Again, I'm shamelessly ripping off a topic from Radio 2, but it's a cause that is close to my heart, literally!

As some of you know I disappeared from the forum for most of the summer due to serious illness. Without multiple(and continued) blood transfusions, I'd be an ex-stan by now!

It's a bit frustrating that having been a blood donor in the past I'll never be able to donate again but it got me wondering how many people on here are blood donors?

Anyway, for all those that are blood donors can I just say a huge thank you, because without you, quite simply I would not be here now (I had less than a 5% chance of surviving the first night(s) due to how low my levels were!).

Oh, and for those people who don't donate blood can I ask why not? That's not being judgemental at all, just curious as to what puts you off doing it?

Thanks again to everyone who does donate......it's your fault I'm still here to bug the hell out of you lot!

I'm not, but I would be if I wasn't such a lazy git

me for one.

It does annoy me that more people don't do it. I work in a factory with approximately 60 people on site during daytime hours. The Transfusion service used to come and set up in our Social Club and you were allowed time off your job to go and donate blood. They've stopped coming now as there were never enough volunteers! shocking.

It's easy, painless, quick and you really do get a cup of tea and a biscuit. (probably why Stan used to go)

I used to be a blood donor, but due to the amount of chemicals which now circulate within me, I can no longer do so.

For anyone who is hesitating whether to or not, it does not take long, it doesn't hurt and you get a drink and biscuits afterwards.

So if you are healthy, there is really no reason not to donate blood.

It's also good for a cheap(er) night out. We used to donate prior to a heavy session as students.

uh-ho.....you're in the north west area, please, please tell me that you don't have O+ blood?

I could a unit of C2D in me!!

I'm not allowed unfortunely

Had Hepatitus a few years ago so that takes you off the list.

I was going to donate but that scene from Airplane haunts me!

Or was it The Naked Gun?

I am!!

well I am now after a 2 year hiatus due to Chemo.

Like everyone else has said really, it's quick, painless and if you're really lucky there's usually the odd hottie to look quite manly in front of

I did - once.

Came up with bruising on my arm from nearly my wrist to halfway up my upper arm, and couldn't bend my arm without pain for about a week!

Based on everyone else I've known who has done it, and the comments on here, I was just really unlucky (don't actually know what went wrong)..... but it did rather put me off unfortunately

You can't go far wrong with a bit of C2D in you

Me too! O Neg so quite popular with the NHS, they even want to harvest my platelets

I always remeber a Blood Donor poster when I was a mere slip which said effectively "If the blood bank was run like a regular bank, would you be entitled to make a withdrawal?"

Obviously I would be....

The bruising will have been from where they missed your vein or put the needle in wrong.

Happened to me on my first visit by an incompetent doctor and had happened to a few others too.

My Mum used to work as a blood doner attendant, so would be one of the 'hotties' taking your blood or giving you tea and biscuits

I used to until my blood pressure could only be controlled with drugs, now I apparently can't. Shame really, I started at 18 as a tribute to my boss who died when he was mentoring me, and only stopped about 6 years ago. Missed one or two sessions, but in all I reckon I've donated c60 donations

I am a regular-ish O+ donor, with short breaks after visiting nasty places with work (India, Pakistan, most recently Nigeria) so not quite got to 50 donations yet.

It's quite interesting to see how the process changes subtly each time, eg: they used to offer anaesthetic wipes, put on huge cotton wads, have to wait for a doctor to stick the needle in, get you to roll a perspex block, now you drink a pint of water first, etc., but one thing that doesn't change is the tea and biscuits, yummy

Bu I've never seen any hotties, only luke-warmies

You're welcome!

I've donated since my late teens, and am up to around 32 donations (I'm 33).

We have a mobile van which started coming round to our work a few years ago, which was very handy as it meant

1) I could duck out of work for half an hour during the day to donate
2) There was no queue
3) I didn't have to pay for parking
4) It was extremely convenient

Sadly, it's visit next week will be it's last as it's being stopped due to their budget cuts. Boo! This means I'll have to go back to donating at one of the centres after work, and will probably have to pay for the privilege as no free parking.

If I'm being frank, it's because it looks like medieval practice.

If your car was pissin oil, you don't just pump other 2nd hand oil into it. I know you can't exactly pump new blood into you, but they can increase the blood produced by your heart, store your own blood for future use or even recycle your blood during your operation.

Recovery times are longer for blood transfusion v non transfusion. Recipients are more likely to contract infections and spend longer in hospital as a result.

Now I'm no doctor, I'm sure someone will come up with some clever link stating the opposite, but when a doctor says that refusing a blood transfusion just makes the medical practise work harder, rather than your signing a death warrant, I think I'll just refuse.

Ross

I do - still overdrawn at the bank from Charlie's surgery but will repay and continue to do so.

No shizzle? You had me fooled

And if the patient can't produce blood or is suffering from catastrophic blood loss due to trauma from say a car crash, what does he do then H2ypr?

I'm the biggest of big girls' blouses when it comes to needles and I bruise like a peach. Sorry, it's a no from me.

Blood transfusion isn't a magical cure. You can still die with one.

Everyone has their own choice to make. Bloodless surgery/medical care is now seen as the pinnacle of technology and ability.

Ross

True, but a patient with a large blood loss is more likely to die without the blood transfusion. It also has the advantage of being readily available unlike some newer alternatives.

Errr... yeah sure. Tell that with people waiting for a heart, liver, kidney,... Blood is an essential fluid in your body. You need blood to operate. Your organs and tissue need blood to operate. Producing blood requires a LOT of energy of your body - energy you need to keep yourself alive when in surgery.




So? Blood transfusions are not often done during 'normal' surgery, except for organ transplants. Blood transfusions are a necessity in large trauma. Bloodless surgery is one thing. A bloodless body is quite the oposite.


And in addition...

1/ Blood is not only used as pure simple blood. You can have plasma donations to produce drugs - look up coagulation factors. You can have red blood cells - look up anemia. etcetera.

2/ I think you're really having a brain freeze at the moment.

Probably religion related

Tbh, I posted as noone posted about why they don't. I'm happy with my decision. I don't need some Internet friends to question me.

With all due respect.

Ross

That rolleyes smiley could viewed as religious intolerance.

But no. Its a decision made on pros and cons.

Ross

Clearly

At least you managed to link an organ involved in the circulatory system with blood!




If it kept your engine alive then you'd be happy to put any type of oil in there until it was repaired.



So is the use of maggots but there's no better way of removing rotting flesh than putting some nice sterile maggots in the wound.

It saddens me to say I'm not surprised you'd answer as you have Ross.
I'm guessing you don't carry a donor card either?

Rubbish.