Blood, a nice gift!

[honeyb35 10]

DD is a regular blood donor. A couple of days after she was born (30+ years ago) it was discovered that I needed a transfusion of 3 pints. I'd lost a lot due to complications at her birth. I've given back 2 pints but she's donated what must be a few gallons now!

 

Bethsmummy, glad your daughter is well now. Who knows, she may become a donor when she grows up, just like mine.

 

Can you donate after a transfusion? Have I got it wrong?

I hope so, I'd love to donate blood, but had a transfusion 9 years ago.

[Hetty 12]

I used to give blood regularly, sadly, now I am diabetic, I can't. EVERYONE should donate however infrequently, none of us know when we could need it.

[Saffy 10]

What a lovely thoughtful thread.

 

Unfortunately, because of the amount of drugs I am taking, I am unable to give blood .. but would if I were able.

 

Applause from me also, to all those out there who make the time to do this.

[CarolW 10]

Can you donate after a transfusion? Have I got it wrong?

I hope so, I'd love to donate blood, but had a transfusion 9 years ago.

 

I'm afraid not.... Anyone who has had a transfusion since 1980 can't now donate themselves, due to a possible risk of passing on vCJD... more often known as "Mad Cow Disease"!!!!!!

 

Sorry!!!! :)

 

Please keep encouraging other folk to donate.... that's always a great way to "give something back"!!!!!!

[CarolW 10]

There was a news report on the price of blood - what the Blood service charges hospitals for the old vino.

 

£120 per quarter litre.... that's the cost of a donation just in terms of collecting it.

 

I do platelets every fortnight - I hate to think what that cost as a needle and centrifuge, one shot costs over £200 and you get about a cupful of "product". Then there is the cost if they urgently want a type matched donor - I've been delivered by air ambulance to a hospital before now to make a donation (sadly I got a train back ).

 

It's unbeleivable the amount of stuff that has to happen in the background all the time to ensure we have enough blood on tap. The one thing that really depresses me is only 6% of elegible people actually donate - please, please, do what they say. Do something amazing, and give blood.

 

Yes, there is an awful lot of background work!!!!! It doesn't just come out of the arm of the donor and straight into the nearest hospital.......!!!!!

 

If it did, I would be out of a job!!!!!!!!

 

There's a lot of testing/processing/data entry, normally we can have a unit of blood ready for issue to hospital in 24 hours....

 

One donor, on receiving his call-up letter, gave the letter to his brother, who went along to donate..... He answered all the questions as if he was the actual donor - Name, Address, Date of Birth etc - the unit was taken....

Back at the centre, on testing the blood group, it was different to that on record, so there was a lot of panic-stricken kerfuffle, thinking "OMG, what's wrong with our testing system?????" until the actual donor was contacted and he confessed all.....!!!!!!!

 

A day in the life of a Blood Transfusion Scientist!!!!!!! :hihi:

[Bulgarian 10]

You do all those tests on the blood, why don't you test for STD's ?

[Eater Sundae 12]

You do all those tests on the blood, why don't you test for STD's ?

 

I thought that they do.

[CarolW 10]

You do all those tests on the blood, why don't you test for STD's ?

 

We test for Syphilis, HIV 1 + 2, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HTLV and some other tests on selected donations......

 

Generally, blood donors tend to be fairly healthy individuals - we do the screening tests as a precaution, not for a diagnosis!!!

 

If you want a diagnosis, go to your GUM clinic....

 

Mind you, I did hear of someone in Scotland, who went to donate... When asked if there was any reason why he/she shouldn't donate, the answer was "No"..... Answering the question "Are you waiting to see any medical professional, or awaiting any test results?" He/she answered " Waitng for test results from the GUM clinic"

 

He/she was rejected.......... :hihi:

[Forumosaurus 10]

Yeah it's good to hear like, a real persons story, the NHS is always saying thanks but it mean much more when it comes from someone who needed it, I give it every 13 weeks except I have to wait until December now because I went to caribbean in June hah

 

And cool Obelix I never knew that, £120 lol? Dayym.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Forumosaurus

[Classic Rock 10]

It's lovely to read everyone's stories, I do applaud anyone who gives blood. I have done so half a dozen times in my life, but after each donation I've felt really ill, dizzy and sick. I've ended up lying in recovery for up to an hour at a time. I kept going back as I hoped it wasn't a thing that would happen regularly but it carried on being an issue. The nurses advised me to stop going. I left it a few years, tried again, but the same thing happened.

 

I've had to resign myself that my body objects to donating which is pretty depressing.

[Forumosaurus 10]

Least you gave it a go, could still have saved someones life by donating what you did

[alirosdan 10]

I have just donated pint number 26. During this time, both my mum and grandma received blood from donors, so I feel I have given something back on their behalf. And yes, Truman, the coffee and biscuits are good too