MacRumors 2012 Blood Drive!

[Timelordprime]

Add my April 26 platelet donation

Two Units of platelets on April 26. Hope to donate two more units on May 10th, and two more May 24th.

 

[dmk1974]

Two Units of platelets on April 26. Hope to donate two more units on May 10th, and two more May 24th.

Very cool! Do you know what machine you collected on? i.e., Amicus, Spectra, Optia?

 

[rainbowdementia]

I plan on donating every 56 days (or as close to it as I can manage) for the rest of my life. My 2nd donation will be on the 13th of this month. I have no idea how much I donated my first time because... I passed out, but I know it was enough for them to use, I was reassured of that, haha.

I've always been wary of needles, and said I'd never donate, and then I gave birth to a baby with a rare blood disorder, so now I donate as much as I can to say thanks, and give back.

 

[sparkyodom2005]

Blood!!!

Today makes 2 and a half gallons donated! Keep my American Red Cross 1 and 2 gallon pins on my bookbag.

 

[josueg942]

Donated a pint of blood for the 5th time in my life at an America Red Cross blood drive at my high school yesterday! Afterwards had Mock Trial and played 4 innings of baseball against our rival high school. Felt very rewarding

 

[anjinha]

I plan on donating every 56 days (or as close to it as I can manage) for the rest of my life. My 2nd donation will be on the 13th of this month. I have no idea how much I donated my first time because... I passed out, but I know it was enough for them to use, I was reassured of that, haha.

I've always been wary of needles, and said I'd never donate, and then I gave birth to a baby with a rare blood disorder, so now I donate as much as I can to say thanks, and give back.

That's really nice.

Did you pass out because of your issue with needles or some other reason? Sometimes I pass out because my blood pressure is very low.

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I didn't get a card, but I got free cookies for donating one unit of whole blood. And think about it - how often does a medical professional tell you to eat cookies?

My blood pressure is really low so they usually give me extra cookies to eat after donating. Yay for me!


Does anyone the details on the restrictions related to having been outside of the UK? I only moved here in November, and I've been outside of the country every month since then, visiting family in Portugal and Amsterdam.

 

[Shaun.P]

Donated my one unit of blood today.

Well done to everyone else who has donated already - especially the guy who got his gold award (for 50 donations) while I was there.

Donated 3 units of platelets tonight!

If you are counting donations before May 1st, but for 2012, count me in for 14 units of platelets, 2 of plasma, and 1 whole blood.

Next time will be 50 donations

-patrick

P.S. Yes, they put the wrap on WAAYYYY too tight.

Today makes 2 and a half gallons donated! Keep my American Red Cross 1 and 2 gallon pins on my bookbag.

Donated a pint of blood for the 5th time in my life at an America Red Cross blood drive at my high school yesterday! Afterwards had Mock Trial and played 4 innings of baseball against our rival high school. Felt very rewarding

Excellent! I've added your contributions to the Honour Roll!

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Two Units of platelets on April 26. Hope to donate two more units on May 10th, and two more May 24th.

In Oz, Plasma can be donated every fortnight and Platelets monthly.
Put me down for a double tap of Platelets and a single of Plasma in very late April - in my usual time of ~88 minutes.
Next appointment booked for May 21st.
Congrats to all and keep spreading the word.

Post your contributions made in May and I'll add you to the Honour Roll .

Do you both do this fairly regularly?

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I donated for years in the UK - blood, then platelets, then blood again, with over 200 donations on record but my working life became somewhat nomadic a couple of years ago making it difficult to get to sessions, so I've not donated since.

The blood drive is a great idea and it has prompted me to sort out getting back on the donor list and into a donor centre. Thanks!

That is amazing news that MacRumors encouraged you to donate blood. Make sure you post a picture of your arm .

 

[rainbowdementia]

That's really nice.

Did you pass out because of your issue with needles or some other reason? Sometimes I pass out because my blood pressure is very low.

I started getting nervous. My blood wasn't coming out fast enough (maybe it was a blood pressure problem, but I've never been told mine is low), and they were messing with the IV site and.. yeah, I started getting freaked out. Plus, whenever I have "a lot" of blood drawn (I've passed out and thrown up over 5 vials being drawn), I get dizzy and warm.

 

[Alaerian]

Plus, whenever I have "a lot" of blood drawn (I've passed out and thrown up over 5 vials being drawn), I get dizzy and warm.

There's really no reason to pass out over 5 vials of blood. It's less than 1 fluid ounce of blood, just over 1 tablespoon. It's purely mental.

I have OB and cancer patients every day that we draw multiple sendout tests for. Many of these patients have 8 or 9 tubes drawn - full tubes, not short draws. Even in those patients, we're talking just over a fluid ounce - 2 tablespoons of blood.

There really is no physical reason to pass out. It's a mental thing only.

 

[anjinha]

There's really no reason to pass out over 5 vials of blood. It's less than 1 fluid ounce of blood, just over 1 tablespoon. It's purely mental.

