I got malaria a few years back, and they rejected me. The next time, they remembered my face, and told me to go away.
Who wants my blood?
I agree with OneCentStamp to the extent that the numbers are shameful. My own company is very similar: our local site has around 600 employees and whenever the bloodmobile comes 'round, they are lucky if ten or fifteen people donate.
I guess the problem I have with this is that it was never something that I even thought about much before seeing those numbers – if you can, you do; if you can’t for whatever reason, you don’t. That doesn’t explain why less than THREE out of a HUNDRED people donate. I wouldn’t really mind if it were fifteen percent, but three percent?
I’m certain that probably half of the folks wouldn’t pass the rather exigent criteria, what with long trips to the UK and sexual histories that extend beyond the missionary position, but three percent is pitiful.
Of course, I feel guilty because I have been skipping out the past few times: I never really noticed the lack of blood over the past twenty years of donating, but once I started running, it really became apparent. When I give blood, I can barely run a quarter the mileage I normally run for the rest of the week. It feels like I’m running wearing that lead apron thing that the dentist puts on you.
I was going to post a rant on this exact topic.
I work with a bunch of big, strong, physically active guys. We’re a diverse lot so I’m sure that among all of us, we would be able to cover all the major blood groups. But when I suggested we give blood at the last blood drive, I got snarky laughter in response. What was the overall sentiment?
“But I NEED my blood!”
I could understand if they were anemic women who shed buckets of blood each month (like me). But no, these are guys who love to flex their muscles and talk about how strong they are. They are really pussies (who I otherwise love).
I’m regularly anemic, but as an otherwise healthy O neg-er, I feel obligated to give to the blood bank. If they deem me as not being iron-rich enough (which they occassionally do), I shrug my shoulders and vow to try again later. People really really need my blood, and by giving, I feel like I’m doing a small part in helping the community.
I can understand being phobic of needles (I have my own issues, in other arenas, so I can relate), but it’s the selfish reasons that bug the hell out of me. If my co-workers were in an car accident, would they turn down all that blood donated to them? No, they wouldn’t. If you don’t do it out of altruism, at least do it because you don’t want to be seen as a greedy blood-guzzling when YOUR time comes.
I’ve made it a habit of donating during MLK Day so that I don’t feel like a slouch. My sister and I regularly drop by the Red Cross around Christmas time, when we’re both home. Once they gave us a whole apple pie and t-shirts! So there are perqs besides the nutty buddies.
I came in to point out why I donate when they call us up on campus even though i’m deathly phobic of needles (to the point of fainting), but this -
…made me feel unwell. Seriously, i’m getting tunnel vision. Damn you Eve! *weak 
*
Could the money go to pay highly trained specialized nurses, to maintain the buses and building and keep everything clean and refrigerated?
I do not think the blood banks are lining their pockets, the hospital might be padding the bills* to some degree, but to accuse the blood centers of what you are accusing them of seems unfounded and detrimental to a continuing blood supply.
As far as the policies on acceptable donors, I believe this is policy set by the government, not individual blood centers. I suggest you check into it, your anger might be misplaced.
OneCentStamp, I have donated quite often in my life. When I was working at the hospital, I donated every 8-10 weeks for nearly 4 years. I have since donated 2-3 times a year. When 9-11 occurred the second thing I did after checking on my family was head to the blood bank.
I want to say take it easy on the non-donors, but 6 out of 600 is truly pathetic. The company I work at has about 85 daytime employee and we average 15 donors each time. I think that is a reasonable ratio. So rather than pitting your co-workers, I would pit your HR department that is doing a terrible job encouraging people to donate. **What do they do to encourage donors? **
Jim
- I used to work at a hospital; hospitals pull all kinds of funny tricks with billing.
Funny this comes up – I’m short on cash and I wanted to borrow a trick from my ex-roommate Ves who used to sell blood plasma a few times a month. I can’t seem to find any information on blood banks in the Atlanta area that buy plasma and platelets. Sorry, I’m not in this for the dry cookies and too small t-shirt, thanks. That’s weird because I distinctly remember seeing one in midtown ages ago but I don’t think it’s there anymore.
Count me in as extremely needle-phobic. In all the many times I’ve donated I’ve never once seen the needle in my arm, I’d probably hurl. But the gals at the local blood bank are pretty slick at slipping the needle in painlessly, so I do it. Always bruise, but that’s no problem.
Back when I was in the Army I donated at both the Presidio of Monterey, and at Ft. Lewis, in Washington state. They would have really successful drives, because they were held on Friday mornings, and if you donated you got the rest of the day off. If your position allowed it, that was an almost three day weekend, for the price of a little time, and a small stick in the arm.
Same here. I was quite surprised when it changed. Went to give blood one day and was told “No way, you’re a mad cow!” Went from quarterly to denied.
