Nightingale 0 #51 September 24, 2004 6 months to a year, depending on the organization. Hospitals, usually 6 months. Red Cross, one year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BBKid 0 #52 September 24, 2004 I always seem to be coming off some sort of illness whenever the truck comes to my workplace, so I only get to give about twice a year. Some people were wondering about the UK situation: anyone healthy enough can give blood, unless they've received a transfusion before a certain date. This is since before this mystical date (I'm not sure which exactly), blood wasn't screened (or whatever) for vCJD, and so they don't know where each bag came from. I've had an operation, but wasn't told if I received any blood (highly doubt it), so I can't donate until I find out. Seems strange that you can give blood if all you ever ate was British beef (best in the world), but not if you received blood from a vegetarian! Oh, and money comes out of my bank account for the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), and I adopted a dolphin for my sister as a Christmas present years ago, and little Whiskey is still ours! Nick --------------------------- "I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #53 September 24, 2004 Quote6 months to a year, depending on the organization. Hospitals, usually 6 months. Red Cross, one year. Thanks Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #54 September 24, 2004 I've been donating over 25 years, and donate blood 5-6 times a year,. My wife owes her life to blood donors, so to all of you, "Thank You". You all really do save lives. Donating only take me about 4-5 minutes to pump out a pint. The hard part is finishing off that basket of cookies in the recovery room. That takes about half an hour. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #55 September 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteQuoteI used to donate blood regularly. They won't let me again for about another six months... body piercings. I donate blood regularly and won't get a tatoo for that reason! Lord forgive me for being so selfless as to cheat someone my blood for personal reasons. Sorry to rant, just personal belief, and I'm not real religious by the way. Personal choice only. I have A+ blood, and half the time here in OC, when you call to get an appointment at a blood drive, they say they don't need any more A+, because its so common here, so I figured a year of not being able to donate wouldn't be a big deal. I'm sorry, if you had a recent body piercing, and are fully aware of the safety guidelines having been followed, and are confident that all sterile equipment was used by a reputable piercer, I don't see a problem with lying and saying that the piercing is five years old... They go overboard about these risks, rule all kinds of people out of donating, and then bitch that there's not enough blood. -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #56 September 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteOh my, I didn't know you were suffering so. I'll send you the $100. It's OK, the kids I adopted from Ethiopia are used to doing without for a while. My homeowner's association has very specific rules (see my posts about not being able to have a basketball net!), and a lot of their rules are about the landscaping. If I don't follow their rules, they can lien my house. Left or right? No, really, I thought I just read that the passed a law really recently that they cannot put a lien on your house for homeowners' association fines. -Jeffrey-Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakflyer9999 1 #57 September 25, 2004 QuoteQuoteI just recently hit 18 gallons of blood donations. I give platelets which you can give much more frequently than whole blood and usually they can take more than one unit at a time. Generally speaking I try to donate 2-3 units every other week or so. Last month, I actually gave a whole gallon in 1 month, 2 triples and a double donation. WHAT? I worked for the Long Island Blood Centers for 6 months back in 1994. I had been a long-time donor, and needed a part-time job, so I telemarketed for them. They put us through two weeks of training about calling, and about the technical aspects of blood donation. Unless things have changed, they took out LESS than a pint of platelets at each donation; one could not donate anything more than one unit; and the period between donations was half that of the normal 56 days for whole blood donations -- 28 days. Where on earth were you donating that they let you give so much so often? -Jeffrey Obviously things have changed. Your body regenerates the platelets within 24 hours. In emergency situations you can actually donate every 24 hours. Two weeks is the standard waiting period as long as they return all of your red blood cells. Your body needs the 8 week cycle to regenerate red blood cells. I've been trying to donate every two weeks for about 4-5 years. Sometimes I've been unable to because of either illness, dental work or just plain laziness. I've averaged between 12 and 15 donations per year though. I just looked at my certificates that they send me annually. In 2000 I made 10 platelet donations and 1 whole blood. The certificate says I was at 3 gallons then. My last donation was 3 weeks ago. I hit 18 gallons with that donation and received my 18 gallon pin. You are right that a unit of platelets is not exactly a pint. They measure platelets by weight and equate each unit to a 1 pint donation. During the process of apherisis they draw significantly more than a pint to extract a unit of platelets, but they return the red blood cells back to you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakflyer9999 1 #58 September 25, 2004 QuoteDon't want ppl to take this the wrong way but, lot of you seem to give a lot of blood, i think this is great and really wish more ppl were like that but, the fact that you also skydive on a regular basis means that you are putting yourself at risk especially if you do any high altitude jumps after giving blood! I come from a family where most are either nurses or doctors. everytime you give blood you reduce your ability to absorb oxygen and it never returns to the original level! i was recommend that after i give blood i shouldn't go to any real height for at least two weeks! as such i only give blood about twice every year but before jumping i used to give blood on a regular basis. This is another reason that I donate platelets instead of whole blood. I receive all of my red blood cells back, therefore preserving my bodies ability to carry oxygen. Of course if I'm injured within a day or two of donating platelets then I would have a slightly more difficult time stopping any bleeding should I be injured. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakflyer9999 1 #59 September 25, 2004 QuoteI used to, because I have 0- blood, which is universal, but it's been a while since I donated. Please consider donating again as soon as possible. As you are aware, your blood type is the universal donor. All others regardless of blood type can use your blood type. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakflyer9999 1 #60 September 25, 2004 QuoteAnyone know how long you have to wait after piercings or tattoos before you can donate again?? I want to start donating regularly. One year if it is not done under a doctor's supervision. I've been wanting a tatoo, but I've resisted because I feel that it is much more important to donate blood routinely. I've considered getting the tat anyway and not telling the Blood Donor Center, but of course I run a slight risk of passing on an illness to one of the kids who get my platelets. The majority of the platelets donated at my donor center go to a local children's hospital where they treat cancer patients. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustaBill 0 #61 September 25, 2004 I donate blood fairly regularly. I'm usually within a week or so of when I'm eligible. It all depends on my schedule at work. They are really good about calling to remind me ------------------------------------------------ I've done so much, with so little, for so long I'm now expected to do everything with nothing forever Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
girlygirl 0 #62 September 25, 2004 Quote6 months to a year, depending on the organization. Hospitals, usually 6 months. Red Cross, one year. I had no idea it was that long, not only am I a mad cow, I've had a tattoo a year for the last 5 yrs.-- that sucks, maybe I can donate time instead and help out. It'd have be on a weather sucks day though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
