ShaunPriest said:Do you mean 18th May? Post a picture from this donation and we'll add you to the list.
I meant I donated on 18 March and will donate again on 13 MAY. My bad :/
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MacRumors 2010 Blood Drive!
- Thread starter Doctor Q
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I meant I donated on 18 March and will donate again on 13 MAY. My bad :/
Some blood donation tidbits
I've donated several gallons of blood over the years. Here are some (hopefully) interesting tidbits.
When you donate blood, your blood is tested in a number of ways. First, of course, it's tested to be sure it's safe to give to someone else, but they also test for other characteristics beyond the common A/B/O/AB + or - types. For example, there us a type of virus -- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) -- that most people already have and have antibodies for, but those of us who are CMV negative have blood that's particularly suited for premature babies, which is very cool. Your CMV status can change at any time, and they test each time anyway.
They also classify your blood based on the presence or absence of various antigens (you'll have to look that one up yourself), which helps them match you to specific patients. It's a very nice feeling to get a phone call because there's a cancer patient (who they only identify by gender and age) who will get an extra chance at survival because they can tolerate your specific blood.
While giving whole blood is quick and absolutely valuable, consider making a specialized donation, such as platelets (typoed as "pallets" earlier in the forum). It requires specialized equipment that takes your blood, separates out the desired material, and puts the rest back, and takes quite a while longer, but they get several times as much useful material. Even better, for platelets at least, you can donate again much more quickly -- as soon as 3 days later, I think.
Be aware that where you travel can affect your ability to donate due to the risk of malaria, for which they have no reliable test. I was in the Dominican Republic for less than 10 hours last October on a cruise ship stop and, to my dismay, I learned that as a result I can't donate until a year has elapsed. Your blood center will have the details.
Finally, the colorful, thick bandages you see in some of the pictures are actually a kind of tape that only sticks to itself, which is one of the greatest inventions of all time for those of us with hairy arms!
Please donate!! It's absolutely safe and helps in so many ways. Thanks.
I've donated several gallons of blood over the years. Here are some (hopefully) interesting tidbits.
When you donate blood, your blood is tested in a number of ways. First, of course, it's tested to be sure it's safe to give to someone else, but they also test for other characteristics beyond the common A/B/O/AB + or - types. For example, there us a type of virus -- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) -- that most people already have and have antibodies for, but those of us who are CMV negative have blood that's particularly suited for premature babies, which is very cool. Your CMV status can change at any time, and they test each time anyway.
They also classify your blood based on the presence or absence of various antigens (you'll have to look that one up yourself), which helps them match you to specific patients. It's a very nice feeling to get a phone call because there's a cancer patient (who they only identify by gender and age) who will get an extra chance at survival because they can tolerate your specific blood.
While giving whole blood is quick and absolutely valuable, consider making a specialized donation, such as platelets (typoed as "pallets" earlier in the forum). It requires specialized equipment that takes your blood, separates out the desired material, and puts the rest back, and takes quite a while longer, but they get several times as much useful material. Even better, for platelets at least, you can donate again much more quickly -- as soon as 3 days later, I think.
Be aware that where you travel can affect your ability to donate due to the risk of malaria, for which they have no reliable test. I was in the Dominican Republic for less than 10 hours last October on a cruise ship stop and, to my dismay, I learned that as a result I can't donate until a year has elapsed.
Your blood center will have the details.Finally, the colorful, thick bandages you see in some of the pictures are actually a kind of tape that only sticks to itself, which is one of the greatest inventions of all time for those of us with hairy arms!
Please donate!! It's absolutely safe and helps in so many ways. Thanks.
Donated on May 3
Double unit of blood platelets. First time in about 6 months.
Giving blood is selfless and for healthy people the biggest sacrifice is your time (platelets takes longer via the apheresis process). Eligible donors need to give--you or a loved one will directly benefit one day!
Cheers to the awareness effort.
Double unit of blood platelets. First time in about 6 months.
Giving blood is selfless and for healthy people the biggest sacrifice is your time (platelets takes longer via the apheresis process). Eligible donors need to give--you or a loved one will directly benefit one day!
Cheers to the awareness effort.
A lot of the regular blood you donate is turned into platelets, it is separated, along with plasma and cryoprecipitate. Just depends on inventory. When people talk of getting blood at a hospital, it is usually pRBCs or packed red blood cells. Some preservative, with a little plasma left. Rest is separated.
