Comments | lemurling: Brief Public Service Announcement

lemurling

Brief Public Service Announcement

May 10, 2006 12:04

I just got an email from Blood Centers of the Pacific, begging type O donors for blood. Less than one day's supply is available, going into the unfortunately bloody Memorial Day and summer driving season. Giving blood is one of those things that I do when it's convenient, but not as I should. I feel guilty about it. So I called them up and said I ( Read more... )

apheresis

Comments 14

merovingian May 10 2006, 21:14:43 UTC

I'm type O, but unable to donate, on account of the man-sex.

lemurling May 10 2006, 21:42:23 UTC

I can't wait until they do away with that stupid policy. Of course, it doesn't look like extra testing instead of turning people away is very in vogue. If I spend too much more time in England, I'll be ineligible too. And after I go to Mexico, done for at least a year. *sigh* This is one reason there is a constant shortage

merovingian May 10 2006, 22:03:49 UTC

I honestly believe that they have good intent with those policies, but I sure hope they'll change.

ipsafictura May 10 2006, 21:49:41 UTC

I have boring and unhelpful blood, A-, I think.

lemurling May 10 2006, 21:50:40 UTC

Stanford Blood Centers is calling for all blood types.

ipsafictura May 10 2006, 21:58:26 UTC

Neat, maybe I'll go then.

anthologie May 10 2006, 22:08:43 UTC

I've been wondering whether I can donate, given the thyroid fuckedupness. I'm already anemic, and was turned away once for that, though I've been a lot better about iron since then.

lemurling May 10 2006, 23:55:10 UTC

I called to make sure that being on thyroid didn't affect things, and it doesn't, so it's pretty much dependent on if the rest of your body is healthy enough. Anemia is a pain, I've gotten turned away a few times for that, so easy to get low on iron when you don't eat a lot of red meat. Luckily, the minimum needed iron count is lower for apheresis. Good reminder to myself to take vitamins and eat well the next couple weeks though.

shutt3rg33k May 11 2006, 00:55:13 UTC

If I remember correctly, that I've had a blood transfusion makes me ineligible...

lemurling May 11 2006, 01:59:07 UTC

http://www.bloodcenters.org/donating/blood.htm

That's their URL. Heart bypass patients can donate after a year, surgery patients can as soon as they're released from a doctor's care, so you might not be ineligible. You can always call and check, so at least you know, even if you're not up to it just right now.

shutt3rg33k May 11 2006, 02:01:14 UTC

I looked. Blood transfusions are 12 months, no go. I wonder if they'd make an exception since the donor is my dad and a known good source, since he donates regularly...

It's so weird that I had a transfusion.

djinneth May 11 2006, 01:19:58 UTC

Hey, I'm happy to make a date of it! I'd love to donate again, and while I don't know if I'm eligible for apheresis, I'd sure be happy to try. Want to try to get together?

lemurling May 11 2006, 02:14:01 UTC

Sure! Apheresis requirements are the same as normal blood donation, but you need to be particularly good about eating well right before, and usually you need to have given blood before with that agency. It does take a while, just as a warning, a couple hours, as opposed to just half an hour or so.