We’re over halfway through January, so I figured it was a good time to remind people about this 
I tried to donate today, but my iron was too low. I had 36, they want 38.
The nice Red Cross fingerstick person told me that caffeine can interfere with iron absorption, so if you want to donate, give up the coffee for a couple weeks beforehand.
Robin
I’m too English to give blood.
I gave on Monday. I was going to wait for my husband to be able to give again, but the Blood Bank called and said they were having an ‘O’ party (with oranges and Oreos as treats) ;-). So, I couldn’t say no and I went in. I also took along my 17 year old son, who donated for the first time.
He said he felt good about himself afterwards, and would like to go again, so I think I’ll just take him along with me from now on.
That’s awesome that your son is getting into the donation thing!
I’ve donated once, and then promptly became ineligible to donate (too light, too little iron, other reasons). But, I am badgering the student government to host another blood drive here on campus, and I will herd all my friends to the vampires when the time comes.
I’m donating next Friday, 57 days after last time. Would do it on Thursday, but I’m seeing Flogging Molly that night and want to be bandage free for the show.
Thanks for this reminder. I just moved, and hadn’t remembered to call my local blood bank to sign up. I try to give as often as possible. I’m one of the few women I know who doesn’t have an iron problem.
Plus I’m O, so they love me. 
Well, I used to do Platelets but I started feeling like total sh*t after so I stopped. I am going to start up with the blood again in October (1 year after the tattoo).
I have to mention this though because it’s just too cool - The 13th was my 25th birthday. My sister and her husband both donated for their first times ever as a gift for my first quarter century. I don’t think I’ve ever received such a thoughtful present. I wish we lived closer together so I could hug them both.
For you skinny pre-menopausal females with iron just too low to get through the gate…
A good over-the counter iron pill is Vitron-C a combo of absorbable iron and vitamin C, which apparently helps the iron stay with you.
They always have to spin me, but I get through the screen since starting on these.
As a skinny veined person, I’m always jealous of the big vein types (especially men) who get done twice as fast as me.
And all you pheresis people… you are saints.
( I finally got over a gallon in the same year a couple of years ago. Went to the major hospital system appreciation dinner held in the hospital cafeteria. There were a couple of hundred donors there to see the multi-gallon donors get certificates of appreciation. The people who were helped got up and made thank you speeches–it was really a moving experience.)
Just do it!
If I could stay conscious while giving blood, I’d do it more often.
But that’s just a weird side effect of normally being asleep during the day. You’d think blood donor clinics would be open at night…
There’d probably be more vampire robberies then.
One of the drawbacks of losing weight is that I am once again under the weight limit. I would ask my brother but I don’t think he can donate, what with him spending so much time overseas.
Question- if one of your kids is ill and needs blood, can you donate for them regardless of your own weight? No emergency, just wondering!
I gave today (unit#14)
Brian