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

[nutraxfornerves]

Donating specific blood components (plasma, platelets, red cells, etc) is called apheresis. That link takes you to Wikipedia, which describes how it's done.

The anticoagulant most commonly used is citrate, which temporarily binds to the calcium in your blood. Tingling, especially around the mouth, is a common result. That's why you may be given a calcium supplement. It helps to eat extra calcium before donating.

When I've been deferred due to foreign travel, I've still been able to donate plasma. It takes longer than whole blood donation--yesterday I cranked out a unit of blood in 4 minutes, but as I recall, plasma donation took about 45 minutes. They have little personal TV sets so you can watch TV or a movie.

[DottyG]

Ok, I'm issuing a challenge!  (This is NOT guilt-tripping - it's a challenge!)

THE EHELL CHALLENGE - BLOOD AND NON-BLOOD DONATORS NEEDED!!!

Let's see how many EHellions we can get to join the Blood Cause!

1)  If you're able (and willing) to donate, find a place near you this month to donate either plasma, platelets or blood.  DO IT!  No excuses!

2)  If you're able to donate, but just scared of the process or the needle, let this thread be your inspiration!  Just try it, if you can.  Take a deep breath and just try it.  You might find, like I did, that your fears are much worse than what it actually is!

3)  If you're not able to donate (or not willing to at the moment), that's cool!  YOU'RE STILL NEEDED AND VERY, VERY VALUABLE!!!!  Can you give up an hour of your time to volunteer at a donation site?  Great!  They need you!  You can pass out cookies or check people in or whatever they need.  Even if it's just an hour or two, see if you can help!  You are just as vital to the whole process as those giving blood.

And, a challenge to all of the above groups - TALK about donating blood in your community.  Tell your friends, family and neighbors how important it is and how many lives can be saved.  Post about it on your blogs.  Tell those in other online communities.  Put a flyer in a visible place where people around you can see it.  Whatever you can do.

Heck, if this group right here prompts just 1 person each to donate this month, think how many lives can be saved around us!  And, how much blood can be available to those who might need it.

I say we start a movement here and get everyone we can involved in some way!  Let's see what can happen if we make a committment to do this!

[DottyG]

After years of not being able to donate blood because I weighed 90 pounds, I was excited when I gained enough weight to donate.  Then we discovered that my veins are not good for needle sticks.  For some reason, the vein wall is sucked up against the needle, blocking off blood flow.  One time when I donated at the Blood Bank, the phlebotomist scolded me for taking so long and crying.  I kept saying, "this really, really hurts."  She told me if I didn't fill the pint, they were going to throw it away.  I couldn't take the pain.  After she disconnected me, she practically pushed me out of the building without letting me grab any juice or cookies.  I guess I didn't deserve them since she threw my blood away.  It was a total waste, plus I had a big bruise and my arm was sore for days.

The next time I tried to donate blood, it was an office blood drive.  The phlebotomist had to kneel by my side and hold the needle the whole time to keep it from sucking up against the vein wall.  It took us over half an hour to fill one bag.  The blood bank asked me not to come back.  They said they can't have one phlebotomist spend that long on one donor.

Now I hate blood drives.  My coworkers look at my naked arm like I'm some kind of a slacker.  (Did I mention that I work for the Department of Health?)  Since I take NSAIDS, they can't use all my blood anyway.  Their suggestion that I not take my medication for a couple days so I can donate blood was heartless: Do they think I take these drugs for fun?  I need them to function.

I don't think much of the Blood Bank phlebotomists either - bad attitudes.  If they wonder why their donation rate is so low, maybe they should look in the mirror.

This story makes me sad.  But, more importantly, it makes me LIVID.

That's just not right at all.  MK, I'm so, so sorry you've had this experience.

[Nurvingiel]

Dottyg, I like your challenge. I don't think the mobile clinic is coming this month (sole source of volunteer time or blood donation), but when it does come, I'm there.

After years of not being able to donate blood because I weighed 90 pounds, I was excited when I gained enough weight to donate.  Then we discovered that my veins are not good for needle sticks.  For some reason, the vein wall is sucked up against the needle, blocking off blood flow.  One time when I donated at the Blood Bank, the phlebotomist scolded me for taking so long and crying.  I kept saying, "this really, really hurts."  She told me if I didn't fill the pint, they were going to throw it away.  I couldn't take the pain.  After she disconnected me, she practically pushed me out of the building without letting me grab any juice or cookies.  I guess I didn't deserve them since she threw my blood away.  It was a total waste, plus I had a big bruise and my arm was sore for days.

This makes me absolutely furious. I am seriously angry right now. 

That person has no business whatsoever being a phlebotomist (or being allowed in public), and refusing you the snack that you need to replentish your energy and blood sugar wasn't safe.

