MacRumors 2025 Blood Drive!

[m53rd]

I donated yesterday after a little extra hiatus prescribed by my doctor because of low iron. I think I’ll talk to her about increasing the gendered iron pills (they literally have stats about women on the bottle!) because I was still barely qualified.

Because we’ve talked about it in this thread, I wanted to mention that I did also experience some anxiety this time around. I think three things were involved: I didn’t bike there (so I didn’t have my usual calming activity), I was tired (so less apt to banter with the person drawing my blood), and the phlebotomist didn’t volunteer as many positive updates as the donation progressed. I was able to keep the anxiety to a dull roar and complete the donation, but this is a good reminder to always lean on my supports. Just as I quickly get motion sickness without the iPhone motion dots, it’s easy for me to psych myself out if I don’t do what’s in my power to keep myself at a good baseline.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my talk. I’ll be back in 2026!

 

[hallux]

Conversely, I'm disappointed when the donors seem scarce on a given day.

Sadly, this is often the case when I donate. I go on Saturdays at the local donation center, just before noon (then treat myself with a sub from DiBella's on the way home), but it seems it's not too busy for them. This time there was another person donating at the same time as me, but there's usually not a line for whole blood donations. The double reds, or whatever they have lined up along the windows, is usually full though.

 

[m53rd]

The times I've gone to the blood center here, it seems to always have more capacity than donors. I table for a kidney donation organization, and I asked about bringing the booth to the center. They basically told me not to waste my time there - the blood drives are what get busy. I personally like the calm that a somewhat empty center brings. My autism appreciates the lower sensory input, and I also figure I get more personal attention that way.

For both organ and blood donation, the more we talk about it, the more it becomes a normal thing that people do. Hopefully it becomes a little less scary and folks feel they have someone they can turn to with questions.

 

[Timelordprime]

Donation 485
Saturday, 17 January 2026
Canadian Blood Services Toronto HQ
2 units of platelets
1 unit of plasma

Had four months of medical deferments for minor issues. All better now.

 

[Doctor Q]

U.S. blood shortage

There's currently a shortage of donated blood in the U.S. The severe and widespread winter storms have left many people confined to their homes or otherwise unable to go to blood donation centers.

As a result, it's especially important for blood, platelet, and plasma donors who can get to a donation center to do so.

 

[m53rd]

Looking forward to my February appointment!

 

[hallux]

@Doctor Q I donated today! Took my usual 5-6 minutes once I was hooked up, but they took me in close to 20 minutes after my appointment. The ARC location must have been doing class of some sort, the lot was full but there were only 3 or 4 in the donation room.

I'm contemplating a platelet donation, but 2 hours is a LONG time to be hooked up to needles and not able to move your arms.

 

[Doctor Q]

@Doctor Q I donated today! Took my usual 5-6 minutes once I was hooked up, but they took me in close to 20 minutes after my appointment. The ARC location must have been doing class of some sort, the lot was full but there were only 3 or 4 in the donation room.

I'm contemplating a platelet donation, but 2 hours is a LONG time to be hooked up to needles and not able to move your arms.

I agree. I suppose any training class they do is good in the long run, but inconvenient for donors who are stuck waiting that day.

I thought platelet donation took more like 1 hour these days. Some people I know are fine with the donation time as long as they are distracted, such as while watching a movie.

Usually the volunteers who help get your juice and cookie engage in a little chit-chat, but last time I had a volunteer who wanted to talk about controversial politics. Maybe he was just trying to make sure everyone's blood pressure didn't get too low!

 

[hallux]

but inconvenient for donors who are stuck waiting that day.

No inconvenience, they have spaces set aside for donors. I think the extra wait was because there might have been an issue with the vitals of the person ahead of me.

 

[m53rd]

I'm curious about platelet donation. I tried asking the Red Cross which was the better thing to donate (blood or platelets), and they were pretty non-committal. I don't mind the duration; I just want to do the most good. Thoughts?

