Donating blood today

[Homercidal]

Wife mentioned The Red Cross left a message last night to remind me. Now I gotta work to get hydrated before I leave work!

I've been donating for about 2 years now. I sometimes even give Double Reds cause my iron is in range.

Only downside is not supposed to drink alcohol for x number of hours afterwards...

Any other regulars?

 

[SauceBoss]

While in college I donated at least once a semester. I should honestly get out and do it again soon for the new year and make it a habit to help out the ones in need

 

[tbel]

I usually donate 4-5 time a year. Miss every once in a while due to colds or just not getting there. Working in a Cardiac ICU I see how much it is needed! Unfortunately I also see how it is sometimes wasted by waiting longer than we should to take a patient back to the OR if there's a problem. I've been doing it regularly for about 10yrs.

 

[Hang Glider]

lost track after 10 gallons - all my adult working life, 3-4 times per year. And for about 8 years, I did aphoresis - the platelet donation thing - 4 additional times per year.

in fact, I gave yesterday at the hospital blood drive here.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I used to donate everytime they had a blood drive at work.

Last time I went it took the tried 4 times to hit a vein beofre I made her GTFO and stop perforating me. Prior years to that it took them a couple times.

And it's not that my veins aren't easily found. They just don;t train those folks very well anymore. Last few years they were all NOOB's.

 

[Homercidal]

So I get there yesterday after work and decline the aspherisys machine because I wasn't as hydrated as I would have liked, plus the fact that the first time I went the needle came out of the vein a bit as they pumped the plasma back in, and the second time the person doing it screwed up and I ended up with a 5-inch diameter bruise around the inside of my elbow.

But when I got on the table I changed my mind and decided to go for it. They got a newer machine that is supposed to work better.

Well, during the start of the second return I must have moved my arm just right and it started pumping plasma into my arm again. Pretty neat looking to see your skin start swelling up.

The machine normally pumps at 130, but the tech dropped it down to 90, and the machine dropped it down to 70 automatically. It was going good up to that point, and the guy was very good about the whole procedure. One poke and stayed to keep on eye on it the whole time.

On the plus side, they got enough to use. And I don't feel weak or sore at all this morning. But I rehydrated myself last night with a Shiner Bock and a glass of my homebrew Witbier.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I used to donate blood all the time. Now I donate plasma cause I need the cash, so no donating blood.

 

[Homercidal]

Tell me more about "selling" your plasma...

 

[Gated312]

Donating blood is an awesome cause. I have donated for about 6 years, and work with a volunteer group on campus (i'm a student). Anyone on the stem cell and marrow network too? It's pretty neato too.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Tell me more about "selling" your plasma...

You don't have plasmsa ceneter in your area peppering the radios with "Donate Plasma today" adverts every 9 minutes?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Tell me more about "selling" your plasma...

There must be something like this near you.

 

[Homercidal]

Looks like the same process that keeps ballooning my arm!

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Well, not everyone can donate plasma. A lot of people are deferred, and for a lot of reasons.

 

[glenn514]

I used to donate regularly and frequently. Somewhere, I still have my two gallon pin! But since my heart attack in 2001, I am on several medications, and they don't want my blood. So, I no longer donate.

glenn514

 

[OpenContainer]

I haven't donated in years and should probably get back on the list. I think that I'm A- if memory serves me well, and that is always needed.

Good reminder.