With different disasters popping up everywhere (the latest in the USA being Hurricane Sandy) the need for blood donations is always present. According to the American Red Cross website, "More than 44,000 blood donations are needed every day."

I gave blood two weeks ago and try to give about three times a year. The blood that I just donated has probably already been used to help another person. It rarely has time to sit on shelves for very long.

I was wondering how many of you donate blood (hence the poll, obviously.) Do you even know your blood type? I am 0+ ("oh positive") and started donating when I was 17. That first time was during a high school blood drive.

One bit of amusement for me is that I have always given very quickly, and the first time I gave, a few friends (who had been watching others as well) were shocked at how fast I was filling the bag... so much so that they were calling others over to watch! This last time, right as I walked up they were sticking the girl across from me. She made the comment, "I give blood quickly. The bag almost burst last time because they were not paying enough attention to it." While she's being drained, I wait for the nurse to look at paperwork and come over to me. I started at least 5-6 minutes after she did. I was already finished, sat and talked while drinking a Coke to get some sugar in me, and out of the door before she was even off of the table!

She gives fast? Bah! LOL

This topic is in part a plea asking those who can to donate at least a few times in their lives if not more. It is fast (well, the giving is; the paperwork takes longer than the actual donation,) relatively painless ("But I don't like needles!" Close your eyes, deep breath, the time you worry about is over,) and most importantly, it is one of the best gifts that you can give since blood is something that cannot be manufactured in a laboratory.

But enough rambling. On to the poll!



* In The United States, you must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds to donate.

I gave once, a couple years ago, and I want to give more, but I can't ever get away from work long enough during the day to donate.

I have never donated blood yet, and I am 19 years old. It's not like I am scared of needles, I use to get my blood drawn every week because of the medication I was on. They wanted to make sure my blood levels were stable enough to continue on my medication. My dad has donated blood several times. I believe he does it at least once a year. I actually would donate blood if I could, I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet. But I would donate my blood once I get the time.

I can't donate blood because of a heart condition that I have. I would like to, but it's not possible.

I gave blood once in high school. I never will do such a thing again, unless a person I personally know needs it and there is no chance of a genetic match. The Medical staff took more than "a couple of quarts." Plus I don't care to go through any kind of screening process like that again with all the fools recording "lord knows what" on their cell phones all the time. Considering the things I've seen and done? Forget it. A few dozen hits on "you-tube" and I wind up the top story on the news. Complete with obituary. No way am I going through that process again. Unless I see some official document telling me I have to, I'm keeping every drop I got. If man were intended to bleed, we would have periods like the women do. Forget it. I'm not doing that again. Its too unnatural. Besides its too much trouble.
Good Luck To All.
I'm Done. Stick A Fork In Me.
Peace.

Yes, I have. I have donated 6 times: a set of doubles, a white blood cell unit, and 5 single units. So that would make it 7 units then.

I've never done it... but I would like to some day... 'cause it's like such a simple thing that I can do and it could potentially help others. It might be a little difficult because I have VERY small/thin veins and people tend to have trouble getting a needle in them when I need to do blood work... but I think that's such an insignificant problem when compared to the problems that people who need the blood have.

I've never really known where to go for such things though. When I was a kid, they used to have Red Cross or something blood drive van thingies... but I haven't seen those in a long time :x

I'm also slightly concerned about passing out after it because I'm a really tiny person and I heard lots of people saying that they take a LOT of blood from you.

Crazy Li : Check with your local hospitals. Obviously they will know where you can donate. Some people suggest that you simply donate straight to the hospital, and there is nothing wrong with that, but in registering with the state blood service or Red Cross directly, they can keep better records of how many donations are being made within the region and the country.

The words "a lot" are relative. Some people think you are taking half of their blood because they don't know how much that they have and they hear that you can get weak. The reason for the weight limit is that it usually determines your size and in turn how much blood is in your body. A pint of blood is drawn, and assuming you are right on that border of the 110 pound weight minimum as well as saying that you are "tiny," then you likely have a little over 5 pints of blood in your body.

Now, taking 1 pint out of 5 pints may sound like a lot, but the average (150 lbs) man only has about 8 pints. It's not like large men have 20 and you are way down there in great danger. Of course, the less blood in your body, the more that the loss will affect you for a little while, but again, the weight limits are there for a reason.  Just don't jump up from the table and expect to run a marathon any time soon. Take it easy on the table for a bit, asking someone to bring you some sugar before getting up and assistance just in case you still feel a little lightheaded before putting your feet on the ground.

As for the small veins... yea, that can be a pain. While I was blessed with large veins, I have seen some people sit and wait, possibly getting stuck more than once because the vein keeps rolling. Of course, if they stick you a few times and still can't find it, you can always refuse to be stuck again and leave. There is no binding contract that keeps you from changing your mind.



If I manage to convince just one of you to donate who may not have thought much about it before, then I have done my job.

CobraGuy : Ah, there are weight limits? More stuff I didn't know. I guess I can't then :/ I dun weigh enough.

Crazy Li : Yes there are weight limits. Its mostly just a minimum weight, there isn't really a maximum limit. Although they won't let you give blood if you have high blood pressure (which is linked toward obeseity.) I should know as I almost didn't donate as my blood pressure was a little high at the time.

I'm sure Cobra can agree with me at least partially.

Including I don't think I'm old enough to, I never have and probobly never will. Too. Much, Pain.

I used to give blood all the time, but I had to quit-it started hurting. The last time I went, they covered my arm like usual and went away. It started to hurt, more than usual, and I finally called them over. When they pulled the towel, they discovered that the needle had slipped out of my vein and the blood was actually leaking into my arm. I looked like I had a super bad bruise all the way up my arm for like a month. 

I've had to give a lot of blood for tests and they said my veins are getting harder to find. I think they're hiding out of terror from all the needles that have been pointed at me lately, lol.

When I was younger, I was diagnosed with a heart condition. Because of that, I had believed I was unable to donate blood. However, I found out only recently that my type of heart condition would not affect a donation (nothing to do with how it pumps blood or something), so I could have donated this whole time. That ticked me off a little bit, but as I have gotten older, I really do not wish to donate.

I always hated when I needed blood drawn from me when I was younger (after getting diagnosed with my heart condition). Especially for where they stick you; I find that to be a sensitive area! I am also afraid I will end up getting an idiot that does not know what they are doing, or something else would go wrong.

there are also a few things I disagree about the screening process, but I will not get into that. I WOULD donate if I knew someone needed the blood immediately, but otherwise, I am not going to donate.

And my blood type? I am also O+

Although I like to donate, donating blood is one thing I won't plan to do.  I'm not a big fan of needles.

thudricdholee : haha "veins hiding out of terror"  I've never heard it put that way. Love it!

ruesen : I am lucky that so far through my life I have had very good veins. Easy to see, easy to hit, and they don't roll (yet). But with that said, I did still have one bad experience back in college where the nurse poked me three different times, "I can't seem to hit the vein."  The other nurse took over and found it in no problem which made me question in my mind the experience level of the other nurse.  Sometimes these things do happen.

CobraGuy : I had to give blood three times in one day. The clinic took my blood, and then I ended up in the hospital, where they took my blood again, and then came back for another draw after they'd shot me up with all kinds of pain medicine because they were worried they'd given me too much.

So yes. Terror.