Blood Donations

At my high school, the Red Cross comes annually to get donated blood from students eighteen and older, or those sixteen and with permission. Since I turned sixteen in March, I was ecstatic to find out that I would be able to donate, since the donation drive was a few weeks after my birthday. I barely made the cup! But, oh. I was so pumped.

The day came and that's all I thought about. I got to get out of class, and we got free refreshments to keep our sugar levels up. The nurses were great and were very kind.

After I donated, I got a card in the mail for further donations. It told me my blood type (O+) and it had a section on the back so they could mark when and where I've gone to donate. O+ is great for donation because it can go to virtually anyone with positive blood (A+, B+, AB+, O+). Downside is, I can only get blood, myself, from O+ and O- people. Oh, well.

Donation is great. You can save someone's life with one pint of your blood! If the feeling of helping someone isn't enough, you can even go to places and donate blood, as well as plasma, and they'll pay you.

But some people don't think this is right, whether for religious or moral reasons. What do you think about it? What are your opinions on blood donation? Would you ever? Why or why not?

I want to donate blood, but I'm not old enough to donate without permission. And my mom thinks that I'm not old enough.
*sigh*
Because, like you said, it could save a life!

I've wanted to donate blood for a while now. But I'm not quite sixteen yet. Did you have to go through requirements beforehand? Like, checking if you've been ill or have a tattoo etc?

On the pamphlet they give you to get your parents to sign, it'll ask you some quick glance-over questions. Like, guide lines. Have you been out of the country in the last year? Or to Africa? Or have you had any major diseases, or are any of them in your family? And, yeah, if you've gotten a piercing/tattoo as of late. I had recently gotten my cartilage done (almost nine months prior, though), so the lady said I was okay.

When they take your history/get your information, they ask you all sorts of questions. And after they actually get the blood, they test it in the labs.

I'm so glad that they come to my school. You feel a little light headed afterwords, but then the bandage they put on your arm makes you feel all proud. Like you've done something meaningful.

I actually started this thread because they're supposed to be calling me today. :crazy: Or, well, again. They called while I was at school and said they'd call back to talk to me directly. Since I've already been cleared of STDs and other blood-diseases before this, I doubt I'm being informed of false negatives.
I hope they want me to donate again.

When they come back in the fall, I'll be a junior and assisting. :con:

I'm very pro-blood donation.
I've had a transfusion myself, so that would be why.

I actually thought I'd have to be 18 to donate. Although it seems I would only have to be 17. However, I don't think I'm able to give blood because of the transfusion I had in 1996. According to this, anyway. Apparently, people who have had transfusions since 1980 aren't permitted to give blood because of CJD.

So my answer is that I would love to be a blood donor, but I don't think I can.
Which is a shame.

I'm going to try and give blood on Friday... I have my little form thing and everything (when I signed up to a new doctor's surgery, I said that I'd like to do it). I'm not sure if I'll actually be able to, though, but hey - it's worth a shot. I signed my name as an NHS organ donator, 'n' all...

I really think that if you can, you should. I hear you get sugar out of it, 'n' all. :-)

I wish I was old enough, I would love to give blood. I did help out with the school's blood drive though, I made cookies for people to eat afterward. ^_^ It's important to get your blood sugar up aftwerwards, I believe.

Otherwise you'll faint. :cheese:
They had these seniors running around getting drinks.
One was like, shoving Coke down my throat. :XD

I called them back today. Though I didn't get an answer as to why they called, I got to talk to one of the ladies and she was cool as hell. "Where do you live? -FIVE MINUTES LATER.- Norfolk?" "...No, Roanoke." "Roanoke? Wow, where's my mind today? I'm sorry, you'll have to go to Norfolk to donate blood. Haha." She was pretty boss.

They're going to have to call me sometime soon. :finger:

I'm going to be helping this time around, in November of October. :crazy:

Yay, helping is always awesome. :cute:

Just saw the IV subtitle. :XD I had to have one put in after my car wreck in January. They put it in wrong. It hurt like a mother. :grr: They put it in wrong a second time, even more painful. Finally got it right the third time. It hurt SO BADLY. :cheese:

Aw. :arms:

I've never had a bad experience with IV's. They had to put one in my hand/wrist though, for to remove my molars. :coffee:

Thanks. :arms:
Yeah, usually everything is smooth sailing in that area is because there's so many veins.
I had mine on my upper arm though, so it was a little more difficult. Plus the doctor was a n00b. :grr:

I'd like to donate but my mum had a bad experience and It's kind of made me weary, the nurse put the thing through the wrong vein.

The only way I can donate blood is if I take vitamins weeks and weeks before the donation.
The first time I gave blood, I passed out....not a fun experience.
The second time, I couldn't give it because they said the iron was way to low.I was on my period at the time, so that made it worse then it really was.
But if you can give blood, then do it.
The needle on hurts for a second and I didn't even watch them put it in.

I've given blood once, I'd definitely do it again. Like Tragic. said you do get a sense of accomplishment.

I used to love the adverts they put on the t.v for blood donations, they were kind of inspiring.

This is the first year I can actually give blood, because you have to be sixteen, but I'm not allowed to. >_< I'm on Isotane, see, and you're not supposed to give blood while on Isotane. -sigh- Perhaps the people will come to my school after I get off it. If not, I'll go and donate it after I'm done.

I think it's an incredibly wonderful thing to donate blood, but I'm terrified of needles and the idea of my blood being withdrawn (shudder), so I don't think I could do it.

My friend donated blood at that thing, and she got a blood clot. :omfg:

That very idea made my cringe. I could never do it, but I think it's great you guys want to.

I want to donate plasma.
I have to be eighteen, though. :coffee:

Ouch, you have to use a size 16 needle to donate plasma. That's much bigger than what you use to donate blood.

I'm right at 110 pounds, the requirement needed to give blood, but I'm never allowed. They feel I should weigh more than that.

I still haven't donated yet but I plan on doing so. I'm 0 positive, so I don't see why not!

A blood transfusion saved my cousins life, so I kinda wanna donate some of my own... kinda like good payback, you know? Haha.

I had to use a size 16 needle for my IV when I got my wisdom teeth removed. :shifty
It doesn't hurt that much.

Even though I'm considerably over-weight, my iron is usually really low. Thankfully it hovers right above the iron level needed. :cute: