Giving Blood

stupid head · 04-02-2014 02:16AM #1

I was considering doing this...any reason not to??

hairyprincess · 04-02-2014 02:18AM

You need it stupid head

robertpatterson · 04-02-2014 02:18AM

No reason if youre healthy and not barred from donating
Ive been giving it for years and think it should be encouraged more tbh

FearDark · 04-02-2014 02:18AM

Depends who you're giving it to.

The Backwards Man · 04-02-2014 02:21AM

I always give blood. Well apart from a few times when the stupid restrictions stopped me.

But that's the thing. Because they have so many restrictions, every who can give blood should, in my opinion. Some day, you, or someone you know, will need blood yourself.

FearDark · 04-02-2014 02:22AM

It's a terrible idea for a gift.

"Happy Birthday, I got you some blood"

hairyprincess · 04-02-2014 02:27AM

On a serious note, unless you don't satisfy the criteria for giving it them there us mo reason not to. It is the best thing you can do as a human being. Who knows when you might be in the situation that you or someone you love will need a transfusion.

And the free Coke, crisps and biscuits are a major bonus! Not to mention the free pencils!

promises · 04-02-2014 02:28AM

No reason in the world not to give it. I try and attend every 3 months.

The Backwards Man · 04-02-2014 02:28AM

hairyprincess wrote: »

On a serious note, unless you don't satisfy the criteria for giving it them there us mo reason not to. It is the best thing you can do as a human being. Who knows when you might be in the situation that you or someone you love will need a transfusion.

And the free Coke, crisps and biscuits are a major bonus! Not to mention the free pencils!

It's pens now instead of pencils. Better deal for me, as I have neither a pointer nor a rubber.

Sir Arthur Daley · 04-02-2014 02:28AM

I would love to donate blood but faint when i see it plus cant stand needles either, fair play to everyone who does.

obplayer · 04-02-2014 02:30AM

stupid head wrote: »

I was considering doing this...any reason not to??

No reason at all if you pass their rules for who they will accept from.

hairyprincess · 04-02-2014 02:31AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's pens now instead of pencils. Better deal for me, as I have neither a pointer nor a rubber.

A pointer no less! It was a topper in my day. I can see how having no rubber could be highly problematic for you.
I could do with auld pen

Manach · 04-02-2014 02:32AM

Sometimes afterwards the BTS serve plain biscuits without any chocolate covering- the horror.

The Backwards Man · 04-02-2014 02:35AM

hairyprincess wrote: »

A pointer no less! It was a topper in my day. I can see how having no rubber could be highly problematic for you.
I could do with auld pen

Silly billy. Toppers are rubbers. Pointers are sharpeners. Well, that's we called them anyways.

Then again, we called every one 'fannypads' in those days, even though we hadn't a clue what a fanny, or a pad for that matter, was.

Meangadh · 04-02-2014 02:39AM

I haven't done it in a while but next time they're around I'll go. I hate doing it because I always get weak and have to do the whole embarrassing nurses-hovering-around-me in case I faint (including one time having to put my legs up in the air while they ran for a cold swab, I was mortified!) but I know it's a good thing and that some day I may need it too. I have to do it on an evening I've nothing on though because I just fall asleep really early that night.

You do feel great for doing it though- I give money to charity every month but giving blood feels like a properly good thing to do.

hairyprincess · 04-02-2014 02:42AM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Silly billy. Toppers are rubbers. Pointers are sharpeners. Well, that's we called them anyways.

Then again, we called every one 'fannypads' in those days, even though we hadn't a clue what a fanny, or a pad for that matter, was.

Tut tut tut, what did they teach you up there? A topper is a sharpener. A rubber is an eraser.

Classes will resume in the morning. Bring me a blood pen. 8)

TeddyTedson · 04-02-2014 03:08AM

When are they going to allow gay folk donate blood?

AnonoBoy · 04-02-2014 03:13AM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

When are they going to allow gay folk donate blood?

..."OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!!" - John Waters.

Unless that blood could actually save his life and then it's "oh yeah, gimme that homosexual plasma!"

robertpatterson · 04-02-2014 03:14AM

They do allow gay men to donate blood

sawdoubters · 04-02-2014 03:15AM

Dracula will love you

TeddyTedson · 04-02-2014 03:40AM

robertpatterson wrote: »

They do allow gay men to donate blood

Not if they've been sexually active.

robertpatterson · 04-02-2014 03:44AM

They do, youre asked the question ' have you ever had sex with another man, even once, even if you used a condom? '
There is no bar at all from giving blood just because you are gay

J_E · 04-02-2014 03:57AM

Absolutely do it, many of us can't for whatever reason, no reason not to if you have time and eligible.

robertpatterson wrote: »

They do, youre asked the question ' have you ever had sex with another man, even once, even if you used a condom? '
There is no bar at all from giving blood just because you are gay

Yeah but come on...very, very few gay men haven't ever performed oral or anal sex once in their lifetime.

TeddyTedson · 04-02-2014 04:05AM

robertpatterson wrote: »

They do, youre asked the question ' have you ever had sex with another man, even once, even if you used a condom? '
There is no bar at all from giving blood just because you are gay

You're being pedantic now.

MadsL · 04-02-2014 04:45AM

I can't give blood because I didn't eat cow during the Mad Cow outbreak in the UK, but I lived there so barred in Ireland and the US. :rolleyes:

They generally wince when I tell them I am also O negative...damn useful in other words.

04-02-2014 05:16AM

I was thinking of giving blood this week, but I had a small op on my knee a couple of weeks ago. Nothing major, but will they stop me from giving blood over this does anyone know?

Ted_YNWA · 04-02-2014 05:28AM

McBain11 wrote: »

I was thinking of giving blood this week, but I had a small op on my knee a couple of weeks ago. Nothing major, but will they stop me from giving blood over this does anyone know?

There is a time frame for it. Not sure offhand. Should do, was reading the gumpf earlier when I gave blood.

Don't mind needles or blood but ended up fainting. Had the nurses hovering over me on the ground & separate bed for over hour. Only thing injured was pride. Embarrassing as fcuk. Never happened before.

Won't stop me going again. Should be an opt out process if you meet criteria. never know when you or loved one Will need it. A negative too so rare enough & suitable for neo-natal care.

keithclancy · 04-02-2014 09:00AM

MadsL wrote: »

I can't give blood because I didn't eat cow during the Mad Cow outbreak in the UK, but I lived there so barred in Ireland and the US. :rolleyes:

They generally wince when I tell them I am also O negative...damn useful in other words.

Same for me. O Neg also and lived in the UK during that period.

Arthur Beesley · 04-02-2014 09:03AM

FearDark wrote: »

It's a terrible idea for a gift.

"Happy Birthday, I got you some blood"

Not as bad as a goat for Christmas.

Arthur Beesley · 04-02-2014 09:08AM

TeddyTedson wrote: »

When are they going to allow gay folk donate blood?

Is that a rhetorical question, or do you think After Hours users will have the answer?

Maximus Alexander · 04-02-2014 09:18AM

stupid head wrote: »

I was considering doing this...any reason not to??

Nope. Do it.

I went with a friend to do it for the first time many years ago, basically just tagged along to keep him company. I was glad I did and went a few more times over the following couple of years, but then, as so often happens, I got a bit lazy and just sort of stopped going.

Until one day I got a text from the IBTS telling me that there was a baby scheduled for surgery and that I was part of a small group of people whose blood they badly needed for the little guy. They were opening the clinic out of hours specifically to accommodate people responding to this request.

I don't know much (anything) about the chemistry involved but, apparently, there was something in my blood which is fairly rare and was exactly what they needed for this baby. The impression I got was that it was more involved than a simple blood type (mine's pretty common).

Needless to say I went along gladly, and it was one of the best feelings I've ever had to know that an hour of my time and a bit of blood might have helped to save the life of a baby. They never did tell me how the surgery went though.

It's well worth doing, and you can get a bag of Tayto and a Cadbury's mini roll for free afterwards. Can't say fairer than that.

Giving Blood

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