I’m on Coumadin, so I can’t donate whole blood. How about platelets?
Probably not but do contact your local blood bank or the American Red Cross to be sure, there might be some other blood component that could be used.
Platelets are used to promote blood clotting, among other things. Coumadin is the opposite, a blood thinner, an anti-coagulant.
But ask, if not a donation they can always use volunteers for blood drives and at donation centers. That matters too.
I has a question. Way back 30+ years ago when I was still talking to my druggy sister, she caught Hep C and didn’t tell anyone. I was exposed but never had any symptoms. The only reason I knew there was an issue was because I used to donate blood and got a letter telling me that my blood was contaminated and to never darken their door again.
Years later, after regular doctor visits and blood work, I thought I would try to donate again. I got another rude letter accusing me of using Red Cross for blood testing instead of going to the community health department.
About 10 years ago, the bloodmobile (now run by a different for profit company) started showing up at the parking lot at work, and I tried to donate again. They sent me a less rude letter that I took to my doctor. She read it and had more blood work done that showed that I really didn’t have Hep C and wasn’t a danger. I showed my letter to the bloodmobile folks who took my blood and blacklisted me again.
Knowing that, do you think I should bother the platelet center with my bad blood? I am willing and able to get stuck and sit in a comfy chair and read for a while, I just don’t want to waste time and resources to get turned down again.
It’s ten years later, with major advances in the sophistication of testing. You’re in a totally different area of the country too, with perhaps more evolved donation centers. We know so damn much more about hep C. What is and isn’t it and how it is or isn’t reflected in testing.
If it was me, I would give it one last chance and hope the WV center is up to date with the latest and best developments. You have my respect for trying however it turns out.
And how is your sister doing? Some amazing, incredible treatments out now for hep C. No longer a big deal. When I was working as a nurse needle sticks scared the beejeebus out of me because hep C was considered barely treatable and it would definitely shorten your life. Now it’s kinda “meh” and a shrug. Between HIV and hep C needle sticks made for an agonizing 2-3 weeks of nasty prophylactics and w a i t i n g.
I’m sure our swampie has gone off to bed after leaping up off his fainting couch when his DAWGs not only clawed their back in the fourth quarter but won after EIGHT overtimes. Eight! I can’t wait to watch the highlights of that tomorrow.
My Huskers lost, by a field goal in literally the last few seconds. We’re going to a bowl after winning last week, now it might be a less shiny, sparkly bowl. Does the New Jersey Transit system sponsor a bowl? Just not Texas, please, not Texas anything.
At least the KC Chiefs won, a girl can only take so much.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave. It is currently 29 degrees Ferret Height(-1.667 Centipedes)
There’s always the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, among others
[WWE Announcer]BAH GOD THAT’S JESUS’S MUSIC![/WWE Announcer]
This sounds like a wonderful 6 hours to me!
This is so awesome! I try to give blood a often as I’m able. I’m O- (and was so grateful for Rhogam when I was pregnant with the kids, especially since they both ended up being O+) and CMV-. I’ve been lucky that neither of my kids nor I have needed blood, but there are so many out there, particularly babies, who can make use of my healthy blood.
You are a wise, wise woman. The older I get, the more kinds of trauma I’m realizing exists. There’s so much more than physical and the sad thing is that so often, society tells us we just need to “suck it up and deal”. To be fair, the stigma against getting mental health assistance is lessening, but there are still so many people that could benefit from it that either don’t know or are afraid that it means they’re weak. It breaks my heart.
I knew someone would agree with that part! 
Gods, I’m jealous! I haven’t gotten anything for anyone yet. I don’t have any big, jump out at me ideas for Hubby or the kids. For Hubby’s cow-orkers, I’ll probably make cookies. For Former Partner and the rest of the Polycule… probably something similar. I just don’t know.
I’m the same way. I wish I had a higher spice tolerance, but food would be boring if we were all the same.
We’ve actually had a bit for the last couple years - 6" last year, IIRC. But it’s not enough. It melts too soon.
