# I gave blood today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270 "2006-07-20T02:11:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/1 "2006-07-20T02:11:59Z")
The Bloodmobile was at work, so I donated. (Anyone else get the tune of _The Gnomemobile_ in his head when he hears ‘Bloodmobile’?) Svetlana, the pretty Russian phlebotomist, asked me if I am allergic to iodine. I told her I wasn’t, and then we talked about Russian food and she told me of a local Russian deli. She swabbed my arm with Betadine solution and I said, 'Wait. Did you say _iodine?_ :eek: ’ She stopped a moment and then said, ‘I ask you already and you say no.’ Didn’t fall for it. Oh, well. There’s always the next phlebotomist. 😃 When I signed in they gave me a coupon for a #1 Combo Meal at Wahoo’s Fish Taco. Sweet. Found out my blood pressure is in the normal range. 120 over 80. I’d rather it be 120 over 70. I’ll have to work on that. But I’ve been eating more healthfully recently. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/2 "2006-07-20T02:37:30Z")
From all the people out there who will benefit from your donation: Thank you. You ROCK! ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/3 "2006-07-20T02:44:41Z")
Am I the only one who cringed at the name “Wahoo’s Fish Taco”? And thanks. Your thread reminded me I’m overdue for a donation. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/4 "2006-07-20T06:22:43Z")
And I should get around to that too… Drat you and your kind for reminding me! I’m almost jealous of my friend- he recently got an HIV test that came back (false) positive. Much follow-up testing later, it was determined that he did not indeed have HIV. But with a HIV+ test on his record, he can’t give again. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/5 "2006-07-20T10:33:04Z")
I discovered when last back in the US that having lived overseas, I can’t donate any longer. :mad: Hmmm, I live in Germany now - I wonder if I can donate here or if I’d be disqualifed because I’ve lived in America… ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/6 "2006-07-20T10:53:08Z")
I need to donate blood again, next chance I get. Haven’t been able to recently with stomach bugs, cold, 'flu and associated crap. Coming right again now, though. Seeing as my blood type’s the same as my mother’s was, I consider it repaying the system that tried helping her. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/7 "2006-07-20T10:53:46Z")
I’m not allowed to donate either. Stupid Graves’ Disease…hasn’t even been a problem in years…grumble grumble… Well, good on ya, **Johnny**! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/8 "2006-07-20T11:40:19Z")
Wow, what a coincidence! I gave on 19JUL also. My phlebotomist wasn’t partcularly pretty, but she was quite fun. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/9 "2006-07-20T12:16:17Z")
I gave last week for the first time ever. I haven’t weighed enough until maybe the last year or so, and I must say also that [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=376534&highlight=blood) had a lot to do with my decision. I was kind of worried about feeling woozy afterward, but as it turned out, I felt chipper before, during, and after. Physically, that is. For some reason, I was really nervous, although I don’t usually have any problem with needles. I think it’s just that I hate a damn finger-stick so much. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/10 "2006-07-20T12:38:59Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > But with a HIV+ test on his record, he can’t give again. Even if it was shown to be a _false_ positive? Is there something else that would cause a false positive that would disqualify him? I know they test for STDs and will notify the donor if they find something. Any idea how long after donating they do that? (Just curious. I don’t engage in high-risk activity, haven’t likely been exposed to CJD, etc.) [quote=Dung Beetle[I think it’s just that I hate a damn finger-stick so much.[/quote] That’s not so bad. The spring-loaded device is virtually painless. But the adhesive strip they put on after makes it ‘different’ to type. And I absentmindedly scratched my shoulder and got blood on my white shirt. Thanks for the good words, everyone; but it ‘ain’t no thing’. All I did was lie there and chat with a pretty girl. I didn’t even have to go to them. They came to the campus and it was only like 250 steps from my desk. My g/f says she doesn’t donate to Red Cross. She goes to a hospital to donate platelets. She believes that Red Cross charges too much for blood, and that by donating at a hospital it gets distributed more quickly. I have no evidence either way. The release form I signed said that blood that does not end up being used for transfusions and whatnot will be used for research. In light of the recent veto of the stem cell research bill, I like the idea that donating blood to the Red Cross may result in some sort of research being done (even if it’s not stem cell research). ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/11 "2006-07-20T12:40:35Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > From all the people out there who will benefit from your donation: Thank you. > > You ROCK! Theoretically, how many people can benefit from one donation? Is it a one donation one person thing or can one donation help 10 people? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/12 "2006-07-20T12:44:38Z")
> [@One And Only Wanderers](#): > > Theoretically, how many people can benefit from one donation? Is it a one donation one person thing or can one donation help 10 people? [From here](http://www.givelife2.org/aboutblood/faq.asp): > [@](#): > > **What is done with donated blood?** > Typically, each donated unit of blood - referred to as whole blood - is separated into multiple components, such as red blood cells, plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipatitated AHF (antihemophilic factor). Each component can be transfused to different individuals with different needs. Therefore, each donation can be used to help save as many as three lives. ---
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/13 "2006-07-20T17:26:06Z")
I wish I’d had a phlebotomist like Svetlana. When i gave a couple weeks ago, i got a gent named Kassam, who took 7 TRIES to find the vein, and then had to have another gent actually get the needle in the vein enough to finish the draw. Typically it takes me ~6 minutes for a pint. It took 28 MINUTES to fill the pint this time. And I got a bruise the bigger than a silver dollar. Stoopid arm. And in 45 days, i’ll do it again… Eli ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/14 "2006-07-20T20:23:10Z")
I gave blood today…my 44th pint, IIRC. My phlebotomist was a very nice young man with an exotic African accent and a very light touch with the needle. I also got a t-shirt and a fine selection of snack cakes. Sometimes they have homemade cookies and trail mix. Those days rock. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/15 "2006-07-20T21:28:18Z")
I’m feeling a bit smug because lately I’ve been doing the [ALYX](http://www.lifesource.org/donatingALYX.asp) donations where you donate two pints of red blood cells rather than just one pint of whole blood. It helps twice as many people and I have to wait 16 weeks between donations (as opposed to the 8 weeks between regular donations) - which means I only have to remember to do it half as often. A toast to all my fellow Doper Donors! We rock! ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/16 "2006-07-20T22:23:15Z")
> [@Surly Chick](#): > > I discovered when last back in the US that having lived overseas, I can’t donate any longer. :mad: That one got me, too. Showed up at the desk, only to learn that they didn’t want my Eurotrashy blood. Ah well. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/17 "2006-07-20T22:33:51Z")
I never get a chance to forget to donate – the Red Cross calls me 8 weeks to the day after my last donation. Then, when I suggest a date/time for an appointment, they tell me that they’re all booked at that time. Hmmm…can’t need my blood too bad, then, can ya? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/18 "2006-07-21T00:38:34Z")
Thanks to everyone who donates. Working in a hospital blood bank, I see a lot of blood, plasma, and platelets going out to patients who need them. Trust me, there is always, _always_ a need. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/19 "2006-07-21T04:03:32Z")
I donated for the first time about a month ago and all went well fr me, but there was a man standing at the snack counter afterwards. I was sitting and eating my donut when I noticed something splashing at his feet. His arm was pouring blood. I said, “Sir? Um Sir! Your arm, sir? Excuse me, that man needs help.” He left a large puddle and trail as they led him back to the beds. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270/20 "2006-07-21T07:12:59Z")
I recently donated blood for the first time. A week or so ago, I received my blood donor’s card in the mail. O positive. Except I always thought I was A positive. I hope there wasn’t some screw-up. I think I’ll talk to someone next time I go to donate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-gave-blood-today/365270.md?page=2)