Thread: Blood Donor?

Hi all,

So there was a Blood Drive the other day, and I gave a pint and got a free beer for my troubles (it's probably a way to get more people in prison with a larger alcohol to blood ratio or something), and lots of chocolate. I was wondering whether or not (m)any of ye give blood, and perhaps what kinds are ye. I'm A+

I once did a blood drive for work...

I received no beer. Damn Irish.

>> I received no beer. Damn Irish.

What else would you expect? The need some way to get our blood!

EDIT:: Olé, 900 posts

Originally Posted by twomers

>> I received no beer. Damn Irish.

What else would you expect? The need some way to get our blood!

[GROSSLY STEREOTYPICAL]Maybe some shamrocks...? A nice leather belt with a golden clasp?[/GROSSLY STEREOTYPICAL]

I'm very bad. I think I only gave blood twice.

Have no problems with it. I just either don't remember, or don't feel like it when I see one of those moving(?) blood banks.

I feel good with myself though. Just 3 months ago, the news said Portugal had a surplus of blood and was giving it away to other countries. So... I'm not needed.

I've given about 12-15 pints of whole blood, and recently started donating with a pheresis machine. I think I'm going back to giving whole blood, because last time I gave by pheresis I felt really weird.

AB+ here

What's a pheresis machine? What do you mean by whole blood?

I've only given it twice too. I think I'll give it more frequently. Hey, do they let ye look when they're sticking in the needle?

I give blood as often as I can. I have to admit that I'm a terrible weeny when it comes to needles; I come close to passing out just about every time. B- here.

Originally Posted by twomers

What's a pheresis machine? What do you mean by whole blood?

I've only given it twice too. I think I'll give it more frequently. Hey, do they let ye look when they're sticking in the needle?

Whole blood is just blood. When you bleed, that's whole blood. A pheresis machine separates your blood into platelets and white cells and plasma and lilliputians and whatever else is in your blood, and then it pumps the stuff they're not using back into you.

Yeah, they let me look when they stick in the needle, but I usualyl don't. It lost it's "cool" effect awhile ago.

I look not because it's "cool" but because I prefer to know when it's coming.

> I look not because it's "cool" but because I prefer to know when it's coming.

I was just kidding around. C'mon, how cool can giving blood be?

> That machine sounds kinda cool, Govtchez! How long does that take to get your pint?

It depends on what they're taking and what you want to give. Based on your past history, they give you a few options of stuff to give. Last time it took like an hour and a half, the time before that was about 45 minutes. The last time I did it, my calcium level dropped and my lips started feeling tingly. The nurse gave me a handfuls (seriously, like 20) antacids with calcium to chew on. It made me feel better, but man did that taste like ass.

It's usually really quick for me to give blood (about 5-8 minutes), so I think I'm going to go back to giving whole blood. My body seems to like that more.

Yeah probably. I don't know why they do it this way, but I don't know anything about "blood extraction technology" or whatever the hell you'd call it.

edit: They would get more this way. A pint of blood probably has a lot less platelets than what they can get if they do it this way.