Perhaps it’s a bit GQ, but can the needle go anywhere else but on the inside of your arm? I think part of my problem is that I’d prefer to get a needle… yeah, just about anywhere else, really. I can see some nice veins on the backs of my hand - why not them?
I agree. I had donated blood for twenty five years, by choice. I cannot anymore do to meds I take. It does grate me that when my son needed blood during surgery we paid dearly for it. I realize there are costs involved. When a coworker was having a hip replacement she took months donating blood to herself. The costs were exhoribnant. And don’t even start me on most of the blood donated by this county goes to a much larger county and is sold back to us when we need it. It is a noble cause, but is exploited terribly
Is this another of those “the sperm is in the mail” jokes? 
I also wish more people would donate. It is a shame that the numbers are so low. Maybe the HR department at the OP’s work would have better luck if they greased the skids with a little bribe. My dad used to donate at the factory where he worked – they had their drives in the afternoon, and you’d get to go home an hour early if you donated. Back when I was in the Navy, we’d have our blood drives in the morning, and those who donated got the whole afternoon off.
Myself, I donated regularly my whole life – until the recent eligibility changes. I’m another with limey cooties (2 week vaction in England in 1985). Also Sicilian cooties (I was stationed in Sicily from 1984 - 1986). I’ll donate again if they ever get over this mad cow thing.
It could, but it doesn’t. What those nurses get (under)paid is known. And most of them aren’t actually licensed nurses, just underpaid nursing assistants.
And I didn’t ‘accuse’ them of anything, just asked a question about their finances.
The policy is set by an FDA committee, which voted 7-6 to keep this policy. A major influence on their decision was the chief medical officer for the American Red Cross, Dr. Rebecca Haley, who testified against an equal-opportunity donations policy. So, yes, I think the Red Cross has some responsibility here. Most other countries don’t have such draconian policies, and seem to do fine.
And I’m not particularily angry about this, I have other things to be angry about (like the friend from Litchfield, MN who died in Iraq yesterday). I just decline to participate or support such bigotry.
I tried to donate for the first time since moving here on Friday, but my temperature was too high. 
I used to donate every 8 weeks. I donated at the hospital where I worked, and the cool thing was, blood donors and the immediate family of blood donors got their blood free if they needed a transfusion.
Oh, also, the people who take your blood at the blood bank where I used to work weren’t even nursing assistants, they were trained-on-the-job phlebotomists, only a high school diploma required, and they earned less than secretaries and transcriptionists.
Each bus locally {NJ} has at least one RN on board. RN’s make a good wage these days.
I apologize if I read too much into your post however.
It sounds like your beef is with the Red Cross; I have beefs with them also. I was defending Blood Centers not affiliated with the Red Cross, so again please forgive me.
I am sorry about your friend.
Jim
Thanks for finally inspiring me to find out if I can donate blood or not. I’ve always assumed they’d say no because of my fibromyalgia but I’d never bothered to actually look into it and find out for sure. They did turn me down, out of concern that my fatigue would be exacerbated by donating blood, but the good news is that I can still donate when I feel better.
I give at least twice a year, and usually more often. I am terrified of needles, and to top it off have very small veins. When I go it I’ll tell them up front that I need someone experienced, because I have small, hard to find veins and I will not be able to tolerate someone rooting around in my arm with a needle trying to find a vein. You get one try. I am not a pincushion.
I also tend to pass out after the donation, so they’ve learned to keep me in the chair for a bit. It’s easier than picking me up off the floor.
Somehow, it’s easier enduring the initial stick at our hockey Booster Club blood drive every February. I don’t seem to mind having a needle stuck in one arm when there is a handsome hockey player holding the other hand. 
I donated blood for the first time May 18. There were about 6-8 medical staff there, plus several student volunteers. I was there for around 1.5-2 hours. Rocked. I can go again in 23 days.
I once worked for an emplyer with (at peak) around 2500 worker bees. Every now and then the blood mobile would schedual a visit.
I fully appreciate all the good reasons for donating. I did it 5-6 time. About the third time, it really started to bother me.
No, seeing blood doesn’t bother me.
Seeing, or just knowing (I tried conciosly not looking) that a whole freaking pint of my blood was moving from my body just started freaking me out.
I tried to rationalize, and it just kept getting worse.
Finally, the last time, I started hyperventalating, and sort of went into shock to the point that the blood stopped flowing.
They had sort of a counseler on site. She suggested that maybe it wasn’t worth the agony for me, and while they appreciated my effort, there was no shortage of A+ doners.
I’ve done all kinds of shit that others are fearful of (Mototcycle racing, skydiving, Hang-gliding) but losing blood on purpose totally psyched me.