Former Partner said they got about 2 feet today. He and his life partner went out Black Friday shopping (the fools!) and managed to get stuck for an hour in the Sam’s Club parking lot, then came home to find the driveway plowed under. So Former Partner had to shovel the drive out before he could go in and rest for the night. He sent me some pics of himself in the snow and what he was having to shovel. That’s the only part of snow that I don’t care for! I sent him lots of snuggles to warm him from afar.
I wish it was that easy for me! I tried to donate to make some extra money but my veins are far too small for the larger bore needle that it takes. I should have expected it, with the trouble I have donating blood sometimes, but it was still a disappointment when I found out that my tiny veins were causing problems again.
FCM, I second BBBoo’s suggestion of psychology today. I’ve been able to find poly- friendly therapists through them and they really do have a lot of great options.
Ah, but then the dealerships and mechanics * can’t gouge you for every penny.
*This is not to say that all our even most mechanics will gouge you. Dad was a damn good mechanic who helped others do much when he had his service station that he ended up bankrupt. But you know the ones in talking about.
Having a tough time falling asleep tonight. This damned cough is driving me bonkers. And eating my CPAP seems to be making it worse because asking with the air is forcing down my throat, it’s also forcing all the drainage down and I feel like I’m drowning. So I’m going to try no CPAP but lots of help from Mel.
Today was a pretty awesome day. It’s been chilly but I has to make a grocery run. I decided that I just wanted a sweatshirt instead of layers and found my senior year sweatshirt in the closet. For shits and giggles, I thought I’d try it. Not only did it still fit after 32 years, but I looked damn good. I had CtE take a picture of me.
I spent much of the morning taking care of setting up my planner for next month and next week, filling my pill minder for the next month and watching Bones while futzing online. Around lunch time, Hubby suggested we play a game together, which started our day off board gaming. 3 games played, lunch and dinner while we played, and lots of fun had by all. After dinner, we came back for some time without the kids, which concluded with two more episodes of Bones (yes, I’m heavily binging out right now!)
I’m hoping to fall asleep soon. Tomorrow we’ve got big shopping planned (Hubby’s check should drop), Hubby is tutoring and I want to get some deliveries in. But none of that will work if I can’t keep my eyes open.
Good night, all!
It occurred to me, reading my earlier remark, that according to the National Electrical Code (NEC), fuse/breaker boxes in buildings are REQUIRED by code to be easily accessible. It’s illegal, everywhere in the U.S., for such a box to not be easily accessible in a building. Not that the NEC applies to automobiles, in any legal sense, but the basic principle certainly ought to.
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 13c/55f with a predicted high of 14c/56f and cloudy. Weather app says “It’s mild and fucking overcast outside. Maybe you should stay inside and pay your fucking bills instead.” Not today, there are mire musical shenanigans to be had!
JtC I am.sorry to hear about Jolene, I hope she is ok. I know cats can recover from liver damage, let’s hope she didn’t do too much harm
FairyChats it does sound very much like the end is close for MIL, it will be a relief for you all when it happens. I hope you can find someone FCD can talk to afterwards, he has been through so much and you’ve still got BIL to deal with.
I have read much but retained little. I hope everyone has a peaceful weekend! I have to sit here and drink tea for a bit, then have a shower and pick today’s t-shirt before we head out. We have two bands to see quite early then a long gap so I think it will be a late lunch and a stroll alo.g the beach.
TWENTY-FIVE FREEKIN’ DEGREES this morning!! We’re to get highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s for the next month, save for a few nights where it’ll just be in the low 30s. So that’ll be fun. Dammit. At least there’s not a lot of precip in the forecast.
Today, either FCD or I have to make a run to the convenience center. We have 3 full bags of recycling and 2 full cans of garbage. Plus the remains of my greenhouse are in the truck already. Most of my chore plans are Happy Homemaker chores. And I’ll explore the fridge to be sure there’s no science experiments hidden in there. Yeah, you know you want to be me today. 
I got an email from social security - I assume it’ll tell me what my COLA will be for 2025, which means I should check my pension also. I’m guessing my income will go up by $10 and my health insurance will go up by $30 because that’s how it always works. At least I don’t have to play the Medicare Advantage games every year. Yet.
Happy Saturday!
