I gave blood!

gspren · December 21, 2023, 05:34:56 PM

Jim, are you drinking extra water starting the day before you donate?

Jim_Rogers · December 21, 2023, 06:55:50 PM

Quote from: gspren on December 21, 2023, 05:34:56 PM
Jim, are you drinking extra water starting the day before you donate?

Yes sir, had three bottles before I went in.

Jim Rogers

LeeB · December 21, 2023, 07:09:40 PM

I went yesterday. Got the same person as last time and she had a hard time again but the supervisor got a good flow going. Stayed good right up until the bag was just almost full. She worked with it and got barely enough. To be able to get enough for the tubes she put a pad under the needle to prop it up a little. I felt like they were too shallow the whole time but said nothing. They tend to get more flustered when I try to help them.

Ljohnsaw · December 21, 2023, 09:29:01 PM

As I mentioned above, my local blood bank was bought up by a national syndicate. They opted to drop the Frequent Plasma program.

So last Monday was my final donation for this year and my "losses" under the old program knocks me out til 3/5/24 under their regular program. That will be just a platelet donation. Not the old platelet/plasma one.Then my next donation has to wait until 4/15/24.

I would have rather the transition/break happened over the summer when I'm typically up the hill working, not sitting around the first part of the year waiting for snow to melt.

Oh well.

red · January 14, 2024, 07:44:58 AM

Red Cross announced emergency blood shortage calls on Americans to donate

peakbagger · January 14, 2024, 08:51:54 AM

I had a rough day at the blood drive a week ago, took forever for the tech to get set up and then he had a problem putting in the needle. I have no idea what he did but it wasnt a little prick or a bit of burn from the cleaner they use, this was real sustained painful, he messed around a bit then called in a supervisor and she messed around for awhile until calling it quits. They didnt get a drop of blood. I let them do my other arm which also took forever to get set up but that one went in okay. No bruising at the first site but my arm hurt for 2 days afterwards (longer than normal). I was well hydrated to the point where I had to stop the setup and go get rid of some of excess hydration. The supervisor commented that they can tell how well hydrated someone is by looking at how well the vein bounces and mine bounced.

I am in rural area and the blood drives are usually small with maybe 3 techs. They are usually sponsored by an organization and the organization fills up the slots with their members before they open it up to the public. They fill up quick and by the time I get a text about an emergency need for blood, the spots are full. Usually when I run the search my only options are a blood center 100 miles away. There are also 3 Red Cross blood centers roughly equidistant and frequently the search for drives based on zip codes is incomplete. I usually need to enter a couple of different zip codes about 20 miles apart for all the remote donation sites to show up. I try to give every 3 months but it may take me 2 months to get a slot nearby. The other issue is the various incentives they say in the texts they are giving out. The remote drives rarely if ever have anything and usually the gift cards never appear. I think I got one out of three tries.

I have run of the mill blood, I sure hope they handle the rarer blood types better.

doc henderson · January 14, 2024, 09:19:50 AM

Things are better than they were. for a while we only got a few PRCs. now we have more. I am sure that they have trouble getting and keeping staff. some are nurses that like the travel and others are techs, hired and trained off the street so to speak. all of their training and experience if from that job. My wife's friend that she donates with had a series of bad experiences. Most of them was starting to pass out and be dizzy after donating. not their fault. Please hang in there. most will go to trauma victims and cancer patients including children. you are saving lives.

LeeB · January 14, 2024, 06:15:17 PM

Scheduled for Feb 23. Can't give again before then.

gspren · January 31, 2024, 07:28:04 PM

Donated earlier today, no issues, and that's the way I like it!

Jim_Rogers · April 09, 2024, 03:23:51 PM

Donated today, Iron passed, and got a good flow. Was out very quickly.

Got a new shirt to give away to someone.

Jim Rogers

doc henderson · April 09, 2024, 04:02:32 PM

wear that shirt with pride Jim. Thank you! Saving lives and taking names.

LeeB · April 09, 2024, 08:17:48 PM

I need to reschedule last time I went my blood pressure was high.

Ed_K · April 23, 2024, 06:45:06 PM

Way to go Jim

, Rita got one too.

gspren · May 22, 2024, 07:14:51 PM

I donated today and it was smooth sailing

in the past my iron was sometimes low or borerline so I started taking a multi vitamin with Iron and today it was 14 so great.

doc henderson · May 22, 2024, 09:13:43 PM

Nice! thank you.

Jim_Rogers · June 19, 2024, 02:42:52 PM

Tried to donate today. No luck getting a flow on/with right arm. She tried the left. Got a small flow and cotted the line.
She told me to drink lots of water the day before the donation as well as the day of the donation. I drank three bottles of water today beforehand.
Iron count was ok.

Jim Rogers

doc henderson · June 19, 2024, 10:22:35 PM

hang in!

Ljohnsaw · June 19, 2024, 11:00:46 PM

My plasma loses are finally down that they're taking me again. First time giving packed red cells and platelets Monday before last. Going next Monday for platelets again. We'll see if they want anything else.

gspren · June 20, 2024, 08:26:32 PM

Quote from: Jim_Rogers on June 19, 2024, 02:42:52 PMTried to donate today. No luck getting a flow on/with right arm. She tried the left. Got a small flow and cotted the line.
She told me to drink lots of water the day before the donation as well as the day of the donation. I drank three bottles of water today beforehand.
Iron count was ok.

Jim Rogers

I've found it helps to drink extra the day before and the day of. I normally donate around 4-5 pm.

LeeB · June 20, 2024, 10:28:19 PM

I need to schedule an appointment. Last time I went they said my blood pressure was high but it checks normal any other time I have it checked.

wuddy777 · July 02, 2024, 04:47:11 AM

Quote from: LeeB on June 20, 2024, 10:28:19 PMI need to schedule an appointment. Last time I went they said my blood pressure was high but it checks normal any other time I have it checked.

Posibily because you're stressed? Maybe you drank some coffee or an energy drink?
I don't think it's a bad thing to have high blood pressure, right? I mean that is what makes it easier to donate blood, no?

doc henderson · July 02, 2024, 08:44:46 AM

hypertension is OK for short term but not over 30 years.

Old saw fixer · July 02, 2024, 10:33:10 AM

I now take Xarelto, which keeps me from giving blood as I understand the no no's.

Jim_Rogers · July 02, 2024, 10:51:27 AM

At the last time I tried to donate, I clotted the line at the very beginning of my try.
The online system will not let me schedule another donate date for next week.
I called a phone number that I had for the Red Cross and she said that I have to wait till my 56 days are up even though I didn't donate.

Jim Rogers