Okay you wimps,

[Ilsa]

who else is up to donating blood? I gave again this morning. I've been giving for over twenty years except when I was pregnant or ill. Most blood centers tend to run low during summer vacation and surgeries get delayed. I don't like doing it. It takes time, and I really don't care for it at all, but someone has to give, and they go after my type like flies on honey.

I know that not everyone can give, and some would like to (big-hearted folks you are) but are denied or deferred. But if you can, give the gift of life today! Good luck!

[mopinko]

1. thanks for giving

they won't take mine. i had hepatitis a long time ago, and am forever disallowed. bummer.

[Ilsa]

3. Bless you anyway for trying!

DU'ers have big hearts!

[pagerbear]

2. They haven't wanted my blood since the 80s.

[Ilsa]

5. Bless you anyway for trying!

DU'ers have big hearts.

[Q3JR4]

4. I don't have a problem with needles,

and I like to watch my blood fill a up a container. Problem is, I'm gay and I've been in a physical relationship with another man before. Last I heard this precludes me from blood donation for the rest of my life.

:shrug:

[Ilsa]

6. Yep, they won't take it.

Amazing how G&L have such big hearts that they want to give, but they are the ones getting deferred.
Bless you anyway for having tried.
What's amazing is that they go through the sex quiz. I've been married for over 11 years, but how do I know that my husband didn't have sex with a woman who previously had sex for money?

[Q3JR4]

11. It's crazy you know,

we want to fight for our country and be open about our lives (at least I do), we want to give blood, and we want to form stable, lasting relationships with the people we love. Many things which our straight brothers and sisters seem to be shying more and more away from.

Go figure about that one.

[LastKnight]

7. im on file and give when they ask.

but im fairly common it seems, ive only gotten 1 call as of yet.

-LK

[Ilsa]

8. I swear, they count the seconds from the end of my donation

through the next eight weeks and then they call me. I'm O- and probably CMV neg, making me a prime candidate for delivering universally accepted juice.

[LastKnight]

12. im A Rh pos

1 in 3 people have this type. so im not really anything special heh.

-LK

[MissMillie]

9. I would but...

I have to prepare for a couple of days first. If I don't force fluids for a few days before hand, my veins just don't seem to pump the blood out fast enough, and the nurse taking my blood has to give up before getting the full pint.

[liontamer]

10. I would but I'm not allowed

I have dirty foreigner blood.

[VOX]

13. Can't. Had a cancer diagnosis in the past five years...

I'm fine, and the cancer is controlled to the point of being gone, but rules are rules.

[Dookus]

14. I'm gay

they won't take mine.

[bigwillq]

25. They don't take gay people?

For real, I haven't donated since I've had relations with men. I use to donate a lot in high school, we had blood drives like four times a year.

I remember them always asking questions like: "Have you ever slept with a man in the last 10 years", blah blah but I didn't know they didn't take gay men's blood.

[Ilsa]

27. The sex questions are the "high risk" questions

that they actually ask you, not leave up to you to fill out in a questionnaire. They include have you had sex for money, sex with anyone that you know has had sex for money, sex with a gay man since 19XX, sex with someone who has AIDS or is HIV+, sex with anyone who lived in these parts of Africa, etc, etc. Anything suspicious, and you are deferred. Any positives, and they can permanently defer you.

[bearfan454]

15. I can't.

I take a lot of bp meds every day. The person that got my blood would probably get a major heart slowdown.

[Canadian_moderate]

16. I have given blood 29 times

I do agree with others here that standards are very strict. I'm no expert, but I'm assuming that they're only trying to protect themselves from massive lawsuits. In Canada there have been major lawsuits from people who contracted Hepatitis and AIDS through the blood supply.

BTW, I only barely qualify since I lived in the Netherlands for 2.5 years since 1980. I believe 3 years would have disqualified me.

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

17. Age limit......

I can't give for another 4 years. I tried to last year but they said I had to be 18. Load of crap if you ask me.....

[JohnKleeb]

18. I thought it was 17

I just missed the limit this spring.

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

19. You live in Virginia

:shrug:

[JohnKleeb]

20. Yes but I thought that kinda thing would be federal

[LiberalManiacfromOC]

28. well who knows?

:shrug:

[LynneSin]

21. I haven't given blood since I was banned for 1yr for visiting Costa Rica

Seriously.

Rain Forests of Costa Rica were on the "DO NOT TAKE" list and I was put on the Red Cross list ban for blood donations (although I could predonate blood for my own use like an upcoming surgery)

[eyesroll]

23. I got deferred for that same reason

...and the worst part was that I was a teacher at the time, trying to donate during my free period, and the kids saw me get rejected. They, of course, assumed I was rejected for something more interesting than an exchange program.

I've also been rejected for being underweight and for having low iron; the former is not a problem anymore, but the latter is, um, cyclical.

[PittPoliSci]

22. i keep getting shit luck.

I always want to donate blood, but whenever the blood thing comes to my school I'm sick and they won't take mine! I would go to the blood bank, but I usually forget, or I'm too busy.

damn...

[Ilsa]

24. We should send those vampires with the pipeline (I swear, you

could pump oil through that needle, it's so damn big) over to where you live! ;) They'll get you eventually!
Thanks for trying.

[Blue-Jay]

26. Those vampires get my blood every couple of months.

AND THEY STILL CALL ALL THE TIME! :grr: