Originally Posted By Labuda Hey, all... just dawned on me that I'm due to be able to give blood again tomorrow, but there's no way I can since I'm sick right now. Anyhow, I'm curious if anyone else here gives blood regularly. Or if there's anyone like my Granddad who absolutely refuses to receive transfusions unless the doctors tell him it's a matter of life & death. I think that may be because of his age (he's 86), but maybe it has something to do with being Catholic? I'm not sure though, as I never had the possibility of needing a transfusion when I was younger having issues that put me in the hospital.... Anyhow, just curious.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Anyhow, I'm curious if anyone else here gives blood regularly.>> Every year on or about April 15th. ;-)
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I have given blood in the past and need to in the future. I'm just too lazy to get myself to the blood bank.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka I did until I got too anemic. I haven't had my iron tested since my surgery last year. I'm waiting till my 1 year anniversary before I consider donating again but honestly, I'll probably wait even longer since I was so ill. I have a slightly rare blood type so hopefully I'll feel healthy enough to donate again soon.
Originally Posted By jnemo I give blood, but not on a regular basis. I have been sick off and on the last couple of times I could give blood.
Originally Posted By Labuda Oooo, so what's your blood type, if you don't mind saying, mele? My great Uncle Dokey (I always forget what his real name was, because I only ever knew him as Dokey) was AB- so he'd occasionally get a call if they needed AB neg blood anywhere in South Texas.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka A-. I think it's the negative that makes it slightly more rare. The blood bank called me endlessly after I stopped going. They acted like angry bill collectors. LOL
Originally Posted By Labuda Yep, according to this site, only about 6.3% of folks have your blood type. <a href="http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu/about_blood/blood_types.html" target="_blank">http://bloodcenter.stanford.ed u/about_blood/blood_types.html</a> I'm O. I never remember if positive or negative, though. I'll ask 'em next time I'm there. Hopefully next Wednesday or maybe the Wednesday after.
Originally Posted By DAR I've given before but I haven't in the last few years because of trips to Mexico and getting a tatoo.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd I used to be a regular doner, but lately since I started traveling, it seems I always end up on the non-doner list for traveling to malaria or yellow fever areas. I would often have problems when I would show up because my blood pressure would be too low to donate. Their solution; they would sit me there while I watched other people getting stuck with needles till my blood pressure would go up enough to donate.
Originally Posted By Labuda "getting a tatoo." Yeah, I asked them about that recently - you now only have to wait 30 or 90 days after getting a tattoo, not a year like when I got mine (which was just back in 2003!).
Originally Posted By DAR Oh well then I might be able to. Because my Mexico trip was at least a year ago.
Originally Posted By Labuda I imagine you could always call up your local blood bank and ask them how long you have to wait if you're really interested in starting again. That way you don't waste time going there just to be told it hasn't been long enough.
Originally Posted By Ursula I want to donate blood, but they won't let me. Turns out I spent too much time in England. Yeah, I had the same reaction.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Turns out I spent too much time in England.>> I'm quite certain it has something to do with their food... ;-)
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb <<Turns out I spent too much time in England.>> Silly as it sounds, it's due to a little thing called Mad Cow. Go figure.
Originally Posted By debtee I tried to give blood recently but they won't accept me in Australia, as I lived in UK and ate meat during the years that are marked off due to BSE mad cow's disease.
Originally Posted By Ursula <---same here. But I'm not dead yet. My dear friend works in blood...well, she transports and schedules blood arrivals to hospitals and works extra hours organizing blood drives. She tells me they might be lifting the ban sometime in the next few years.
