"May" We Tell You You ROCK?! (Remember! Both donors AND NON-donors are stars!)

[DottyG]

I. Love. These. Posts!  I'm so excited for all of you!

I'm on my phone right now, so updating the tally will have to wait until I'm back on my computer. But I couldn't not post to tell all of you how wonderful I think you are!

Shea, as far as I'm concerned, that TOTALLY counts! And Crella, the fact that an AB- wants to donate (even if you're not able to) makes you a winner as well!

Like I keep saying, the blood in the bag isn't the only way someone can do a world of good. Even just telling a friend about what donation is (or even just posting in this thread to share your stories) is a major help! And very much a part of the whole picture.

And EngineerChick, Dogzard and Arista, YAY!!! I love y'all's stories about donating - and the "giving during the holidays" and the 1 gallon mark and the great iron level (share some with me! ) and everything else!

[nutraxfornerves]

Donated yesterday and got a T-shirt because I reached the 8-gallon mark. (I have probably donated twice that, but there were several years when I couldn't donate due to foreign travel, so fell off the books.)

[DottyG]

EIGHT gallons (possibly more)?  I am so incredibly impressed!  And blown away - just think how much that is and how many lives you've saved with that!

[crella]

And Crella, the fact that an AB- wants to donate (even if you're not able to) makes you a winner as well!

Thank you!

8 gallons, that's amazing!

[Kitty_Cat]

I donated platelets yesterday, but I unfortunately felt a bit dizzy afterwards, so I will only be able to do it once per month rather than every other week.

[DottyG]

  to donating platelets!  You're terrific!  But that you got dizzy.  That's not good.  Are you feeling better today?  Did they tell you what you can do when that happens to make it stop?

Take care of yourself, ok?  Donating's great, but we want you to be ok when you do it!

[Kitty_Cat]

to donating platelets!  You're terrific!  But that you got dizzy.  That's not good.  Are you feeling better today?  Did they tell you what you can do when that happens to make it stop?

Take care of yourself, ok?  Donating's great, but we want you to be ok when you do it!

Thank you very much for asking! I'm feeling fine now. I am on the small side of being eligible to donate, so I just need to do it less often.

[DottyG]

Time to start a new month!  Who's going to be first to get added to the tally (remember that can be a blood donor OR a non-blood donor!)

 

[Bob Ducca]

Dotty, please forgive me if this is off-topic or distracting, but I'd like to say something.

Last week I became suddenly, seriously ill.  I was rushed to the ER where it was found I had lost a great deal of blood internally.  I had to have two different transfusions to get me up to functional.

Everyone who donates blood, thank you.  I know we all understand that donating blood saves lives, but people like you quite possibly literally saved mine last week.  I just wanted to say that and thought this thread would be as good a place as any.

Back to your regularly scheduled thread...

[DottyG]

"Off-topic or distracting".... are you kidding?!  Your post is EXCELLENT!  It can be easy to lose sight of exactly why blood donation is so important.  You have so perfectly illustrated why donations are needed.  Thank you so much for posting this.  It really means a lot to read your post.

Now, that said, ARE YOU OK NOW?!  Deb, you have me worried now.  Are you feeling ok?  Did the transfusions work?  You take care of yourself, ok?  Just rest and let your body heal.  Don't overdo things.

[Bob Ducca]

"Off-topic or distracting".... are you kidding?!  Your post is EXCELLENT!  It can be easy to lose sight of exactly why blood donation is so important.  You have so perfectly illustrated why donations are needed.  Thank you so much for posting this.  It really means a lot to read your post.

Now, that said, ARE YOU OK NOW?!  Deb, you have me worried now.  Are you feeling ok?  Did the transfusions work?  You take care of yourself, ok?  Just rest and let your body heal.  Don't overdo things.

Oh, Dotty, I didn't mean to worry you.   I am feeling better, still searching for the original cause.  I am going in for more tests tomorrow and hopefully back to work Thursday.  The transfusions were almost miraculous and helped a great deal.  I'm working very hard at resting.

[Kitty_Cat]

"Off-topic or distracting".... are you kidding?!  Your post is EXCELLENT!  It can be easy to lose sight of exactly why blood donation is so important.  You have so perfectly illustrated why donations are needed.  Thank you so much for posting this.  It really means a lot to read your post.

Now, that said, ARE YOU OK NOW?!  Deb, you have me worried now.  Are you feeling ok?  Did the transfusions work?  You take care of yourself, ok?  Just rest and let your body heal.  Don't overdo things.

Oh, Dotty, I didn't mean to worry you.   I am feeling better, still searching for the original cause.  I am going in for more tests tomorrow and hopefully back to work Thursday.  The transfusions were almost miraculous and helped a great deal.  I'm working very hard at resting.

I am very glad to hear that you are feeling better!

[Bob Ducca]

"Off-topic or distracting".... are you kidding?!  Your post is EXCELLENT!  It can be easy to lose sight of exactly why blood donation is so important.  You have so perfectly illustrated why donations are needed.  Thank you so much for posting this.  It really means a lot to read your post.

Now, that said, ARE YOU OK NOW?!  Deb, you have me worried now.  Are you feeling ok?  Did the transfusions work?  You take care of yourself, ok?  Just rest and let your body heal.  Don't overdo things.

Oh, Dotty, I didn't mean to worry you.   I am feeling better, still searching for the original cause.  I am going in for more tests tomorrow and hopefully back to work Thursday.  The transfusions were almost miraculous and helped a great deal.  I'm working very hard at resting.

I am very glad to hear that you are feeling better!

Thank you!

[DottyG]

Will be thinking about you.

[vorbau]

Dotty - unfortunately I can no longer donate owing to my MS diagnosis and the meds I take for it, but - we are having monthly blood drives at work as well as in my reserve unit.

Also good news:
- DH's office has organized a twice-yearly blood drive, and gives each donor 4hrs of "free" admin leave for donating
- DXH is trying to organize one at his office (I suspect my recent deployment has motivated both Husband 1.0 and Husband 2.0, even though I didn't need any kind of treatment)
- DS, now the proud owner of a pharmacy tech license, is trying to organize his coworkers to start a drive.

After 8 months in unpleasant places with people shooting at me and my team, mere words cannot remotely begin to express the gratitude those of us in harm's way feel for all of you who give of yourselves for our benefit.

Vorbau