I would donate blood if i wasn't deathly afraid of those needles.....

 

I do it as much as I can. For the cookies and free ish.

 

And if you want to be a truly awesome human being, you can donate platelets.

-Brian

 

Fear's a funny thing. When I left high school, for a myriad of reasons and experiences, I couldn't even pull the stop chord on the bus to get off at school. On numerous occasions I got at a stop or more down the road, hoping someone else would do without a moment's hesitation what paralyzed me.

And it's only been the past year or so that I've been really comfortable calling people I'm not familiar with. It would be like a really bad case of stage fright, and after every successful call I'd rarely manage to make I'd wonder what I was so afraid of. Interestingly, I always have been able to take calls no problem though.

Driving alone was nerve racking when I started - it took me 4 tires to get my license because of nerves.

Nowadays, some of my most serene, and exciting moments have been behind the wheel. I donate and get labs done without problem, and have discovered that people are actually really bad about picking up the phone and/or returning calls.

The best I can say on getting over stuff like this is to, well, as Nike says, just do it. Dive in with a calculated risk.

The fear of needles is granted a common one, but I can say not looking at it, thinking about something else (I used to use a book), even requesting a more experienced tech all can work towards turning what scares you into the mundane.


Bravo bravo. They stopped with the Nutterbutters at the place I usually donate at though


First time I gave back in high school, I got to get on one of the apheresis machines. But it was a long wait as there was just one station with that. I asked the (very cute) lead nurse if I could help in the meantime and got to be her assistant, legitly skipping most of class that day in the process


Next time I see OneManArmy I'll ask about doing a blood drive next BAM, and wouldn't mind coordinating that if need be.

 

I would donate, but they don't want my blood... something something mad cow disease.

 

I'm down to donate everything but marrow. Sign me up.

 

That's what happens if you lived in Europe. My wife (U.S. citizen born abroad) can't donate anymore. She was pissed when they told her she couldn't donate.

-Brian

 

Wasn't there a brouhaha because gay people were told not to donate blood?

 

Probably, but if so, was probably back in the late eighties.

-Brian

 

Gay male blood donor controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "In the US, the current guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to indefinitely defer any male donor who has had sex with another man, in the period from 1977 to the present day"

But that being said, we should still be donating when we can!

Just try not to think about it, I know it took me awhile to get used to them too XD. I still feel uncomfortable sometimes, but I just remind myself that pinching myself would hurt more than the needle.

 

No idea if they still do it as I haven't done this in years, but the last time I donated it was at Alta Bates hospital in Berkeley. It was for White Blood Cell donation where I would get paid about $350 to sit in the hospital for something like 4-5 hours hooked to the apheresis machine.

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The last time I donated regular blood the person taking the donation was poking my arm multiple times and then said "Oops, I hit an artery". After that I never trusted another mobile unit person to come out to take my blood again.

 

Got some contact info for coordinating a drive with the American Red Cross. Details and such to follow...

 

My gf loves to donate, she was super bummed when she had to wait after we got back from Haiti a few years back.

 

Question: Will they take my blood if I smoke pot?

 

I think the big disqualifier is intravenous drugs, but I'd check with the Red Cross website to be doubly sure. I'd lay off it a few days prior even if it is kosher, personally.