When people are donating strictly platelets, it is an apheresis unit. Take 1-2 hours. When hospitals need platelets for a patient, usually it is one apheresis unit or a mixture of 4-10 of the before mentioned spun off platelets from each donation that is mixed together.
Most I have seen is a someone tore their thoracic aorta after a motor vehicle accident. During my shift, they received 60-80 units of blood, 8 apheresis units and 40 units of plasma. Plus 4 units of cryoprecipitate.
I used to work for a blood bank before school, so any questions feel free.
I donated on Monday, about 12:30 PDT. I no longer have the wrap on, but I do still have a visible needle entry. It was my 9th pint via Puget Sound Blood Centers, and around my 19th or 20th overall. I don't have solid figures, because I've donated to the Red Cross in different area, but have found out that their different regional offices don't share information.
Pints
9 - Puget Sound Blood Centers
4 - Red Cross - Portland, OR
1 - Red Cross - Detroit, MI
5 or 6 - Red Cross - Flint, MI
TEG
Pints
9 - Puget Sound Blood Centers
4 - Red Cross - Portland, OR
1 - Red Cross - Detroit, MI
5 or 6 - Red Cross - Flint, MI
TEG
Regular Platelets Donor
This effort encouraged me to sign up for the forums! I try to donate my platelets every two weeks. If you have never donated before, you will have to start with whole blood so they can determine if you are eligible to donate other blood products. Platelet donation is very simple process, but takes somewhat longer than a normal blood donation. One of the benefits is that they let you watch a movie during your donation, so bring an iPad! You can choose to read, watch tv, or whatever else you can figure out while sitting in one place for an hour.
Donation frequency information from Red Cross. You are eligible to donate the following blood products at the times specified.
Blood (whole blood) Every 56 days
Platelets Every 7 days, up to 24 times / year
Plasma Every 28 days, up to 13 times / year
Double Red Cells Every 112 days, up to 3 times / year
Good for you for reading through this thread, you're are either a selfless person who donates/or supports donations, or are considering donating for the first time!! Cheers!
This effort encouraged me to sign up for the forums! I try to donate my platelets every two weeks. If you have never donated before, you will have to start with whole blood so they can determine if you are eligible to donate other blood products. Platelet donation is very simple process, but takes somewhat longer than a normal blood donation. One of the benefits is that they let you watch a movie during your donation, so bring an iPad! You can choose to read, watch tv, or whatever else you can figure out while sitting in one place for an hour.
Donation frequency information from Red Cross. You are eligible to donate the following blood products at the times specified.
Blood (whole blood) Every 56 days
Platelets Every 7 days, up to 24 times / year
Plasma Every 28 days, up to 13 times / year
Double Red Cells Every 112 days, up to 3 times / year
Good for you for reading through this thread, you're are either a selfless person who donates/or supports donations, or are considering donating for the first time!! Cheers!
Wish i could, but can't
The law continues to discriminate against the gay and lesbian community and refuses to lift the ban on gay & lesbian blood donations, based solely on a person's sexual orientation.
Could I lie about myself and donate blood? Certainly.
Will I? Absolutely not.
In these times of shortage, it's the FDA with blood on their hands, not me.
The law continues to discriminate against the gay and lesbian community and refuses to lift the ban on gay & lesbian blood donations, based solely on a person's sexual orientation.
Could I lie about myself and donate blood? Certainly.
Will I? Absolutely not.
In these times of shortage, it's the FDA with blood on their hands, not me.
I'll be donating here in the UK on 10th June, might even have myself an iPad by then to help wile away the time
Alec
Alec
Hi! I have a couple of extra links you might want to add to your post, so they would be viewable at the beginning of the thread.
http://www.veripalvelu.fi/ Finnish Red Cross Blood Service
http://www.geblod.nu/ Swedish Blood Centers
Oh, and I donated a couple of weeks ago, but I will be doing so again in mid-June!
Thanks for the great thread....
....it got me off my arse and out to donate.
Not my first time donating, but my first time almost passing out! After filling the bag, I walked out to the snack area, grabbed some raisins and water, started turning green, dizzy, nauseous, weak, hot, and sweaty. Big thanks to the team at the donation center - they got me into a reclined position with cold packs all over me just before I almost lost my vision. Hung out for about an hour and a half before I was good to drive.
What a buzzz!
