Blood donation

Yesterday, we had a mobile blood collection in my area, and since it was only 15 minutes away from my home, I went there at the end of afternoon. After two previous trials where I got blocked because my iron was too low, this time, it was high enough, so I could do my 9th blood donation since I turned 18.

I start this topic with a few questions to you.

If you are overage, do you give blood ?

- If yes, how many donation have you done up to now ?

- if you don't give blood or if you're underage, are you going to give blood in the future ?

For those who want infos, here is the English Web site of Héma-Québec who manages the blood collections in Québec : http://www.hema-quebec.qc.ca/anglais/sang/index.htm

There might be some differences between Québec and your area regarding a few points (delay between donations, criteria, etc.)

I have donated blood before back home in New York. The local blood drive would come to our community every year around the same time so it was maybe 4 or 5 times I think.
But once I moved to suburbia (New Jersey) I stopped doing it really I'm embarrassed to say. I had 2 complicated pregnancies while I lived there for like 3 yrs so it wasn't an option really. The hospital had to draw my body weekly for the nine months of both pregnancies, I swear at one point I thought they'd never have to stop draining and testing my blood. lol So maybe subconsiously I put the thought of needles out of my mind for a while.

But I would like to donate now 4 sure. I have been here for 2 yrs in florida and I haven't seen any local Blood drives here really. I wonder if they only do it at the hospitals here.

We have had a long time without any blood drive in our area. Then they came back at 1999 and then, they come 3 to 4 times every year. They always come at April, August and October, but one year, they had to add a drive at June because of the Occidental Nile Virus issue, and this year, they came at January because the stocks were lower than usual because the weather conditions during the Christmas holiday have increased the number of accidents (so more people in need of transfusion). This winter has been the most snowy I ever lived. I stopped counting the number of snowstorms we had this winter.

Wow That's alot of Blood drives a year in your area hun. I don't think I've ever seen them that frequent here in the US in my corners of the world. It's good to donate though, If I could find a place locally here I would do it more often as well.

Snow? Ahhh, I miss snow, It's been 2 yrs since I seen the soft fluffy white stuff. In florida for winter we have fake believe snow for our holiday. How Lame.

We host some at our squad, and I usually go. I donate red blood cells. It is the same as donateing twice in one shot, but you can only do it twice a year. It takes a little longer, but it's worth it.

In Québec and Montréal areas, people who can, donate platelets. These cells have a more limited lifespan, but on the other side, you can give platelets more often than full blood. One donation has the same amount of platelet cells than six full blood donation.

Just to get back to full donations, the drives last two days every time they come at our hometown (Baie-Comeau). The first day is for the eastern sector (Marquette) and the seconday is for the western sector (Mingan). About the town itself, actually these two sectors were two separated towns in the past, but they have been merged in 1982. The western sector's old name was Hauterive.

I have never given blood, mostly because I cant stand needles AND the sight of my own blood (other people's isn't a problem )

But yes I do intend on one day. The reason idealogically because it's ood and al. The real reason however, is more because I see blood donations as a personal failure and I don't like the sound of that

Needles TERRIFY me. I fainted in the hospital! I hate them.. they suck.. I uh.. they just scare me!

I gave blood several times in my teens & early 20's, but I went a few years back to restart donating & was turned down after the medical questionnaire.

I'd like to donate, but it's out of my hands.

Sae thing happened to my Dad >.>

He donatd blood for years, thn one day he went and thezy refused his blood because he spent 4 years in England... Wankers