Do you give blood?

**PrairieRose** · 07-24-2007, 08:36 AM

It had been ages and ages since I had donated blood, a fact of which I'm not proud.

I gave last Thursday here in our small town and am so glad that I did. I am going to try to make it a regular event. I read you can donate every 56 days safely. Don't know how often they come here but I must make a note of when I donated last to be sure I'm ready to give again. I know the blood bank people keep up with it in their computerized records as well. Anyway there is such a shortage of blood in our area as well as nationwide that I thought now I can help with this problem. It was so easy and painless. I want to encourage everyone to donate. When my dmom was in the hospital before she died they gave her 12 bags of platelets. It would be such a shame for someone who really needed it not to have blood available because I was too lazy to take the 20 minutes to do it (this included registration time for me).

**guest002** · 07-24-2007, 09:47 AM

We cannot. I never could, but dh used to all the time. Since we've been stationed overseas and he's deployed overseas twice the Red Cross no longer accepts us as suitable donors. (Mad Cow, etc.) We never even ate foreign beef

**i.m.cheap** · 07-24-2007, 09:59 AM

They won't take my blood, either. I take a cholesterol lowering medication, and another to slow my heart rate.

**Neeley** · 07-24-2007, 10:19 AM

I take medications that make my blood unacceptable for donation.

We do have a LifeSouth donation center and a Red Cross location in our city so it is easy for those who can to donate on a regular basis.

**nodmicks** · 07-24-2007, 11:15 AM

I donate at the red cross. I have very high iron so it's ood for me and the RC.

**PurpleButterfly** · 07-24-2007, 12:04 PM

I have tried, go help me i tried. I make it as far as the chair, bed or whatever and i turn ghastly white then the nurse takes one look at me and will say, Ok you cant do this.. I've almost fainted a few times. Yes, i had a bad bad experience doing the bloodtest for my marriage license. A nurse hurt me so bad i had a huge bruise on the crook of my arm and by the next day i couldnt bend my arm. i showed the dr the next day and that nurse was no longer allowed to do that anymore.. maybe someday I'll be able to get past it...

**acidcookie** · 07-24-2007, 12:39 PM

I used to but then the rules got stricter about countries you've been in. Apparently having been born in GERMANY in 1983 and living there until late 1988 makes my blood not good enough for the American Red Cross. Sorry, I'm really bitter because when I gave blood in high school there was clearly nothing wrong with it and my past hasn't changed.

**sdrjeolsen** · 07-24-2007, 01:06 PM

I have in the past, but its been ages....probably ought to do it again.

**santoria** · 07-24-2007, 02:40 PM

I used to faithfully....but had a run in with ovarian and cervical cancer. so am not able to anymore. wish I could though.

I do volunteer with them though.

**PrairieRose** · 07-24-2007, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by acidcookie

I used to but then the rules got stricter about countries you've been in. Apparently having been born in GERMANY in 1983 and living there until late 1988 makes my blood not good enough for the American Red Cross. Sorry, I'm really bitter because when I gave blood in high school there was clearly nothing wrong with it and my past hasn't changed.

I can see your frustration with this but I think they've evidently learned from experience thus the new rules. I am happy to know that you're a giving person who wants to help, sorry for the change in rules and such.

(I'm not saying that I agree or disagree with their rules but I am happy they are thourough)

**Its_Donna** · 07-24-2007, 04:46 PM

Since I work at a hopsital we have Bllod Drives frequently and I try and give blood at least every other time.

**jacqueline** · 07-24-2007, 04:58 PM

I used to. I went every time they came around, but then started being really tired so I quit. I work at a hospital now and will probably donate the next time they do it.

**jettsmom** · 07-24-2007, 07:43 PM

No one in my family can. We were stationed in England. My son tried to give blood last year at school and was told he couldn't because he had lived overseas.

The nurse said it was obvious he didn't have mad cow, because he'd either be dead or severely retarded by now, which neither applied.

We can only give blood to each other if needed.

**orlivin1225** · 07-24-2007, 10:25 PM

I used to all the time, almost as often as you could donate. I'm on thyroid meds now, so I'm no longer a candidate. Kinda makes me sad. I was really proud of donating.... <pout>

**PB&J** · 08-01-2007, 11:33 PM

I haven't given since, April, I really need to call and make an appointment. I used to give regularly, every 8 weeks. But I had some health problems for a while and wasn't able to. April has been the only time this year I have donated.