Do Something Amazing- Give Blood

achtunglady

I've been thinking about giving blood, but a few things are holding me back:
1) I HATE needles
2) I have low blood pressure
3) I would hate to think that the blood ive given was to be given to some drunk yobbo who got into a fight and i'm wondering if this puts most people off??

LeeSouthEast

1. I'm not a great fan of needles either. But I don't let that put me off.
2. Can't help you with (2). Take up smoking?
3. Nope. Philanthropy doesn't come with strings attached in my book.

StevieJ

achtunglady wrote: »

I've been thinking about giving blood, but a few things are holding me back:

3) I would hate to think that the blood ive given was to be given to some drunk yobbo who got into a fight and i'm wondering if this puts most people off??

You could even get your own blood back

torbrex

I have donated a few times and take a simple attitude to my donations, I would never ask where it came from if I needed to receive a donation so I have no thoughts about where my blood goes.
I hear all the time that people are afraid of or hate needles, they don't bother me, I dont even feel them going in these days my arm has been pierced that many times but if anyone lets a little scratch like that put them off possibly saving someones life then they don't really want to donate in the first place.

poppycracker

Donated my 25th pint on the 19th of July. Got a very nice little badge for my silver award, and wore it proudly for about a week until people got fed up of my telling them about it! DH couldn't donate that day because he had a nasty cut on his finger.
I wouldn't be put off donating by thinking who would be getting my blood, blood is blood and I wouldn't ask where it came from if I needed it. I'm not all that comfotable with needles, but I just pinch my leg until it goes in!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Well done Poppycracker - you should be proud

My OH wants to give blood, he is mixed of Jamaican/Indian/Spanish origin so i know that tends to be a rarity...just he always turns up too late when the trucks are about (so very true to the saying i know many of you will know, lol). He does want to though and i think it is very good of him as alot of his family don't seem to be on the same wavelength. He'd give regularly too. My OH is very giving, sometimes too much - he is the guy that will step in on a fight and try to calm it down (scares the hell out of me as i'm always scared he'll get hurt, but he sees it as if everyone takes the view just stay out of the way, things will never get any better but end up worse) Bless him, i love my blokie!

I wish i could give blood but the fact it takes ages to just get a little bit of blood for a normal blood test i doubt they'd ever get a pint, or if they do it'd take a good few hours of me pumping my hand trying to sqeeze it all out, lol.

I'm off to the hospital tomorrow so i'll defo get him to ask

Equinox

I think I'm on my 8th or 9th. Well done everybody. I'm O+ here.

On a side note, I don't want to put people off donating, but I've read about a fascinating new technique to synthesise blood. I wonder if this whole donation thing is coming to an end soon. Oh well, I hope to keep on donating anyway because...

achtunglady wrote: »

I've been thinking about giving blood, but a few things are holding me back:
1) I HATE needles
2) I have low blood pressure
3) I would hate to think that the blood ive given was to be given to some drunk yobbo who got into a fight and i'm wondering if this puts most people off??

...there's also benefits to donating.

Apart from the free food, drinks, little "tokens" of milestones, and the warm fuzzy feeling of helping someone:
- it resets my bodyclock. I have trouble sleeping (hence writing this at 5am!).
- makes your body heal faster should you have an accident (I don't know where I heard this, or even if it is true, but ancient Viking warriors used to blood-let some time before battle because they are stronger and heal faster as the body overcompensates).

Can't really help with point 2 though. Point 1, it really is just a short scratch and a irritating needle in the arm ... I lose interest in the whole "I got a needle in the arm" after about 1 minute and start thinking random things.

flea72

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote: »

I wish i could give blood but the fact it takes ages to just get a little bit of blood for a normal blood test i doubt they'd ever get a pint, or if they do it'd take a good few hours of me pumping my hand trying to sqeeze it all out

if going for a blood test, they can never even find my veins, let alone draw the blood out easily. But giving blood is a total different matter, in 10yrs of donating, ive yet to exceed the required donation time. Why not give it a try? you might be surprised

Flea

poppycracker

Just seen the poster for the next donating session in Huntly, 1st November. Its a Sunday and I'm not going to be working so will be wandering along with DH to lose a pound in weight . Although I suppose thats made up again with the orange juice and bikkie!

Well done all the new donators!

poppycracker

Equinox wrote: »

- makes your body heal faster should you have an accident (I don't know where I heard this, or even if it is true, but ancient Viking warriors used to blood-let some time before battle because they are stronger and heal faster as the body overcompensates).

Wow, I never knew that..... although I suppose it makes sense. Kind of like athletes training at high altitude, to force the blood to adapt so it can carry more oxygen at lower altitudes......