# The Red Cross is like a crazy ex... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833 "2012-03-15T05:45:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/1 "2012-03-15T05:45:54Z")
Stop calling me!!! I used to give blood pretty regularly, but my blood pressure kept getting higher and higher until I finally couldn’t give anymore until I started medication. So now I’m on medication and started giving again, though not as often (mainly due to living in a new area, as well as laziness). My last time trying to give (late last year) I was turned away because they were too busy. No biggy, I’ll come back later. Well, now I’m overseas for work (since January) and I have been getting bombarded with phone calls from the Red Cross. The problem is that I have my personal cell phone here with the AT&T World Connect (or something) plan, meaning I can get calls, but it’s going to cost me $2 a minute :eek: So I keep the phone on for emergencies, and will pick up if I see it’s family or other people I may need to hear from. But otherwise, if it rings, I just dismiss the call. If the call results in a voicemail, I just check it on my office phone. Well, one number keeps calling: the Red Cross. Over and over. I see the number, hit dismiss, then they redial me :mad: After weeks of this I finally picked up last night. I politely told the woman that I’m overseas and please stop calling me. She kept trying to drag the conversation out. Gah! Finally I told here to take me off the list completely and do not call again and I hung up. Within 30 seconds the Red Cross called back 😕:mad: I hit dismiss. They called again! What the hell!? If they call again, what do I do? Don’t they understand that calling like that is going to cause the opposite reaction and make me not want to deal with at all? ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/2 "2012-03-15T06:41:47Z")
“This phone is for emergency use only. Please add this number to your do not call list. Thank you.” \ I’m assuming you don’t have a way to block calls on your phone itself. AT&T probably has a monthly service option that would be phone independent. “I said Good Day sir!” It’s hard to slam a cell phone with the same aplomb afforded by the old bakelite handsets. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/3 "2012-03-15T07:14:20Z")
> [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](#): > > “I said Good Day sir!” It’s hard to slam a cell phone with the same aplomb afforded by the old bakelite handsets. Totally off topic, but I wonder if you could make an app that at least approximated what that sounded like. Quick check: I’m not the first to think of this, but I haven’t seen it implemented. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/4 "2012-03-15T12:29:02Z")
Yup, they suck. Especially since they block caller ID too. I always get a call exactly 8 weeks to the day after donating. I’ve told them many, many times that the only time I’ll donate is when they hold a blood drive at my place of work (today in fact!), and they poster that thoroughly, so stop calling. They always apologize and assure me it won’t happen again, and it always does. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_From\_Here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/2acd7d/32.png) [@Not\_From\_Here](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_From_Here)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/5 "2012-03-16T00:33:50Z")
**The Red Cross is like a crazy ex…** A crazy ex that wants your blood!:eek: That is kinda creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/6 "2012-03-16T00:37:44Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Yup, they suck. Especially since they block caller ID too. I always get a call exactly 8 weeks to the day after donating. I’ve told them many, many times that the only time I’ll donate is when they hold a blood drive at my place of work (today in fact!), and they poster that thoroughly, so stop calling. They always apologize and assure me it won’t happen again, and it always does. It must depend on the person you have on the phone, because I told them to stop calling, and they did. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/7 "2012-03-16T00:53:30Z")
Get a false positive for Hep C. They’ll stop asking. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/8 "2012-03-16T15:16:22Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Yup, they suck. Especially since they block caller ID too. I always get a call exactly 8 weeks to the day after donating. I’ve told them many, many times that the only time I’ll donate is when they hold a blood drive at my place of work (today in fact!), and they poster that thoroughly, so stop calling. They always apologize and assure me it won’t happen again, and it always does. My husband donates blood regularly, and we colloquially refer to the Red Cross as his ‘‘stalkers.’’ He doesn’t mind getting the calls though because they remind him to schedule an appointment. After you schedule an appointment, they’ll leave you alone. I donated blood for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I’m wondering if I’ll be subject to a barrage of phone calls too. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/9 "2012-03-16T15:38:42Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > He doesn’t mind getting the calls though because they remind him to schedule an appointment. After you schedule an appointment, they’ll leave you alone. Maybe the OP can answer next time and schedule an appointment for March 2062, and then he’ll have 50 years before they start bothering him again. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/10 "2012-03-16T16:08:51Z")
