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

[Slartibartfast]

Now I have an etiquette question. At some point after being stuck, I complained of the pain. Now, this is not the worst pain I've ever experienced, not even close really, but I have a low tolerance to certain types of pain. The nurse said, in response to my complaint, "You've never had children, have you."
"No," I said, "No I have not."

Now, at the time I was a little preoccupied, but now that I think about it this really pisses me off. No, I haven't had children. Does that mean every other type of pain is insignificant? Of course not. I resent that she implied this though, because even though it was a momentary pain instead of lasting 12 hours, it was quite different from giving birth anyway. There was no adrenelaine and no epidurals or any painkillers. I'm not saying giving birth is easy, but you just can't compare the two. The most important part is mentally, these two types of pain are completely different.

Quite honestly, labor hurt less than the botched IV the labor nurse gave me.  She took three tries to get the needle in my right arm, then I demanded she get someone else to do it correctly in my left arm instead.  They then put the blood pressure cuff on my right arm - so every time it inflated (once every few minutes), my poor pincushioned forearm THROBBED.  I did get an epidural for the last two hours of labor, the actual pushing part, but I can definitively say a bad needle stick can hurt worse than five hours of induced labor.

[Chocolate Moose]

yay I did it! (just got back)

I definitely should have drank more fluids this morning - lesson learned.  Also, big thanks to the people who have posted encouragement and stories about donating in this thread.  There was a point right as we were getting started where I really really wanted to chicken out and go home.  But I told myself if I did that I would have to come here and get DottyG to take my name off the front page, so I stuck it out.  Now that its over I'm glad I did.

Also we had a cookout with friends last night and I told everyone I was donating today (so they would give me the big steak  ) and I think I convinced one other person to give blood.

[Nurvingiel]

Good for you whylime13! You rock! *cheering* *applause*

I'm glad you had steak the night before. You're not allowed to donate if your iron isn't high enough, and that steak helped you!

I have low iron, but not too low (I pass the iron test, but I'm always pushing it). It was a good thing I had also had a nice steak the previous night!

They test your blood by putting a drop of it in a solution. The faster it sinks the more iron there is. My husband's blood sank like a rock.

[DottyG]

But I told myself if I did that I would have to come here and get DottyG to take my name off the front page, so I stuck it out.

Hee hee!

and I think I convinced one other person to give blood.

COOL!!!

[Chocolate Moose]

Good for you whylime13! You rock! *cheering* *applause*

I'm glad you had steak the night before. You're not allowed to donate if your iron isn't high enough, and that steak helped you!

I have low iron, but not too low (I pass the iron test, but I'm always pushing it). It was a good thing I had also had a nice steak the previous night!

They test your blood by putting a drop of it in a solution. The faster it sinks the more iron there is. My husband's blood sank like a rock.

Here they take a drop of blood and put it in a machine to test hemoglobin levels.  I've been turned away for low iron at least 3 -4 times.  Today it was 12.5 which is the cut off - close call.

[Samantha]

I made a comment to the tech once about how I knew I should have ordered the steak at dinner the night before (my iron was just a little on the low side, and I couldn't donate that day). She told me that while having iron rich foods the day before is helpful, it's even more beneficial to eat more iron rich foods on a regular basis. If that is not possible, then at least do it for the week prior to donating, so that there is more iron in your system.

[Dindrane]

My mom has had trouble with low iron for the past few years.  Since she's a regular blood donor, she gets it tested a lot when she tries to donate.  A lot of the time, the drop of blood just kind of hovers right in the middle of that solution they put it in (she's usually denied for low iron when that happens).  But one time after donating, she came home and was SO EXCITED that her drop of blood just sank right down to the bottom!

Incidentally, one way to get at least trace amounts of iron in your diet is to cook in cast iron pans.  Just throwing that out there.   I have no idea if it truly helps...but it can't hurt, right?

[catgal]

Hi DottyG, I've been lurking as a guest on this site for many moons but your challenge has made me summon up the courage and do two important things before the end of this month (just made it).
1. Join Etiquette Hell.
2. Ring my local Red Cross. The Red Cross told me that here in Australia 2009 is the Year of the Blood Donor.  They also said that I need to wait until next week before donating as I've had a cold, but I'm making my commitment to you all that I'll do it. I've also asked our public affairs dept at work if there are any plans to raise awareness of Year of the Blood Donor and they have said that they will see what they can come up with.

Thanks to all of the comments here, both good and bad, I feel prepared to stop using petty excuses and just do it 

[Julep]

Today is 56 days since my last donation, so tomorrow I come eligible for my next donation... and I've got my appointment for 2:30!

The place I'm going has pizza in addition to the usual little snacks! Woo! (yeah... it doesn't take much to get me excited...)   

[matf]

I just donated today at work, so this is quite apropos! I'm B+, and have been donating for years. (Although it's been just over a year since the last time.) I've donated in 4 different US locations (with at least 3 different blood services) and in another country (Israel). I actually have "track marks" on my left arm from the blood donations. (That's where my best vein is.)

I'm also on the bone marrow lists and have even been called once for the second-level testing -- which was exciting!

(And today I was also at 12.5 -- the exact cut-off for hemoglobin!)

[DottyG]

YEA!!!!!!!!  This is so exciting, y'all!!!

Congratulations to all of you - I'm adding you into the tally on the first page!  Way to go!

And, Catgal, WELCOME!!!  What a way to start your life at EHell!

ETA: Catgal, are you a completely new donor or a returning one?  I put you in "returning", but I can move you.

[DottyG]

Ok, y'all, we have a dilemma.  Catgal is right - our month ends tomorrow.  That's what was specified as the EHell Challenge.

Would anyone be opposed to my starting a new one for October?  I'm game if y'all are!  Let's keep the blood flowing!

[faithlessone]

Go for it!

[catgal]

Thanks for the welcome Dottyg.

I have donated many years ago, but have been using too many excuses not to continue.  The stories that I have heard on this board have pricked my conscience.  I shouldn't complain about it being too inconvenient to visit the Red Cross when there are two within 10 mins of me.  Being treated for cancer would be true inconvenience.  The momentary press of the needle can not be compared to the pain families feel when faced with loss of a loved one. The last couple of years in my life have been a little tough, but this forum has reminded me that I really am a lucky gal.

[catgal]

Ok, I can be ticked off of the list now - I did it!  The ladies at the Red Cross were sooo nice. I told them that it had been years since my last donation and they promised that everything would be ok - and it was.  Pain - no, bruising - no, feeling good about doing something for other people - YES. The only complaint I had is that most of the biscuits and treats contained chocolate, which I am allergic to, but the lovely volunteer hunted down other non-choclate treats for me. I've booked my next and they have made a note to have more non-chocolate muffins and biscuits for me.

Thanks Dottyg for the challenge (the Red Cross ladies said to say thank you to you as well).