Do Something Amazing- Give Blood

FabuLass

Could we start a MSE blood donating club where we have a number and our blood type proudly displayed in our sigs?

Just like the Sealed Pot Challenge I'm a member of, (see sig below) it's great for support . We could see if we could make the 3 times challenge every year. Oh, I thought I had one to add already for this year but looking now I see it was 31st December. :rotfl:

noonesperfect

FeeFeeDee wrote: »

Could we start a MSE blood donating club where we have a number and our blood type proudly displayed in our sigs?

Just like the Sealed Pot Challenge I'm a member of, (see sig below) it's great for support . We could see if we could make the 3 times challenge every year. Oh, I thought I had one to add already for this year but looking now I see it was 31st December. :rotfl:

Sounds like a good idea!

marshall2k

Trying to think of things to call it. Any funny puns based on "Blood Bank" or "Life Saving" (instead of money saving)?

webitha

hey why have i never seen this thread before, oh yeah thats right coz this is the first time for me on this board :rotfl:

tomorrow will be pint no 23 so i will hit my 25 pint this year :j:j:j do they still give you a badge or summut for this
i am also on the anthony nolan list i am a full donor for when i cark it, well i wont need it when im dead will i :D:rolleyes::rolleyes:

oh and ii am A RH Positive

Bob63

webitha wrote: »

tomorrow will be pint no 23 so i will hit my 25 pint this year :j:j:j do they still give you a badge or summut for this

Yes - http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/b9_blood.html

webitha wrote: »

oh and ii am A RH Positive

All the very best people are!

torbrex

I received this beautiful Caithness Glass paperweight last year when I gave my 250th donation.

marshall2k

Wow! Pretty!

It's number 8 for me this afternoon. Hopefully I'll be able to collect the slate coaster too (wish it was the paperweight!)

noonesperfect

It's quite a nice thick coaster though! (pick it up when you go for your coffee afterwards). Well done for making it 3 times a year :A

My next "special" will be 25, but it's gonna take another 3 and a bit years before I reach that one.

B rh+

purplelotus

cheesy.mike wrote: »

Not being a doom merchant, but are you certain you aren't ill or don't have some condition?
...
Like I say, I don't want to be alarmist but if you have low haemoglobin levels you should see your doctor and find out why.

Don't worry about it! If you fail the first blood drop, they'll squeeze your finger some more and try that a couple more times, but if you keep failing, then they take a bigger blob and stick it in a red machine (haemocytometer I think) which gives a reading - if this is STILL too low, they take a small vial of blood which gets sent off and investigated ... they'll let you know if anything is wrong.

You get given a leaflet if your iron is too low, advising on good foods to eat. The nurse that gave it to me said the best thing I could do was eat the leaflet. Useful.

I'm going to give blood next week for 17th time - I've had a few disasters, I'm probably more trouble than my blood is worth. I've learnt I have to go on my own, which some people think is odd, but I'm calmer if I don't know anyone there... stupid fear of needles.

I won't share my disasters publicly here in case it puts anyone off, but just like to point out - it obviously hasn't put me off.

Despite a fear of needles and some "delightful" stories to tell, giving blood is worth it for the tea and biscuits alone, to say nothing of saving people's lives and contributing hugely to science research.

I'm all for the blood club, name idea:

LifeSavingExpert.blood donor

I'm O+

Bob63

Oh well, that's me sidelined for a couple of months. Three weeks ago I gave platelets for the first time in 8 months due to major surgery and some business travel. During the last few minutes of the session the machine flagged up a high blood return pressure alarm - an indication that the machine is struggling to return the blood back to your vein after the platelets are removed. I went back today and the session was abandoned after five minutes because it flagged both a low pressure draw (trouble getting blood out) and high pressure return. As it wasn't able to return the blood it took I am now sidelined for two months to allow my red blood cells to recover. I also suspect that the month of daily intravenous antibiotics, pain killers and blood tests (sometimes up to three times a day) during my stay in hospital mean that my veins might now be unsuitable for platelet donation. I'll try the other arm next time but I'm not hopeful.