Posts: 317 |
SAM(LOS ANGELES) Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 5:48 PM |
Turtleneck wrote: The Red Cross used to do blood drives at my high school twice a year. I could never donate because I was--get this--UNDER WEIGHT! Ahahaha! Aaaaaahahaha!
After I had fattened up a bit, they had a Red Cross blood drive at work. I signed up and donating blood just didn't jive with my body somehow. **DISCLAIMER**I do not want this story to discourage anyone from giving blood. Lots and lots of people do it every day with no problems whatsoever, this was just my own personal experience.
They had everything set up in the basement at work and I went on my lunch hour. The actual donation went fine. When I got up to walk over to the cot, I blacked out. Two nurses had to grab me. I was blind! I could hear but everything was black. Very weird. If they had not grabbed me I would have fainted straight away. I lay down on the cot for a few minutes and they brought me the cookies and juice. After a while, it was time to go back to work and they needed the cot. I tried to get up and the same thing happened again. So I lay there for a while longer. Tried to get up, blacked out again. Finally I got to where I could sit up. My lunch hour was long over, my coworkers had no idea where I was. After 45 minutes, I was able to put myself on the elevator and drag myself back into the office where I put my head down on the desk and tried not to vomit. I was so dizzy. The boss offered to let me go home, but I was downtown and there was no way I could drive myself back home. I was toast for the rest of the day. That's why I've never donated again. If it was for someone in desperate need and they were begging for it, of course I would, but I don't think my blood type is anything rare and I just can't go through all that on a regular basis.
I had i similar experience the first time that i gave, my ex took me with her and even though i HATE needles i went cuz she was hot (just being honest) so i laid there next to her and tried to be as brave as i could be then towards the end all the nurses and my girl could see that i wasn't ok at all, i was pale and cold, i couldn't even get up. so they put wet towels on my face and brought me cookies to nibble on, it was embarrassing but i got through it and have given many times since. i still hate needles and i still am not completely comfortable with the idea of letting others take my blood but i get through it :-) |
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Posts: 3778 |
megg_inc Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:03 PM |
| I can't be a blood donor as my blood pressure is too low but I'm a bone marrow donor. |
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Posts: 346 |
th74 Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:05 PM |
| I'm on o negative type, and I donated blood regularly until they tested all the donors' platelet count. I have a freakishly high platelet count, so now I donate platelets. They literally call me every 2 weeks to make a donation, but I usually do it once a month. Platelets can't be stored like blood, so they need donors more often. |
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:06 PM |
I've tried, but no cigar. I have asthma, and the medication doesn't agree with the donation (ie they don't want my drugged blood).
Here the Red Cross is the only organisation to receive blood, you get a butty and coffee afterwards, that's it. All the blood is checked, and you can't donate if you've had anal sex, used intravenous drugs (hiv warning), or lived in the UK in the 90's (mad cow disease warning). |
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Posts: 8142 |
minnmess Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:08 PM |
SAM(LOS ANGELES) wrote: minnmess wrote: i would donate more if i knew i would get ice cream and raffle tickets! lol.
im not a special kinda blood, so im not so much in demand, lol, but i should donate more.
Tell you what,if you give blood there I'll mail you my *raffle ticket and ice cream coupon.:-P
*only if i don't win anything
wow! what an offer!
i dont think we really get stuff here for donating (other than the cookie of course) but maybe that has changed. Next time i go i will see if i can cash in on the blood donor swag, lol |
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Posts: 2782 |
Hanne Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:43 PM |
I give blood on a regular basis too, about every 3 months. I'm 0 positive, which is apparantly one of the most common types. Not an all-round type, but I guess they need it anyway.
I fear that I might not be able to continue as a donor though. My blood pressure is a bit high, and if my doctor decides to put me on meds, I can forget about giving blood. Too bad, I like doing it. I'm also registered to give bone marrow, and as an organ donor if that event should occur. I hope not lol |
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Posts: 8142 |
minnmess Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:49 PM |
mili wrote: I've tried, but no cigar. I have asthma, and the medication doesn't agree with the donation (ie they don't want my drugged blood).
Here the Red Cross is the only organisation to receive blood, you get a butty and coffee afterwards, that's it. All the blood is checked, and you can't donate if you've had anal sex, used intravenous drugs (hiv warning), or lived in the UK in the 90's (mad cow disease warning).
ya, my friend lived in London for a year as a kid, and now we constantly refer to her as the mad cow bc she cant donate blood. we are nice friends. |
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Posts: 7556 |
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:55 PM |
weirdmom wrote:
They only call you if you've donated in the past so it's not completely random. You can ask them to stop. I actually did because whatever service they were using was truly starting to harass me. They were calling every single night (I could see on the caller ID) and if I answered they wanted me to schedule an appointment right then and there. It was too much.
I go regularly but it is still on my terms and my schedule.
Every single night? That's crossing the line!
deebee wrote:
Aaah the things people do just to get an extra breakfast :-P
Hahaha, just a cup of tea with 4 kilos of sugar (disgusting!) and a croissant :oP. |
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Posts: 1129 |
mozman68 Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 6:58 PM |
| They pay the wife to get her blood...I can't remember what her's is, but obviously very rare. They call all of the time, so she is going to start going in the same day every week...nice little bonus for her. |
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I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 7:00 PM |
| She donates every week? Wow! Here you have to wait for three months before you can donate again. |
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Posts: 317 |
SAM(LOS ANGELES) Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 7:18 PM |
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window wrote: She donates every week? Wow! Here you have to wait for three months before you can donate again.
yeah,I don't think it's humanly possible to give blood every week without...well...dying |
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Posts: 1129 |
mozman68 Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 7:28 PM |
| sorry...clarification...same day, but not EVERY week...but I do believe they have asked her to come in twice a month...$50 a pop!! Gotta love plasma.... |
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Posts: 2782 |
Hanne Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 7:30 PM |
mozman68 wrote: They pay the wife to get her blood...I can't remember what her's is, but obviously very rare. They call all of the time, so she is going to start going in the same day every week...nice little bonus for her.
They pay her? Here the blood is taken at hospitals, and there is only one national donor organisation. No donor is paid, since you'd risk someone lying about medication etc. just to get some money for their donation. Instead us donors get anniversary pins and stuff like that :oP
And what's that about every week? I think the international rules say that at least 3 months must pass between donations. |
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Posts: 8142 |
minnmess Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 7:47 PM |
| you can get paid to give blood??? |
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Posts: 7556 |
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Fri 29 Aug, 2008 7:49 PM |
minnmess wrote: you can get paid to give blood???
In Argentina it's forbidden. I think it's for the reasons Hanne said. |
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