 

[Doctor Q]

I consider platelets to be the better choice.

Platelets have a much shorter shelf life (about 5 days) than whole blood (about 3 to 5 weeks), so keeping a current supply of platelets is a challenge for many hospitals. The recovery time for platelet donors is also much shorter (about 7 days) than for whole blood (about 8 weeks), so people can donate platelets much more often. If whole blood donors give a two-unit whole blood donation, then recovery time doubles to four months.

Recovery times can vary based on individual's characteristics, including weight, but these are the basic guidelines from the U.S. Red Cross.

 

[m53rd]

I really appreciate the perspective! That makes sense about the challenge of keeping up the supply. I'll have to give this some more thought.

 

[m53rd]

After consulting Dr. Google, it sounds like with my blood type (B+), platelets pull even further ahead. Do you concur?

 

[Doctor Q]

That's right. Blood type compatibility between donor and recipient isn't quite as important for platelet donation as for whole blood donation, but certain blood types do have advantages. Type A+, B+, AB+ and AB- have properties that can make them better for patients, so people with these blood types make good platelet donors.

For blood donations, type O is ideal, with O- being the universal blood type (suitable for any patient).

Almost half the population has type O blood, so it's fairly common among donors. But less than 10% of the population has type B+ blood, so it makes sense for these people to donate platelets in order to do the most good.

 

[m53rd]

Well, today’s appointment didn’t go as planned. The person taking my blood said she bruised my vain and couldn’t continue. All the effort and none of the reward. I did have to correct her on the gender of my spouse, so maybe she was just looking for an excuse to stop drawing my blood. Anyway, a crappy end to a crappy week.

 

[Timelordprime]

I'm contemplating a platelet donation, but 2 hours is a LONG time to be hooked up to needles and not able to move your arms.

Actually, it takes more like 55 to 80 minutes for most people and that includes 2 units of platelets and 1 unit of plasma. Also, similar to whole blood donations, it is taken only from one arm. 40 years ago the machines used back then needed one arm to pump blood out and the other arm for the return of the red blood cells. That process took about two hours. At Canadian Blood Services, those machines haven't been in use for over 30 years. The most common machine used today is the Trima Accel. So, if you can tolerate the 2-hour trip to the clinic, platelet donations are, in many cases, in more urgent need for cancer patients.

 

[m53rd]

Here in Green Bay, WI, they are apparently 30 years behind. Not that I’m surprised. But I’m still planning on giving it a try once this dang bruise goes away!

 

[hallux]

Chalk up another whole blood for me for 2026. I goofed, forgot I was going and didn't trim the hair inside my elbows, the band-aid didn't stick well to the hair.

4:39 donation time. That may be my fastest, but it's not logged anywhere.

 

[m53rd]

Not a good year for me. My scheduled donation on 3/15 got cancelled due to weather. I tried on Sunday and again today and got DQed due to heart rate. Anxiety sucks.

 

[Timpetus]

I just donated yesterday, that makes 16 whole blood (B-, second rarest in the US) donations since I started working at the Children's Hospital in late August 2023. Got my pin for 2 gallons!

 

[hallux]

I just donated yesterday, that makes 16 whole blood (B-, second rarest in the US) donations since I started working at the Children's Hospital in late August 2023. Got my pin for 2 gallons!

Congrats!! Today was #61 lifetime for me, approaching 8 gallons...

 

[Timelordprime]

Donation 490 today in memory of Steve Jobs on the 50th Anniversary of Apple's founding.
2 Units of platelets
1 Unit of plasma

Apple changed the world, saving a life is a way to honour the company that has put bread on my table.

 

[Timelordprime]

Donation 492 today in Toronto.I tried to post it on the American Red Cross ARC website, but even with a VPN I was denied access to the site. Anyone else outside the USA experiencing this issue?
2 Units of platelets
1 Unit of plasma