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

[DottyG]

Way to go Nika!  (Well, not for getting sick, that is.  But for both having good iron levels and being able to donate.)  You totally rock today!!!

(And I'm still trying to figure out the changed word there!  The one I'm thinking of (that's usually replaced by the wingadingdingy word) doesn't fit the context.)

[Nika]

Turns out more than one word gets turned into wingadingdingy. The rhyming one beginning with 'pr' does too.  Learn something new every day!

Also, I just remembered something a little odd about my donation yesterday. When they asked my weight, I told them 120lbs. Then she said she has to check when people say 120 and she had me weigh myself there. I was really thrown off and didn't think to ask why she had to check my weight. Anyone know why?

[DottyG]

Probably because it is so close to the minimum.  http://communityservice.wustl.edu/bd/docs/Height%20and%20Weight%20Requirements.pdf

[Winterlight]

Just offloaded another pint at the blood drive!

Also posted a reminder on Facebook.

[DottyG]

YAY!

[Outdoor Girl]

3 of my coworkers are donating as I type.

[DottyG]

Triple YAY!!!

[Lynnv]

Also, I just remembered something a little odd about my donation yesterday. When they asked my weight, I told them 120lbs. Then she said she has to check when people say 120 and she had me weigh myself there. I was really thrown off and didn't think to ask why she had to check my weight. Anyone know why?

My center weighs me every time I donate.  Not sure why-but they do.

I forgot to post, but donated twice last month.  And again today.  I am running a little slow with job hunting and all, but am trying to get in about every other week or so.

[faithlessone]

The talk of weight requirements reminded me that I never reported back!

In January, I tried to donate, and the nurse said (at 5'4 and 118lbs) that I was too light to donate, so they wouldn't let me. I emailed the UK Blood Service and asked if this was an actual legal requirement. Well, apparently, the nurse got it wrong.

In the UK, if you're a female, between the ages of 17 and 20, you need to weigh a certain amount (in relation to your height) in order to be eligible to donate. For my height I had to be at least 121lbs. However, after your 20th birthday, this stops being a requirement, and starts being more of a personal guideline (I'm not sure why - the email didn't explain). As I was 23 at the time, obviously the nurse was misinformed.

However, they do suggest that women who fall below the line don't donate unless they are sure they don't have adverse reactions. I did get dizzy after donations, even when I was well within the weight limits, so I guess I'm out, especially as I'm now only 115lbs.

Keep up the good fight, people! I'm going to carry on supporting the cause and urging other people to donate, but I think my blood is staying where it is.

[DottyG]

I'm going to carry on supporting the cause and urging other people to donate

faithlessone, I'd say you're a pretty darn major superstar even if your blood is staying where it is!  The fact that you're doing the above is HUGE!
 
 
 

[JoW]

faithlessone - Do they have "platelets only" donations in the UK?  You might be able to donate platelets.  It takes longer, but it helps a lot of people.

Now - the reason for the minimum weight -
A human is 8% blood by weight.  A pint of blood weighs a pound or maybe a little more.  In the US the minimum weight is 120 lbs.  A person who weighs 120 lbs has less than 10 pints of blood.  Taking one can make a serious shortage, so they can pass out.  A 200 lb person has 16 pints, loosing one has much less impact. 

I can't donate platelets.  I live on aspirin, and aspirin destroys platelets.  I do whole blood every 8-10 weeks.  I'm eligible again, I think its July 6.  My fat cat has to go to the vet for a weight check that afternoon and I'm not going to try to haul him - 25 lbs of cat + 5 lbs of cage - after a blood donation.  I'll try to get in the following week. 

[faithlessone]

faithlessone - Do they have "platelets only" donations in the UK?  You might be able to donate platelets.  It takes longer, but it helps a lot of people.

I just checked that out - apparently the UK does do platelet-only donations, but they have same weight requirements as the normal blood donations, so I might not be eligible. I will look into it though.

[nutraxfornerves]

I donated Tuesday.

Apropos of weight requirements, the person across from me was a first-time donor, a small woman. The minimum in my blood bank is 110 lbs (50 kg). If you weigh less than 120, they take what they call a "light" donation. I think it's 400 ml instead of 450 ml. Anyway, the nurse has placed a big yellow sticky that said "light" on the scale next to the donor.

There weren't other people  waiting, so the nurse was taking her time to explain every single step and exclaiming every so often "you are doing really well! Just another couple of minutes!"  It actually took her about 10 minutes. The nurse even took the time to explain the ABO system and to give examples of how blood is used.

Me--I set a personal best of 4:45 minutes from the minute the needle went in until the nurse stopped it. I also got a coupon for a free sandwich from a local chain and, because I made my next appointment on the spot, was entered into a drawing for two tickets to a performance at a local theater.

[Just Lori]

I tried to donate last week, but my hemoglobin was again low.  Because this was the second time in three or four donation tries, I decided to ask my doctor to recheck it.  Without going into details, a few things came back wonky in my bloodwork.  I'm waiting to see a hematologist next week.

Regardless of what comes out ot this, I have to thank this thread for keeping me on a schedule for donating blood and bringing this to my attention.  I'm hoping it's nothing and I can go back to my donation schedule soon.

[GreenEyedHawk]

I donated yesterday.  At our local donation centre, you check in, read the info pamphlet, go to the first station, which is the finger stick and iron test.  Then you fill out the first half of the questionnaire, put the card with your name on it (first name, last initial) in a little box.  Nurses at screening stations pull cards out of the box and you go into a little private booth, where they check your temperature, BP and pulse, as well as checking your arms for lesions that indicate you might be an IV drug user.  Then they read you the second half of the questionnaire and fill it in for you.

The nurse I got this time around for the booth screening section was a guy named Will, who was so enthusiastic it was like being on a game show.  When I was done the questionnaire, I half expected to win money, or a trip to Cancun, or perhaps a new car LOL.  It's all right though, I liked his enthusiasm.