I have OB and cancer patients every day that we draw multiple sendout tests for. Many of these patients have 8 or 9 tubes drawn - full tubes, not short draws. Even in those patients, we're talking just over a fluid ounce - 2 tablespoons of blood.

There really is no physical reason to pass out. It's a mental thing only.

What if someone has low blood pressure? I have absolutely no problem with needles and I donate blood regularly and I always have dizzy spells during most of the day after donating and once almost passed out. It wasn't during or right after donating so I doubt it's a mental thing.

 

[rainbowdementia]

There's really no reason to pass out over 5 vials of blood. It's less than 1 fluid ounce of blood, just over 1 tablespoon. It's purely mental.

I have OB and cancer patients every day that we draw multiple sendout tests for. Many of these patients have 8 or 9 tubes drawn - full tubes, not short draws. Even in those patients, we're talking just over a fluid ounce - 2 tablespoons of blood.

There really is no physical reason to pass out. It's a mental thing only.

I was pregnant and severely ill when it happened, so that is probably why. I wouldn't be surprised if it's mental, now, but that one time, I was pretty bad off.

 

[Alaerian]

Pregnant and ill or not, it's just a mental thing.

Also, there is a fairly large difference between donating blood and having blood drawn for lab work. A large amount of blood is taken with donation - not so much with lab work. There's a reason volunteers make you eat after donation.

 

[lewis82]

Pregnant and ill or not, it's just a mental thing.

Also, there is a fairly large difference between donating blood and having blood drawn for lab work. A large amount of blood is taken with donation - not so much with lab work. There's a reason volunteers make you eat after donation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response

Be sure to read the "causes" section correctly

 

[Alaerian]

I'm aware of that. However, people assume that they pass out because they are losing "so much blood." It's a negligible amount.

In any case, I cannot donate blood. Thanks to those of you who do.

 

[lewis82]

It's a mental thing. It has nothing to do with a lack of blood. Nice try, there.

Holy ****ing ****, now you are getting me mad. Have you even read the article? Sure, it's not about the lack of blood, but the vasovagal syncope is NOT psychological. It's a malfunction of the vagus nerve, which is different from being "psychologically weak".

I've had this since I was young. I'm not afraid of blood, and I can tolerate it in small amounts. But to think about/see large quantities of blood, or to have a deep cut which bleeds seriously will inevitably make me pass out. There's nothing I can do, I am aware that it is ridiculous and that blood should not make me faint but I can't control it. Wanna know how I feel whenever I'm about to have a syncope?

First I feel my jugular veins dilate. Then I begin to feel slightly lightheaded. And after that comes the actual drop in blood pressure, accompanied with heavy sweating, fainting (or not, sometimes I just lose sight but can still hear and talk) and general weakness which lasts for at least half an hour after. Oh, and the shame, when it happens in public.

Edit: I see you have edited your post. All right, sorry for the knee-jerk response. But you know, after all these years, I got told so many times that I'm weak for being "afraid of blood" that I take it very seriously

 

[Shaun.P]

One week into the blood drive and so far so good!

Is anyone on the fence about donating?!

 

[erzeszut]

Donated a pint of whole blood today!!

 

[mjw11]

Gave Blood!

Gave blood yesterday! I'm A+

 

[spillproof]

Another year as gone past. And so have 5 more donations. Here is my 21st whole blood donation with my family. Two O-s and an AB+.



I think the MR blood drive is a great thing. Even if we inspire one person to donate, that one pint has the ability to save three people!

 

[Shaun.P]

Gave blood yesterday! I'm A+

Donated a pint of whole blood today!!

Image

Another year as gone past. And so have 5 more donations. Here is my 21st whole blood donation with my family. Two O-s and an AB+.

View attachment 339076

I think the MR blood drive is a great thing. Even if we inspire one person to donate, that one pint has the ability to save three people!

Thank you all for your donations and posting photographs!

Spillproof I have counted you donation as 3 units!!!

 

[Timelordprime]

Very cool! Do you know what machine you collected on? i.e., Amicus, Spectra, Optia?

At the CBS Toronto clinic, we use five Trima accels, and three MCS machines. I give doubles (60ml) on the Trimas (when donating a double a total of about 100 ml of blood product is extracted). The "old" machines from the late 1980s were the Spectra machines which could only extract 30 ml of platelets.

 

[Timelordprime]

Made 207th donation today

Donation 207 today. Donated a platelet double (60 ml). I regularly do this up to 24 times a year. Paying it forward.

 

[MasterHowl]

I did my bit today Second time giving blood! (I'm 19)

When my sister was younger, she had a massive haemorrhage from her mouth and almost died... she was given blood which saved her life, so I feel like I should give a bit back.

 

[iJohnHenry]

I did my bit today Second time giving blood! (I'm 19)

When my sister was younger, she had a massive hemorrhage from her mouth and almost died ... she was given blood which saved her life, so I feel like I should give a bit back.

Excellent motivation.

And is that a needle, or a straw??

 

[MasterHowl]

Excellent motivation.

And is that a needle, or a straw??

I know right?! I wish I hadn't looked when she was about to put it in! I swear it wasn't that thick last time