Blood donors needed

[koan]

I recently started donating blood. I can not tell you how great it feels to know you are saving lives!!!!

This year, the way Christmas falls on the calendar, the clinics will miss an extra collection period. If you can, please donate before the Christmas holidays. If you are blood type O negative please donate as often as you can. I am blood type O negative and hate needles but I am going to donate as often as I can, if I can get over it anyone can. When they have no time to test a patient's blood type they can only use O negative. Yes you feel a little woozy for the rest of the day, who cares? Eat well before you donate and realize the good feeling you get in your soul outweighs the slight physical discomfort.

If you aren't O negative they still need you just as much. You're body makes more blood, folks, you won't run out of it.

[Bill Sikes]

Originally Posted by koan

I recently started donating blood. I can not tell you how great it feels to know you are saving lives!!!!

This year, the way Christmas falls on the calendar, the clinics will miss an extra collection period. If you can, please donate before the Christmas holidays. If you are blood type O negative please donate as often as you can. I am blood type O negative and hate needles but I am going to donate as often as I can, if I can get over it anyone can. When they have no time to test a patient's blood type they can only use O negative. Yes you feel a little woozy for the rest of the day, who cares? Eat well before you donate and realize the good feeling you get in your soul outweighs the slight physical discomfort.

If you aren't O negative they still need you just as much. You're body makes more blood, folks, you won't run out of it.

It doesn't hurt. If you think it will, look away as they put in the needle. It
doesn't. I have not had Koan's feeling of "wooziness" after donating blood,
but I'm probably physically larger so notice the donation less. Don't turn up
to give blood pissed up, they won't have it if you've had more than a few pints.

[persephone]

I do this, but can't at the moment because I done something stupid and had a piercing done.

[Paula]

Giving blood is important, especially if your type is rare. It's about taking the time out to do it. Would there be supply for me, my type is RH-Type A-? I have never had surgery, so i would be informed to give prior?

[Jack Sprat]

Originally Posted by Paula

Would there be supply for me, my type is RH-Type A-? I have never had surgery, so i would be informed to give prior?

If you are having elective surgery, absolutely check a few months in advance and have the hospital store supplies of your own blood for you. My wife, who has had four major operations since 1994 and is facing a hip and knee replacement soon, always makes sure there are three pints of her own blood frozen, one a week starting a month prior to the operation. If you have a rare blood type you should find out from the hospital whether they will take your blood and reserve it for you in case of an emergency. Although there has been improvements in storage techniques, whole blood does not store long.

[tankspring]

I never go long enugh in between tattoos, but i think it is a great thing to do.

[koan]

I was surprised about the body piercing reg when I went in. Luckily it had been just over a year. There are also regs about specific countries if you have traveled recently or slept with someone who has. Can't remember which ones but if you travel, good to check before you go.

[persephone]

Originally Posted by Paula

Giving blood is important, especially if your type is rare. It's about taking the time out to do it. Would there be supply for me, my type is RH-Type A-? I have never had surgery, so i would be informed to give prior?

Well I'm type O- so have the universal blood type, that anyone can have in an emergency.

[valerie]

Good for you, Koan!!

I have been giving blood for 33 years now, usually between 4 and 6 pints
per year. It does feel really good to give.

I've never had any wooziness at all. The needle pricks hurt a tiny bit,
nothing I can't stand. And I like getting to eat good for a coupla days
afterward.

I am O+ and called a "Universal Donor" so I think you can be type O
whether positive or negative.

I originally gave because I wanted to do something but didn't really have
a lot of money. And plus, I didn't want to give money somewhere and have
an administrator use it to buy his boat! So, giving blood, they pretty much
hafta use it for another human being!

There are some restrictions, but your local blood bank will be happy to tell
you what they are.

You can also get free t-shirts and pins and all kinds of stuff, I've even gotten
free tickets to the county fair and free ice cream!!

[minks]

Tis an awesome jesture at this time of the year
I would if I could but have been diagnosed with anemia way to often in my life and they won't take my blood.