Is this the American Red Cross? If so, you can call the DCSC (Donor Client Support Center) at 1-866-236-3276 and tell them to remove your number. They prefer to have one in case there is a problem with your donation, but it’s not required. If you get a positive test result or something, they’ll send you a letter anyway. I work for the American Red Cross, and I took my number away for a while when they were calling me too much. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/11 "2012-03-16T16:16:24Z")
The Red Cross killed my friend. They suck. Do not give them money or blood. Your money will be spent on incompetent executives and real estate investments. Your blood will usually be thrown away because it isn’t needed. Their blood drives are an attempt (mostly successful) to monopolize the blood supply. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/12 "2012-03-16T16:21:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Your blood will usually be thrown away because it isn’t needed. I don’t know how we manage to have contracts with so many hospitals if we throw most of the blood away. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/13 "2012-03-16T18:14:07Z")
How about now, **sparky!**? Can you donate now? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/14 "2012-03-16T18:22:16Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > I don’t know how we manage to have contracts with so many hospitals if we throw most of the blood away. How does one follow the other? The Red Cross controls the blood market through it’s endless campaigns to donate blood for no specific reason. Where else do you expect hospitals to go? ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/15 "2012-03-16T18:27:34Z")
“I’m experimenting with men now” and you’ll be off the list. /Still a shame that they aren’t allowed to take male gay blood due to federal regulations. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/16 "2012-03-16T18:29:19Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > How does one follow the other? The Red Cross controls the blood market through it’s endless campaigns to donate blood for no specific reason. Where else do you expect hospitals to go? They must be pretty bad at controlling the market since the very hospital I work for has its own blood/platelets drives in addition to the ones they let the RC host. And yeah, I would expect blood would be wasted. It’s a perishable product. I want it to be there in stock and in abundance for emergency surgeries and accident victims, but that means there will be spoilage when those things don’t happen. Donation on the spot can’t always happen. The two times I tried to donate same-day for a newborn surgery need at the hospital I work at, I failed because of low hematocrit ratings. I took myself off the infant donation list rather than risk future failures and wasted time and money. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/17 "2012-03-16T18:29:54Z")
It’s true. The private blood market was working just great until the Red Cross ruined everything for everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/18 "2012-03-16T18:29:57Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > How does one follow the other? The Red Cross controls the blood market through it’s endless campaigns to donate blood for no specific reason. Where else do you expect hospitals to go? If we were throwing it away, we wouldn’t be able to meet the demand. I’m not both collecting and donating blood for nothing. You would think that it didn’t cost anything to collect all that blood. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/19 "2012-03-16T18:33:58Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > How does one follow the other? The Red Cross controls the blood market through it’s endless campaigns to donate blood for no specific reason. Where else do you expect hospitals to go? Blood has a shelf life. If it’s going to (almost) always be there when needed, then some percentage of it is going to thrown away. I guess by ‘donating for no specific reason’ you’re contrasting to the (as far as I know) occasion disaster blood drives? That’s not the primary driver of the need for blood. The Kansas City area has its own non-Red Cross organization - they call me I’m due to give, but don’t usually call back (too much) when I don’t make it in, unless they are short of B- blood. ---
**Author:** ![Pocito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@Pocito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pocito)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833/20 "2012-03-16T18:43:06Z")
They’re always after my O- blood. When I became pregnant, they asked for my due date. I anticipate a phone call the day after my delivery. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-red-cross-is-like-a-crazy-ex/615833.md?page=2)