood regularly to reduce their high level of iron in their blood.
Bottom line, give blood. It may save YOUR life.
By the way, I'm A-
Dan
Before they take your blood, the do a test of your 'iron'. Your iron level should be between 15 and 16. That's healthy. So today, my iron level was 17.
When you give blood, you reduce your iron level. So by giving blood today, I was able to bring down my iron level.
I wouldn't even know that my iron level was high unless I gave blood, or went for a check-up.
The otherr way to know if you're iron level is high is by looking in the mirror. Is your face a little redder than normal? How about your ears? This is a warning sign.
A friend of mine had high iron and didn't know it. After he died, his entire family got tested. Several of them now give blood regularly to reduce their high level of iron in their blood.
Bottom line, give blood. It may save YOUR life.
By the way, I'm A-
Dan
I'm O- and give every 90 days , I believe I can give blood to anyone and they won't reject it .
Last edited by spudseamus; Jul 21, 2013 at 10:56 pm Reason: Extra line
Aug 2, 2013, 3:38 pm
#414
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,420
I just gave platelets yesterday...seems like platelet donations have been lower than usual during the summer months, so the Red Cross has been sending out reminder emails every few weeks.
w00t! Congrats! ^:-:
w00t! Congrats! ^:-:
Aug 19, 2013, 12:14 pm
#415
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,881
Donating blood as we speak
Pint #: 85
BP: 107/75
Pulse: 73
Blood Type: Red
Pint #: 85
BP: 107/75
Pulse: 73
Blood Type: Red
Aug 19, 2013, 1:46 pm
#416
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: WAS
Posts: 3,014
American Red Cross--platelet donation plasma restriction
Donated platelets last week, and found out that I've given so much plasma with the platelets that I can't donate for 5 weeks (normally only a 1 week recovery period, normally go every other week). The restriction I was familiar with was 1 donation every 7 days, up to 24 times in a 12-month period. But when I was told that I'd hit the limit, the worker seemed to indicate that there's a new volume limit on plasma loss. Anyone else run into this?
Aug 25, 2013, 7:35 am
#417
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 21
donating blood is homophobic, which is why I refuse to participate:
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donatin...opic#lifestyle
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donatin...opic#lifestyle
Aug 25, 2013, 12:18 pm
#418
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: YYC
Posts: 4,035
donating blood is homophobic, which is why I refuse to participate:
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donatin...opic#lifestyle
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donatin...opic#lifestyle
Aug 25, 2013, 1:36 pm
#419
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,781
As for donating blood supporting a homophobic system, perhaps it does, but the benefits of helping save lives ought to (IMO) outweigh it.