....it got me off my arse and out to donate.
Not my first time donating, but my first time almost passing out! After filling the bag, I walked out to the snack area, grabbed some raisins and water, started turning green, dizzy, nauseous, weak, hot, and sweaty. Big thanks to the team at the donation center - they got me into a reclined position with cold packs all over me just before I almost lost my vision. Hung out for about an hour and a half before I was good to drive.
What a buzzz!
Attachments
Thanks. We started with links only for English-speaking countries but would be glad to add others.
Thank you! Doctor Q has added the additional links to my original post!
Congratulations and thank you for your donation. I have added you to the honour roll. It is good to know the Blood Drive encouraged you to give blood. Was it today you donated?
I hope you feel better! I felt a tired/drained after coming home this evening. I took a nap for an hour and a half and feel a lot better.
Actually, it just happens that I donated because they came to my island. I just figured I share since we were doing this.
TEG
Major props to all the MacRumors members who have donated blood!
I lived in the UK from 1991 to 1998, and therefore I cannot donate due to the potential of Mad Cow disease. However, I understand that my blood is valuable (I'm type O negative). Does anyone know of any way to get checked to see if you are a carrier of Mad Cow disease? I would gladly opt into a test if it meant I could donate blood.
I lived in the UK from 1991 to 1998, and therefore I cannot donate due to the potential of Mad Cow disease. However, I understand that my blood is valuable (I'm type O negative). Does anyone know of any way to get checked to see if you are a carrier of Mad Cow disease? I would gladly opt into a test if it meant I could donate blood.
I've given blood about 5 times since I turned sixteen (now 18), and had to wait a year due to the fact that I went to Haiti for a missions trip and they won't let you give for a year if you go to a foreign country. I gave about a month ago, so I'll give as soon as I am able to again. This is awesome btw.
Called up and made the appointment to give blood after reading the forum this morning. Even setup a reoccurring reminder in my calendar so I won't forget in the future.
Feeling better already - nap, dinner and a quick ride on my skate board got me back in shape!
Peace.
I'd love to know the answer to this question as well. Although I didn't live as long in England, I'm not allowed to donate blood for the same reason. The irony is that my wife and I were starving students back then and couldn't afford meat (this is when we were introduced to quorn).
Tapped today!
What an awesome idea!
I gave whole blood on April 16 and after checking the "rules" about giving again at their donor site, I noticed that I was eligible to donate platelets only two weeks later. So, today, I gave platelets (sorry, no photo...didn't see this article until just now, but I'll be back there again in two weeks...appointment already made)....and hopefully every two weeks after that.
Today's platelet donation marks my 51st overall donation with Inova Hospital (this doesn't include several other donations I have made with the Red Cross over the years). What made it even better is that I was there with 3G iPad in tow, showing it off to the staff and other donors, while I gave.
Keep up the great work!
mike
What an awesome idea!
I gave whole blood on April 16 and after checking the "rules" about giving again at their donor site, I noticed that I was eligible to donate platelets only two weeks later. So, today, I gave platelets (sorry, no photo...didn't see this article until just now, but I'll be back there again in two weeks...appointment already made)....and hopefully every two weeks after that.
Today's platelet donation marks my 51st overall donation with Inova Hospital (this doesn't include several other donations I have made with the Red Cross over the years). What made it even better is that I was there with 3G iPad in tow, showing it off to the staff and other donors, while I gave.
Keep up the great work!
mike
Great cause!
Blood is always needed and it's really an opportunity to help someone survive. Personally I have been giving blood for ten years by now (last time was 23 march) and I've convinced my staff to become blood donors as well. But since this is a really great cause we decided to at least link to this campaign and encourage our customers to join this campaign in the spirit of humanity and good will, and we encourage other companies to do the same.
Best Regards
Anders, CEO
Brattoo Propaganda Software
P.S. This is not meant as an advertisement and therefor we do not provide an URL to our site.
Blood is always needed and it's really an opportunity to help someone survive. Personally I have been giving blood for ten years by now (last time was 23 march) and I've convinced my staff to become blood donors as well. But since this is a really great cause we decided to at least link to this campaign and encourage our customers to join this campaign in the spirit of humanity and good will, and we encourage other companies to do the same.
Best Regards
Anders, CEO
Brattoo Propaganda Software
P.S. This is not meant as an advertisement and therefor we do not provide an URL to our site.