Giving blood

[Cab]

Have just come back from blood donors session.

I feel... fine.

I always feel fine after blood donations (this is, like, my twenty somethingth visit).

Do you give blood? If not, go see if you can.

 

[trustysteed]

i tried but they said as i'd been to africa within the last two years, they didn't want it. then after that period expired, i went back and they said because i'd been sleeping with someone who'd been to africa in the last two years, they didnt want it.

they test blood for bad stuff, so wouldn't they prefer to have it in the first place, test it, then decide what to do with it? obviously not, so i haven't bothered since. didn't make sense to me.

 

[Cab]

they test blood for bad stuff, so wouldn't they prefer to have it in the first place, test it, then decide what to do with it? obviously not, so i haven't bothered since. didn't make sense to me.

Its a stats game. None of these tests are perfect, so any risk factors that would increase risk are taken into consideration when deciding whether to accept a donation. Go back, see if they'll take it now.

 

[trustysteed]

None of these tests are perfect

hope i don't need a blood transfusion then!

 

[Arch]

Perhaps there are things that they can't test reliably for? Even if they could test for everything, maybe the time and manpower involved in taking your blood, then testing it for everything, then disposing of if it was 'bad', would outweigh the advantage of taking it? It just a balance of risk versus resources, I would have thought.

I have given, but I'm afraid I've lapsed a bit recently... I'll make more effort when I get the next letter.

 

[fuzzy29]

Have just come back from blood donors session.

Big race in a few months?

 

[Cab]

Have just come back from blood donors session.

Big race in a few months? [/QUOTE]

I hereby nominate the above from Fuzzy as the best post on this forum. Ever.

 

[trustysteed]

Even if they could test for everything, maybe the time and manpower involved in taking your blood, then testing it for everything, then disposing of if it was 'bad', would outweigh the advantage of taking it? It just a balance of risk versus resources, I would have thought.

that make sense. we do have a truck that comes round our work every 6 months or so, i'll check with them next time they're back.

although i might let a work collegaue go first and if they say there's no decent biscuits for afters, i'll reconsider!

 

[Chris James]

I always (twice!) feel a bit light headed but okay afterwards.

Unfortunately on my first donation session the needle gave me a bruise that ran half way from my elbow to my wrist on the inside of my arm. It does warn you that bruising can happen but i am the only person I have known it happen to (my wife and mother in law are long time donation veterans and have never had a problem). It was quite uncomfortable for a few days.

Still, not as uncomfortable as someone bleeding to death through lack of blood supplies. So I went again for a second time and it was fine and I intend to keep donating in the future.

While we are on the subject the I hope that people who haven't filled in a donor card would consider it to. I know two people who have received organ donations (heart and kidneys) and the effect on their lives was wondeful.

 

[Chris James]

None of these tests are perfect

hope i don't need a blood transfusion then!
[/QUOTE]

Well, if you have had a blood transfusion then they won't take your blood either! Possibly for that reason?

 

[ChrisKH]

They don't want my blood. I'm a diseased individual.

Funnily enough I gave blood until I was about 32 and then developed inflammatory bowel disease. I hope I didn't pass this on to anybody, or increase the risk of anyone getting it.

 

[Melvil]

I once worked for the blood donation service. They had a mascot called 'Bill Blood-drop' and I remember a blood donation 'magazine' they sent out to donors with a picture on the front showing a six-foot bill blood-drop guy shaking the hand of someone who had given blood for, like, the 1000th time - don't ask me why but the guy who'd given blood looked really really pasty and bill blood-drop looked quite evil...that image has stuck with me through the years and still makes me laugh!

Aye, anyone who hasn't given blood should, it's a relative walk in the park and IMHO you'll only notice the difference if you go and do an intensive bit of exercise during the next day or so. Also, and more selfishly, perhaps, if you've never donated blood before you'll get to find out your blood-type. Could come in very handy if you're ever in a serious accident...

 

[domtyler]

Sorry, I have a bit of a thing about needles, a right baby. It's just the thought of it really is making me feel a little light headed already. I totally passed out when I had my first tattoo done, and then again when I had some blood taken at the doctors. I have total respect for the people who do it, it's just not my thing I guess.

 

[pzycoman]

Im not alowed to give blood, being diabetic and all that

Its discrimination I tell you!

 

[ChrisKH]

Talking of needles, my four year old had five anaesthetic injections in his thumb on Tuesday (five!) and then watched the surgeon re-set his broken thumb bone and sew back his thumb nail into the nail bed and stitch up what was left.

Surgeon said he had seen grown men cry doing the same. He flinched a bit at times, but didn't cry once.