I gave blood!

Andries · March 17, 2021, 07:55:09 PM

Good to hear from you GAB!
Agreed.
I can still feel my heartbeat under that bandage - I'll try to plan better next time. 😆

WDH · March 17, 2021, 08:59:31 PM

DanG Andries. DanG!

Andries · March 17, 2021, 10:32:44 PM

In the moment, my worst Dutch swearing abilities came roaring out.
I learned that vocabulary from my father during rush hour traffic jams.
My son, who witnessed me doing my own involuntary bloodletting, and is a police officer, said: " yeah, don't know what you just yelled, but I might have to charge you with public indecency."

GAB · March 18, 2021, 10:17:52 AM

Quote from: Andries on March 17, 2021, 10:32:44 PM
In the moment, my worst Dutch swearing abilities came roaring out.

Now I know that an Andries moment is one picosecond. (.000000000001 second)
Thanks,
GAB

gspren · March 18, 2021, 07:38:04 PM

While I didn't donate yet I did put the wheels in motion. Since it's been some years and I take some medication that's different than the last time I donated I checked with and got the OK from my doc, next I checked for blood drives near me and there is one at the VFW I belong to on May 3rd and it is now on my calendar. I'm trying!

gspren · April 21, 2021, 09:46:56 PM

I donated this evening! I had been going to go next month but heard of a drive at a local church so I went today, @doc henderson gets credit since i wouldn't have gone without his prodding. Something there surprised me, more than half of the donors were Amish and this was at a Presbyterian church, I knew the Amish were big supporters of the local fire departments but didn't realize they donated blood. Maybe @Roxie can chime in.

LeeB · April 21, 2021, 09:56:23 PM

I have an appointment for my next donation on May 26th.

doc henderson · April 21, 2021, 10:00:55 PM

good job guys. my wife has been on hold. I am due to go and you may have just inspired me! saving lives!

Roxie · April 22, 2021, 03:07:55 AM

Quote from: gspren on April 21, 2021, 09:46:56 PMI knew the Amish were big supporters of the local fire departments but didn't realize they donated blood. Maybe @Roxie can chime in.

You are correct in connecting the volunteers with the fire department and blood donations. They are trained as EMTs and spread the word throughout their community when there is a local blood drive and how important it is to donate. They also show up in force when a member is given blood to cover their cost.
Yesterday's news had an article about 2 Amish men getting their 20 year service pins from a local fire department.

Ed_K · April 22, 2021, 09:11:06 AM

Rita is giving for me. Because I can't as I am sick she's doing it in case I need it in the future, I love her for all she does for me. Best wife and caregiver ever ;).

doc henderson · April 22, 2021, 09:20:15 AM

great job gals as well!

Ljohnsaw · April 22, 2021, 10:00:41 AM

I just did my bi-weekly platelet donation on Monday. Since I had my 1st C19 shot two weeks prior (the day after my last donation), I had to answer the new question as "yes". That prompted a few other questions. Looking at my donation wellness report, there is a Covid antibody result. That used to be negative but now shows a "1". I'll have to ask them about it next time.

As a side note, they must be totaling their statistics differently. Where I reported 360 donations back in early March, now they show 427 ??? (53 gallons, 3 pints). Also, they have a running total for the current year - 8 donations totaling 1 gallons, 0 pints.

Jim_Rogers · April 22, 2021, 10:03:25 AM

I went to give blood last Friday. Due to the fact that I opened my big mouth and told them that my recent covid test was negative they refused to let me donate until 14 days from the test date had passed.
I'm rescheduled for this Friday, same place but later in the day.
Jim Rogers

mike_belben · April 22, 2021, 10:22:21 AM

my wife is a phlebotomist for medic.. which is basically a red cross in our region. she says if youve had covid your blood is extremely valuable. blood of all types is critically low across the nation.

gspren · April 22, 2021, 01:16:40 PM

When I donated yesterday I signed an OK for them to test my blood to see if I have had Covid, I don't think I did but I guess it's possible, they wrote down the dates and type of vaccine I received.

gspren · May 01, 2021, 06:43:41 AM

As a follow up to my post above I got a letter from the blood bank saying I tested positive for antibodies so maybe I had or was exposed to the virus? The letter also said that I may be contacted for another test to see if my plasma would be eligible/needed for treating others. This surprised me as I was sure I didn't get it, my wife also never showed any sign of having it so maybe a false positive.

doc henderson · May 01, 2021, 08:10:03 AM

some folks are very asymptomatic, and others are sure they had it 5 years ago. I think it is reassuring. this test is very accurate, it is the nasal swabs (antigen) that tend to have some false negatives, and some false positives. Blood banks are very precise. It is too early to know but I think you can rely on this result. a person might dispense the wrong unit, but I have not heard of the blood actually being miss typed.

Old saw fixer · June 10, 2021, 10:46:48 AM

I donated yesterday. I had found there was a drive at VSP headquarters where I worked installing the radios and emergency equipment in the police cars. After my donation (7 minutes from stick to done) I went to the install shop and chewed the fat with my old coworkers. A good day.....

mike_belben · June 10, 2021, 02:20:09 PM

Theres only 25 pints of O-neg left in all of east Tennessee. Extreme shortages, plz donate guys.

Old saw fixer · August 11, 2021, 12:58:47 PM

Return engagement blood donation at VSP Headquarters on August 4. I started the day at the dermatologist, I think she emptied the liquid nitrogen bottle on me, lol.

gspren · August 11, 2021, 09:41:38 PM

I also did a return trip and donated again today, same local church as last time and I recognized a few of the Amish donors that were there for the last drive. An hour or so out of my time, free t-shirt, cookies, and attention from young ladies all while saving a life, what could be more satisfying.

doc henderson · August 12, 2021, 12:47:08 AM

wife and friend gave yesterday. Thanks everyone, there is a shortage!

Roxie · August 12, 2021, 01:43:55 AM

Heroes one and all!

gspren · August 24, 2021, 10:53:33 PM

I'm going to give a little "blood receiver" story here. Yesterday while having lunch at the VFW I talked with a retired Marine that lost a few inches of leg bone years ago from getting shot but he gets by fairly well other than arthritic pains. He had been feeling tired and weak so the VA Doc got some blood work done and they called him at home and said get to the hospital your blood counts so low there may be internal bleeding, hospital ran tests and determined his bod just isn't making red cells so they gave him a couple units and he says he can hardly believe how fast he felt better. I told him he must have got some of my Navy blood which is higher test than Marine blood because that's just how we pick on each other but I'm glad to see first hand some one deserving get blood shortly after I donated.

LeeB · September 23, 2021, 10:50:34 AM

Tried to give blood Tuesday but they never could get a good flow. All three of them gave it a wack and the last guy, who was supposed to be a vein whisperer, couldn't ever get it going. He got a good spurt at one point and it stopped right away. He fiddled around and got it going again but it didn't last long. After that he really started digging around without ever pulling the needle until it really started to hurt. Now I have a huge bruise and a sore arm. Just a few weeks ago I had a CBC and my platelets are on the lower side of normal although they are a high on the MPV (11.6). Last time I gave blood I kinda started to dry up right at the end. @doc henderson You got any ideas why this is happening? I drank plenty of fluids before hand each time.