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Blood Donation

Do you donate blood?

  • Yes

    Votes: 67 44.7%

  • No

    Votes: 83 55.3%
  • Total voters
    150
Status
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rtharper said:
I can't speak for the other men that are not competely heterosexual, but being dubbed a "high risk group" is slightly offensive, given that the promiscuity of someone isn't a function of their sexuality...
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I think she probably meant high-risk as in that's how it's worded in the forms you fill in when you give blood. I for one think it's completely bloody ridiculous that they do this, (and I know a lot of other people do too). I really don't get how a gay man who has monogamous safe sex with his partner is a higher risk than some random straight girl or guy who's been getting it on all over town without a condom. I thought it was ridiculous when I first went to give blood as a fresh-faced 18 year old, and I still think it is now.

Edit: Just realised I wrote a freakishly identical post on the first page of this thread a few months ago. Spooky (or I'm horribly predictable).
 
Yes, they are probably turning away eligible donors by not being specific enough about the real risks, and instead using generalizations. It's already a bit awkward that they need to know so much personal information from donors, but it's obviously necessary for them to avoid blood supply risks.

I triggered some extra questions when I checked the "have been out of the country" box, for example. They needed to know where I went and even which cities, so they could look up risk factors in some kind of booklet they keep about safe and risky parts of the world.

I suppose there are diseases that they can screen the blood for, and diseases that they can't screen for. Perhaps there are some they could screen for that would be prohibitively expensive to do routinely. I'm sure they use the interview screening to try to hit the right balance between accepting as many donor as possible and avoiding all risk.
 
Doctor Q said:
I triggered some extra questions when I checked the "have been out of the country" box, for example. They needed to know where I went and even which cities, so they could look up risk factors in some kind of booklet they keep about safe and risky parts of the world.
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Yeah, being a globetrotter, I always allow for a few extra minutes in my interview with the nurse to run through the long list of places I've been overseas. :D I'm quite surprised I haven't been kicked out from the clinic yet, but that might change after a I go to Africa in a few years. ;) :cool:
 
I can't, i have raynaud's sydrome, thus it's not advisable for me to give blood as without ample pressure I get blockages and my extremities could fall off :S, it's why i'm so pale, which I have no complaints about. it's also why i cant smoke, not that I would, or drink coffee.
 
MBHockey said:
AB- here too! Wonder how rare it is?
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Here's percentages for the U.S. and Canada. I guess "Canadian" is a race!
 

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Doctor Q said:
Here's percentages for the U.S. and Canada. I guess "Canadian" is a race!
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You learn something new every day! :D ;)

I am the most common, being O+, but that also makes me a universal donor, so that's all good too. :cool:
 
rtharper said:
Do they mean native Canadians perhaps? Inuits?
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Um, there's slighty more native Canadian cultures than the Iniut. How about the Wakashan, Haidian, Athapaskan, Kootenaian, Algonquian, Siouian and Iroquoian for starters? :p :cool:
 
~Shard~ said:
Um, there's slighty more native Canadian cultures than the Iniut. How about the Wakashan, Haidian, Athapaskan, Kootenaian, Algonquian, Siouian and Iroquoian for starters? :p :cool:
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Yeah, I meant them, too...:confused:
 
~Shard~ said:
I am the most common, being O+, but that also makes me a universal donor, so that's all good too. :cool:
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I'm O+ too, but O- is the real universal donor. Shame on you and me for having the antigen for the Rh factor, which keeps us from donating to Rh- recipients (those without the antigen).

In fact, there's probably a particular Rh- hospital patient in Regina who is failing and it's all your fault! And he or she was going to be the next great technology innovator, if only you had given him or her that chance! :eek: ;)
 
Doctor Q said:
I'm O+ too, but O- is the real universal donor. Shame on you and me for having the antigen for the Rh factor, which keeps us from donating to Rh- recipients (those without the antigen).

