Yes, O+
Yep. Typed it in high school science. Only A+ I ever got in high school.
I don’t know my blood type, and figure I don’t have to. Anybody who cares or might care probably knows already; it’s not like I don’t have a medical history.
O-. I used to give fairly regularly. I can’t now due to my cancer. I’m not sure if it’s the cancer itself or my medications which is the problem.
I don’t remember if I knew before I joined the Army but I’ve certainly known since then.
O+, like most.
I assume the emails the Red Cross sends me every 56 days saying they need my blood type are just marketing. If it were O-, maybe I would believe it, but no biggie.
Donating blood is almost the perfect act of charity. Rich or poor makes no difference - it costs everyone the same. And the person you benefit never meets you, and you don’t get anything out of it (besides cookies and those little pins they give you after you give a gallon).
Regards,
Shodan
I’ve known I was O- for almost my entire life. I’m a universal donor, meaning that everyone, no matter their blood type, can take my blood without a problem.
Growing up I was told that ambulances carried O- blood since everyone could use it. I don’t think it’s true now, and may never have been true, but I remember it made me feel very special at the time.
It wouldn’t matter if you knew or not. Any blood bank is going to test you for blood type and possible alloantibodies before issuing any units regardless of what you tell them. If there is an emergency and not time for this to be completed then there is a procedure in place to issue O negative uncrossmatched blood - just enough to hold the patient until the crossmatch is finished. If fresh frozen plasma is needed then AB is used. Platelets can be used regardless of type usually.
I do know my type as well as antigen phenotype courtesy of a very slow night in the lab. I was very bored.
It’s a bit more involved than simply mixing blood samples. Serum and red blood cells are separated with the red cells being tested with commercial antisera and the serum tested against commercially produced screening cells. Used to take about half an hour but I haven’t worked in the blood bank for about 11 years so things might be more advanced now. I do know they use more automation than we used to have.
Should you know? Are you pregnant?
If you’re Rh negative and you give birth to an Rh positive baby, you need to get a rhogam shot to keep you from developing Rh positive antibodies, which might damage a subsequent Rh positive fetus.
But they check for that when it’s pertinent.
I enjoyed giving blood when I could. But I haven’t been able to in 20 years, since I lived in the UK during the mad cow outbreak for something like 4 or 5 months, and because I spent more than 5 years in Europe cumulatively between 1980 and today. I suppose I could lie, but I’m assuming the powers that be know best, so I’ve refrained.
I am O-. Red Cross gets after me the minute I become eligible. They don’t keep track of when I double donate.
Wife is an O+. she has iron issues so rarely is eligible. They don’t call her much. My kids better be O something or someone gonna have some 'splainin to do.
You need to donate around here. Fresh cheese curds and sliced cheesed platters with crackers usually donated by one of the local cheese plants. Baked goods - cakes and bars - donated by whichever church ladies group is sponsoring (they rotate.) Sometimes little sausages from the meat shops. When I leave, I am usually to stuffed to eat. I’ve donated regularly over 15 years and have never received a pin.
A Pos, and I donate when I can(always at conventions that feature blood drives).
I do!
BO +/-
I know because mom is AB, dad is O and sister is B-.
People asking why I don’t check blood type with routine labs is one of my pet peeves. I have to waste time explaining that if they need blood they will be retested anyway because no hospital will take somebody’s word for it. I then have to explain that it is not covered by insurance because it will not affect their medical treatment and there is no medical reason to check routinely. I then explain that I will check it if they want but they will have to pay for the test. I then usually suggest that they donate blood and get it checked for free.
I’m CMV negative, which is surprising considering my age and the fact I have lived in several countries in my lifetime. It’s cool because my blood can be used for babies! (I learned this from donating blood)
I used to donate platelets and I’m also CMV negative. They loved to see me show up every month.
GaryM
AB negative, supposedly the rarest type. I’m 66, have known since I was 18 and first gave blood.
Now, according to WebMD I’m a prime candidate for dementia. Yay me.
Wait, a blood type can make you more susceptible to disease or bad health conditions?
When I was in the Air Force in the 80s, I’m pretty sure I was told my blood type was A-. But I can’t remember for sure.
I asked my doctor if he would test me so I’d know, but he said it wasn’t necessary. His rational was that if I was in a bad accident and needed a transfusion, I probably wouldn’t even be conscious to tell them blood type I had.
And–when you get a transfusion in an emergency, they will test you anyway. The hospital will not take your word for it. That would leave them open to a major lawsuit if I was wrong about my blood type.