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 33 Amurrkin out and N.O.S. with a predicted high of 55 and N.O.S. No plans or desire to go anywhere today. A good day to stay inside and warm. There are leftovers so any need to feed will be via forage. RDOS inactivities for sure!
I died several times last night, but in the end my DAWGS prevailed. The gNATS showed up to play. My DAWGS finally decided to play late in the fourth quarter. Still eight freakin’ overtimes! I can’t believe I made it all the way through to the end. Nappage will be needed today.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Sattidy Y’all!
22 degrees now. A whole week of 20s and snow.
I want to move south.
I have books to read and food to eat.
No other plans.
Dining room table is back to its normal size with a fresh tablecloth and placemats. Dishwasher is loaded. Rollsuckage is done, as is dampmoppage of the kitchen floor. FCD took the trash and recycling (We’ll not go into that drama, but he did say he’d take it last Tuesday…) So while I wait for the kitchen to dry, I shall come here and whine. Except my whining is done… for now.
MIL is in her recliner, slipping in and out of dozing. I may get into my recliner and work on the last pattern of the current blanket. Decisions, decisions…
Wind chills in the teens today. Right now the wind chill is NEGATIVE ONE.
Our temp is all the way up to 31°!!! And it’s not quite 9:30!! Sun is out - maybe we will see 40° after all!
No, I’m not that excited about the weather. Just bored.
Morning all. It’s 36F here heading to 50F and very few clouds, so a nice fall day in Ali-bama. Agenda is open so I’ll see what’s on the TV and probably head over to the gym for a little bit, but otherwise the day will be given to sloth.
swampy, glad Georgia won but man that had to be nerve-wracking.
BBBoo, thanks for the advice.
Real Fish, there are always gift cards, they are my go-to, easy to obtain and the receiver can get what they want/need. And I’ve shoveled out my share of driveways in my first 30 years on the planet, so I figure I’ve paid my dues (still have a snow shovel in the garage because you never know…).
And nice the sweatshirt still fits. I still have my letter jacket from High School, never tried it on in the past 40 years since I put on so much weight but not I wonder…
FCM, I’m on Civil Service Retirement, the old pension plan, and we usually go up by the same percent that Social Security does, so we’ll see. Like you, I expect the insurance rate increases to eat most of it.
And time to break fast and be about the day. Have a good one all.
I’m FERS - I should look it up, but I expect our net gain from 2 SS and one pension minus BCBS going up might be a coupla bucks a month. Eh, it’s just money, right?
ETA - 2% for FERS COLA. So less than I expected.
That one made me laugh.
34F/1C here now, with a wind chill of 26F/-3C. Not planning to go anywhere today except out to the car to clear out the boot and the back seat.
Feel like I have a hangover this morning, despite having nothing alcoholic yesterday except a slug of Nite Time (a Nyquil clone), and having slept until after nine.
Elec went out. This time no heat or fridge. Generator not doing it.
Going to store on bus. Hoping pipes dont freeze.
Good luck. Is your heat electric? We have electric space heaters, a propane furnace, and a wood-burning stove insert. I like options. Our portable generator powers the TV, DVD player, Wi-Fi, living room lamp, computers, and coffee pot. It could power the fridge too, but I don’t have enough extension cords. I had enough extension cords for the stuff I mentioned, but my wife stole one or two for the Christmas display on the front lawn. I need to buy more before the inevitable power outage(s). Except that Xfinity’s backup power for the Internet only lasting a couple of hours (they’ll eventually put a generator on top of the box at the top of the pole), we’re fixed pretty well. I can always fire up the propane grill (with side-burner) to cook on.
The pipes to the laundry room froze last year. I put a 250w infrared bulb in a reflector fixture under the house, pointed at the pipes. I wish I’d thought of it a couple of days earlier. So far, our plastic water pipes have not burst. Fingers crossed they don’t. A pipe in our neighbour’s house burst. I had to do a little shovelling to get to the streetside vault, and a crowbar to remove the frozen lid, so that I could turn off their water. I thought I caught it early, and the water looked like it was coming from under the house. But no, it was flooding their bathroom. Lots of damage. I hope he had the pipes replaced with expanding ones.