In fact, there's probably a particular Rh- hospital patient in Regina who is failing and it's all your fault! And he or she was going to be the next great technology innovator, if only you had given him or her that chance! :eek: ;)
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You are right, I am a horrible person. Excuse me while I go slit my wrists. :(

P.S. Since we have the same blood type, can I borrow some of your O+ goodness once they take me into the hospital after my failed suicide attempt? Pretty please?
 
~Shard~ said:
Since we have the same blood type, can I borrow some of your O+ goodness once they take me into the hospital after my failed suicide attempt? Pretty please?
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Sure, why not? Wanna trade retinal cones while we're at it?
 
I can't since...as they put it...I'm a man who has had sex with a man sometime after 1979.

But I would love to- I think I'd go all the time. It helps other people, and it helps yourself.

Just thought I'd bump this to remind people to give blood!
 
I would, but I'm anemic as it is with very low blood pressure. When the doctor takes blood just as a test I get a little dizzy. I can't imagine a couple pints. :p
 
I give blood whenever I can. Not only do you get the 'warm fuzzy' feeling of doing something that might save a life, but it's also good for your health. Blood-letting means lower iron levels in your body. :)
 
welshandrew said:
Blood-letting means lower iron levels in your body. :)
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That's only a good thing if you've got too much in the first place. :p
 
The medical facility called me and canceled my donation appointment, which I had set up for a convenient day. Turns out they are using the donor facilities for "training" that day. I had to reschedule for a few days later, a less convenient time, but I guess they have to train the staff sometime, and we're all better off if they get their lessons!

Celebrity trivia

Actress Katherine Heigl, who plays Dr. Stevens on Grey's Anatomy, lost one of her older brothers in a 1986 car accident, when he was a teenager. It was very traumatic for her, including understanding her parents' decision to donate his organs. She later realized how important it was and that it even helped her parents cope with the loss. His heart and kidneys saved three people's lives and his corneas allowed two other people to see.

When she had to deal with Grey's Anatomy episodes about a brain-dead accident victim and a man who died after waiting for a heart transplant (who her character fell in love with), she decided to deal with it by speaking out about the importance of organ donation.

Here is her web page about it from a few years ago. She is still a spokesperson for Donate Life America.
 
welshandrew said:
I give blood whenever I can. Not only do you get the 'warm fuzzy' feeling of doing something that might save a life, but it's also good for your health. Blood-letting means lower iron levels in your body. :)
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I was shocked one time when I heard the nurses talking about how they would dispose of blood taken from a man next to me. What? Throwing out blood after a donation? Then I learned that he wasn't donating to the blood bank. He was being phlebotomized for hemochromatosis -- having blood removed to avoid iron overload -- aren't those great spelling words? The process is the same as for donors, except that they throw the stuff out after all that trouble!
 
I donated blood today, on Halloween, and it seemed totally appropriate. The donor area at the center I went to had lots of spooky decorations, although conspicuously no vampires. It was a little odd being attended to by a nurse wearing animal ears.
 
Doctor Q said:
I was shocked one time when I heard the nurses talking about how they would dispose of blood taken from a man next to me. What? Throwing out blood after a donation? Then I learned that he wasn't donating to the blood bank. He was being phlebotomized for hemochromatosis -- having blood removed to avoid iron overload -- aren't those great spelling words? The process is the same as for donors, except that they throw the stuff out after all that trouble!
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Sometimes they can use that blood. He may have another condition that precludes it.

He should just go to the bait shop for the home remedy.

Giving blood is good. I once got 3 pints.
 
The last time I donated, I nearly passed out -- so I decided that I was not a good candidate for this kind of charity. But as someone who recently required five units of blood, I sincerely thank those who do the deed.
 
Doctor Q said:
I'm O+ too, but O- is the real universal donor. Shame on you and me for having the antigen for the Rh factor, which keeps us from donating to Rh- recipients (those without the antigen).
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O+ red blood cells can be safely given to Rh-negative males and Rh-negative females beyond child bearing age. This is often done during bleeding emergencies when the recipient's blood type is unknown. O+ RBCs are probably used in more major traumas than O- RBCs.
 
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