If you ever get guilted at blood drives (by phlebotomists), say, "Hilariously, I was actually told never to donate again because I take too long to fill a bag." By co-workers, silence. None of their beeswax, so they don't get an answer. Actually, phlebotomists could get silence too. I'd wear long sleeves for the duration of the blood drive. Who needs that aggravation?

Half an hour is insane. I would not go through that. Honestly had I been through what you have with blood donation, I would never, ever donate again no matter what.

I actually did have a bad experience once (the vein leaked into a muscle a swelled it up. That hurt a fair amount and I almost fainted due to, I think, loss of blood into my muscle) but I still will donate. I don't blame them for something like that. The attitudes described in your post though? Never again.

[Midnight Kitty]

Thank you, Dottyg and Nurvingiel.  Just thinking about those two incidents still brings tears to my eyes years later.

Good luck with the blood drive!  If I didn't have such an adversion to the Blood Bank people, I would volunteer to help, but I don't want to be around them.  I have a bit of a temper.  I'm usually able to control it when someone pushes me around, but if I saw them treating someone else the way they treated me, I'd lose it.

Maybe I can bake something for the donors.  They I don't have to deal with those Blood Bank people, but I can show appreciation for those who donate.

[ClaireC79]

I can't donate - had corneal graft when younger and then last year my bone marrow shut down and I ended up with 3 units of blood instead - but I've talked my hubby into donating since

[Lisbeth]

I used to donate before I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2.

I wish I could still donate-I wonder if my old donations were ever transfused into anyone.  If so, I hope they helped whoever received them.

[Nurvingiel]

Thank you, Dottyg and Nurvingiel.  Just thinking about those two incidents still brings tears to my eyes years later.

Good luck with the blood drive!  If I didn't have such an adversion to the Blood Bank people, I would volunteer to help, but I don't want to be around them.  I have a bit of a temper.  I'm usually able to control it when someone pushes me around, but if I saw them treating someone else the way they treated me, I'd lose it.

Maybe I can bake something for the donors.  They I don't have to deal with those Blood Bank people, but I can show appreciation for those who donate.

Per the bolded, the donators would really appreciate that. How thoughtful!

As for the rest, well, you've already done your bit. I don't blame you one iota for not wanting to be near a Blood Bank or its employees. Your story made me want to help those people donate blood with my fists and it didn't even happen to me. You've done your share.

[Dindrane]

Well, I have to hold off until next July.  One of the places I visited over the summer could have possibly exposed me to malaria.  I have no way of knowing for sure, but I'm pretty sure that the blood bank and any recipients would much rather wait the proscribed 12 months before I try to donate blood.  But, at least I called the local blood bank and got that information from a nurse (and didn't have to go in person to find that out).

[Merry Mrs Martin]

   I always feel bad when the school blood drive comes along they ask each child to get 3 donors , I cant donate blood due to an abscess , root canal it's not painful but there , my mother is diabetic and my father had an organ transplant ,my husband is fainty mcfaintavich  he also lived in England during mad cow,  my son felt so bad my aunt took an afternoon off work.

We strongly support the idea of donation.

Side PSA
if you want to donate organs please make your wishes known 

[cass2591]

I used to donate before I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2.

I wish I could still donate-I wonder if my old donations were ever transfused into anyone.  If so, I hope they helped whoever received them.

According to my local blood donation center, those with diabetes are eligible to donate as long as their diabetes is under control.

[M-theory]

Remember to give only to the Red Cross or your country's blood service - a hospital-run drive is gathering blood for use in their facility only, and they charge plenty for it.

Edited for clarity.

[nutraxfornerves]

Remember to give only to the Red Cross or your country's blood service - hospital drives only use the blood received at their facility, and charge plenty for it.

It completely depends. In my area, the Red Cross does not do the collecting; it's local nonprofit blood blanks. I have never heard of a hospital drive. And, yes, blood banks and the Red Cross do charge recipients (or, rather recipient hospitals which pass on the charge) for blood, to recoup the costs of collection.

In developed countries, places that pay you for blood or for blood components generally sell blood to research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. Blood used for transfusion is always donated blood.

[stargazer]

I really have no excuse not to give as BloodSource comes directly to our office a few times a year.  Except that apparently I have really tiny veins.  I tapped out about halfway through giving.  I was so bummed because (a) apparently they can't use it if they don't get a full bag and (b) I was really looking forward to learning my blood type.  

[M-theory]

Remember to give only to the Red Cross or your country's blood service - hospital drives only use the blood received at their facility, and charge plenty for it.

It completely depends. In my area, the Red Cross does not do the collecting; it's local nonprofit blood blanks. I have never heard of a hospital drive. And, yes, blood banks and the Red Cross do charge recipients (or, rather recipient hospitals which pass on the charge) for blood, to recoup the costs of collection.

In developed countries, places that pay you for blood or for blood components generally sell blood to research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. Blood used for transfusion is always donated blood.

In my home city, there are blood drives run by a local hospital. A local nonprofit blood bank isn't the same as a hospital.