I gave blood!

[LeeB]

I gave last week also and had a good stick and draw this time. I showed the lady where three veins were, what direction they ran, and told her the best of the three is the one she can't see. She took the best one and all went great. Already scheduled for my next appointment in 56 days. 

[doc henderson]

great job Lee.  blood is liquid but also considered an organ.  so, we are all organ donors.  absolutely lifesaving in many instances.  It used to be we could get whatever we needed. now it is limited, and we do not get most from a distribution center in Wichita.  Now it goes out to hospitals, and everyone calls around to find what they need, and the hospitals share.  when you need it, you often need it NOW.  thanks everyone.

[LeeB]

The lady that did my mini physical was a hoot. She was, I guess, somewhere around 50. She started out telling me how handsome, strong and generous I was. I laughed and told her, "You are a horrible liar and a wonderful flirt. Please carry on."  :D :D :D 

[Andries]

Flirting = attention without intention.
😎

[jb616]

Hit my 7 gallon milestone yesterday...

[doc henderson]

at that level, there are several children with cancer that you have helped, and a near fatal car accident or two.  thanks!

[LeeB]

Flirting = attention without intention.
😎

Actually her intentions were to put me at ease, which she did quite well. It wasn't just me. She treated the next guy the same. Even so, it was still a nice ego boost for an old fart. 

[doc henderson]

like a good waitress at an old diner.  can argue and razz in a fun way and takes it back in return.  

[Texas Ranger]

I probably asked this before, but, I tried to give blood some years ago, 40 years after I left the service, and the folks said I had some sort of chems/cells/what ever that said I had had (Tom) break bone fever, which I did, and did not take the blood.  Were they overly cautious or mistaken?

[doc henderson]

 

 



doing a power red, or 2 units of red cells, they give me back plasma, platelets, and some saline.  feels cold, but you are only down an once and a half when done.

[PoginyHill]

I normally give power (or double) reds as well. Last week, I had the saline infiltrate after the first round, so had to abandon that attempt. That was a first for me. They said they can still use the one round that I gave.

[doc henderson]

It was my first time, but that was the bed that was open.  online they only want the more needed types like O- universal doner.  the machine has a centrifuge, and works a bit like a dialysis machine.

[LeeB]

They asked me if I would do power red last time but it had been too soon since my last whole blood donation. You can do whole 6 times a year and power red 3 time a year. I'll probably stay with whole.

[Ljohnsaw]

I did my usual 2 week thing - triple platelet and 1 plasma.  Usually I go in at 7:30 and home by 11.  I had a "retirees breakfast" this morning at 9, so I went in at 11:45.  Got home at 3:30 after picking up a few groceries.  That shoots the whole day!

[gspren]

Donated again today, back on schedule at the local church. No problems but I noticed the lady near me donated slightly faster than I did  :( well she was much younger, I think I was able to eat my little bag of cookies faster than her though  8).

[Ljohnsaw]

I had to report for Jury Duty on Monday (3/21) so I canceled my platelet donation.  Then the judge dismissed us all as the parties came to an agreement (apparently a civil case?).  So I called the blood center and they just had a cancellation that I could fill!

They noted that they stated testing for Covid antibodies again as of 3/20.  I just checked the website and my results are not back yet.  My household all had C19 over Christmas so I expect to see a positive result, probably will take another week.

[doc henderson]

I did not get the test with mine, but just got informed my 2 units went to hospitals in Ks.

[Ljohnsaw]

I checked back on the site just now and my blood tested "Reactive +".  This is from their web site info page:

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody was detected at levels sufficiently high that your plasma may be used as COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma.

Reactive+ test results may occur: after a COVID-19 vaccination, or during or after a COVID-19 infection.  

Additional information about Reactive+ test results:

• Rarely, a Reactive+ test result may be due to infection with a related common-cold coronavirus or other conditions, or it could be a false-positive result. If you haven't been vaccinated and don't believe you had COVID-19 or were exposed to it, this might be the case.
• If you've been vaccinated, this test cannot determine if you ever had a COVID infection.
• The meaning of a Reactive+ antibody result in individuals who had COVID-19 or received a COVID-19 vaccine is unknown. You should not interpret Reactive+ test results to mean that having antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 will protect you from getting infected again or help reduce the severity or duration of a future COVID-19 infection

I was vaccinated (both doses) back in April of last year but no booster.  I also tested positive for C19 at Christmas 2021.  Since the vacc. wanes over time, I feel this is from the infection 3 months ago.  But I do disagree with the last part of the last (3rd bullet) point.

I wonder if they are going to call me in extra for plasma.  I am on their Frequent Plasma program.  This keeps me from getting differed when doing my platelet donations every 2 weeks.  There is a certain amount of "other" fluid losses that they are required to track.  Being FP, they do additional tests during the year and that ups my plasma limit to a crazy amount.  I *could* give plasma 3 times a week if I so choose and had the time.  I did that for a few months but the incidental red blood cell loss caused me to be differed for 2 months (like if I gave whole blood).

[doc henderson]

antibodies are the early warning system and get the immune system up and going faster.  some are just incidental and a sign, but the ones to the spike protein are what was in the infusion you got if you were early in the infection to decrease severity.  I have often thought the being a pediatrician and exposed to all the other coronas, may have protected me some.  to differentiate infection from immunization there is the capsid antibody test.  I would like to get that to see if I have ever been infected.  Do not think I have been.  would be almost impossible to have not been, but maybe I am just to mean to notice the difference.  

[gspren]

Rejected today! I went today to give on the 8 week scheduled appointment and my iron was at 12.9 and must be 13 or higher  >:( . The dude checking it said not usually a big deal with regular donors and will probably be OK next time. Is this the reason I've been tired lately or is it the 70 birthdays? 

[doc henderson]

70 birth days!   Hg of 13 is great.  transfuse at 7.  normal men at 14 women 12.  feel fine.  they do not want to take your reserve.  if it is low again, get an iron study and anemia workup.  I would send you home from the ED with anything over a 7 unless SOB or chest pain, from other causes exacerbated by the anemia.  thanks for giving.  (trying)

[Ljohnsaw]

must be 13 or higher

I like spinach salads.  When my Hg is 18 or above (the new threshold), they reject me.  So I have to cut back on my big salads.  I've been running 16 with a couple in the upper 15s and low 17s.

[LeeB]

Mine usually runs pretty high. My last one was 18.1. I think they have raised the limits again to 20 if I remember right. My last attempt went great to start and then suddenly the flow just stopped. They worked the needle around trying to get it to start again but no luck. Several times now it has been a less than pleasant experience  with botched jabs and low output. I'm going to try one more time and then will call it quits if it goes bad again.

[Ljohnsaw]

What they told me is when its up (over 18 ), your blood is too thick an lowers the output.  Make sure you hydrate WELL.  Drink lots of water the night before.

[doc henderson]

the high viscosity makes it flow less well.  you have 90W gear lube for blood instead of 30W.     the real issues occur at levels of 21 or higher.  the treatment is "bloodletting" (as it used to be called) and the complications are flow related, like clots, MI, and stroke.  That is Hg and is in units of mg/dl.  if you multiply by 3 it approximates the hematocrit that is the red cell volume by percent.  So normal % is 42% red cells to total volume.  At a Hg of 18 your % cells is 54%.  AT 21 the % is 63%.  When over half the blood is made up of cells instead of liquid, things slow down.  remember most capillaries are just bigger than a red cell at 7 angstroms.  I agree with hydration before as this will increase the plasma amount and reduce the Hg/Hct.