I can't donate. They don't let you if you have lives overseas for more than like 6 months and I did for 6 years. I tried in HS and they turned me away.
I've had blood drawn a couple times lately from at the local hospital. Both times I've had a really polite and friendly technician, she's also very quick and doesn't leave me with a horrible bruise. In fact the last time I didn't even feel the shunt (believe that's what the larger needle is called?). So the person working there makes a big difference.Originally Posted by CarolPetunia
I understand... when I first started donating, I lived in Austin, and the organization that did it there used a tiny jab of anesthetic so the BIG needle wouldn't hurt. I got used to that, and then I moved up here where they just come at you with the big one right up front! AUGH!It took some getting used to, but I find it helps to watch while they do it. That way you know exactly what's happening and when.
I haven't literally been exposed to it.Originally Posted by CarolPetunia
Duchess, my gosh, you've been exposed to Mad Cow? Or Creuzfeld-Jakov? You're okay, though, right?
I cannot tell you all of the information you want but I did want to take this time to tell you what a great person you are. (Not just because you live in Plano, either.) You will note that I have a sole ribbon and that is for prostate cancer. I like you, gave blood as often as I possibly could (whole blood) until that time. After five years, I was allowed to start giving blood again and soon came down with melanoma. So I cannot give any blood once again but I admire highly all those that do including my DW, who knows how important it is. So I just want to tell you and everybody else reading this thatOriginally Posted by CarolPetunia
...What type of donation do you do? I've been doing whole blood donation every eight weeks like clockwork for almost thirty years. It doesn't worry me much, because nothing comes back into my body.
But last year, when they had a desperate need here for my type (A+), I went ahead and started doing "double red" donations, because that helps several more patients than a straight whole blood donation. In double red, they separate the elements of your blood and return some of them to you, along with some anticoagulant medication... and I don't like the idea of anything coming back in, because of course that opens the possibility of trouble, some kind of contamination in the anticoagulant, who knows... but I've been doing it anyway.
Now they want me to start doing platelet donation. As I understand it, that involves the return of parts of your own blood, plus the anticoagulant, plus some additional fluids of some kind -- and instead of waiting four months to become eligible to donate again, you can donate every two weeks.
Obviously, that would benefit many more patients than I can help now, and that would be great. But it would also drastically increase my exposure to potential problems, and I'm just plain scared of it.
So my questions are...
1. Does anyone have experience with blood donation, either as a donor or as a blood draw technician? I'd love to know what you think about the process and its safety.
2. If you've ever worked in a draw center or a blood lab, what is your feeling about the sterility and safety procedures involved? At the place I go to here in Plano, I often feel extremely doubtful of the very young, very cavalier technicians they hire. They're usually too involved in their personal conversations, or in the soap operas on TV, to even make eye contact with me. I'd feel a lot better if they concentrated on what they're doing, but... am I just being oversensitive?
3. Does anyone know of any cases of infection or trouble of any kind related to blood donation?
Thanks for any insight you can provide...
That's my problem. It takes them 5 minutes to get a small vial when they do a blood test on me. I've tried to donate blood a few times and they always reject me because they can't get the blood out quick enough and it probably take me hours to give a pint.Originally Posted by Bonnie1965
I have tried to donate but every time they tell me my veins are too narrow. Not sure what that means exactly.So glad you can - thank you for being a lifesaver
Eat raisins right before you go to donate, that is what I always do. And this past week, my blood even sank after they pricked my finger. They usually hafta do something else to see if my iron is ok.Originally Posted by libby74
I've been a regular donor for years; I go every 8 weeks like clock-work, altho' once or twice a year they send me home because my iron level is too low. I take iron tablets, and they don't really seem to help much. Besides raisins, sunflower kernels are supposed to be high in iron. The only thing that really seems to help my iron is to eat beef for a few days before I donate.