Blood Donations

modern mariah.:

I don't know about you guys but where I live there's these buses everywhere that allow you to donate blood. Most they're at the mall and if you donate blood you get a free movie ticket. I'd really like to do it but the idea of it scares me. I don't trust it. My family doesn't understand it. All I can think about is like a meals on wheels.

But really, bloodmobiles sound super sketchy, but they're actually not bad at all. I've only been in them twice, but it's really the same as donating in a regular blood center (same staff, equipment, procedure, etc.) except everything's a bit more cramped. And I've found every single time I've donated the staff have been ridiculously nice, and will usually insist of feeding you juice and baked goods afterwards. It's a pretty sweet deal.

I'm actually going to donate platelets this Wednesday instead of to my college graduation ceremony.

modern mariah.:

I don't know about you guys but where I live there's these buses everywhere that allow you to donate blood. Most they're at the mall and if you donate blood you get a free movie ticket. I'd really like to do it but the idea of it scares me. I don't trust it. My family doesn't understand it. All I can think about is like a meals on wheels.

We have two of those currently sitting outside our Walgreens. This guy sits outside of them and constantly asks everyone who walks by if they want to donate. I'm sorry but if someone stranger asked me to get on his bus and donate blood I would assume he was some kind of killer. Even if I could donate blood I still wouldn't get on a bus alone with someone to do it.

I wasn't able to donate this time at school. xD I drink too much tea so the tannins in it depleted my iron levels. Ick. I am not even vegetarian this time around when last time I was I had enough iron to donate. xD

The same thing happened when I was in high school.
Red Cross would come to my school twice every year and 16 with permission, 17 with verbal consent, and 18 without either. I turned 16 when I was a junior and immediately signed up for the first one.

My mom signed for me and I went the next day, signed in and went to the bus they assigned me too. I really did it so I could find out my blood type (A+) and get out of class. But I really enjoyed it and signed up for the second one later on.

I so badly wish that I could donate blood, but I am horrified of needles. Like, I nearly faint just thinking about them. Seriously. No joke.

My blood type is like A+, I think. So, I wouldn't be much help, anyway.

My mom is like O-, I think. XD

Aly Dreamer Jones:

My blood type is like A+, I think. So, I wouldn't be much help, anyway.

Actually A+ is very common (I think the most common blood type...? might be wrong), so it is helpful (and generally they'll take anyone who's healthy, anyway). And I know it's the most desirable blood type for donating platelets – my blood type's A+ as well, so I always feel pleased when I see the signs saying "We always need A+ platelet donors!" or the like.

I get the fear of needles thing, though. Luckily I'm not really afraid of them; I can't look when they put them in and I like them to cover up the spot where it goes in, but I'm fine as long as I look away and once it's in I don't have any problem with it.

battalions:

I get the fear of needles thing, though. Luckily I'm not really afraid of them; I can't look when they put them in and I like them to cover up the spot where it goes in, but I'm fine as long as I look away and once it's in I don't have any problem with it.

Mine is more like a phobia. The last time I had to get a shot, I nearly fainted. (The only thing that kept me conscious was a nice nurse and an ice pack.)

I think there is a lot that could be done for blood donation in the UK. It's rarely come by or talked about and if you want to donate, you really have to seek it out. It's not like anyone is saying 'donate blood', you have to find out how yourself.

I've wanted to for years but there's always a reason I can't. In the past it's been piercings or tattoos, at the moment I'm pending a blood test and am on medication (not sure if that will affect it or not). I'm generally quite ill, one way or another. Nothing physically serious but just enough that I can't donate. It really sucks.

In the UK, women have to wait four months and men three between donations.

I'm O+.

I've donated blood a handful of times, though the last time I did it I drank a lot the night before, and I think that made it suck a lot more than it would've normally.

I don't these days because I'm anemic.

@ The Rumor
That's strange to me. In the U.S. you can always go to the Red Cross and donate, but there are usually blood drives every so often. And anytime there is a disaster, they organize blood drives. After the Boston bombings, local grocery/pharmacy stores in my area were hosting the Red Cross on Saturday for blood drives. Where I grew up, they used the school gym because it was the only place big enough. You could get extra credit for donating.

Unfortunately, I can't donate because I lived in Europe for two years in the late 80s.