Giving blood

[alan e]

What with all the talk about black puddings on the Sunday morning breakfast club post and the post about prostate problems i was wondering how many of us here give blood and for how long have they been giving blood ?.

[sideways]

What with all the talk about black puddings on the Sunday morning breakfast club post and the post about prostate problems i was wondering how many of us here give blood and for how long they have been giving blood ?.

I have been married for almost 50 years so, I have been giving blood (sweat and tears) for about a half century.

[MPx]

Next donation is on Thursday...that will be the 85th. Can't remember when the first was - sometime in the late 70s. Of course we were only called on twice a year for most of that period - they only moved to the "as often as possible" model in recent times. I've promised myself I'll stop when I've done 101.

[Rambo]

I gave about 70+ donations before I wasn't allowed to give any more by the Blood Transfusion Service about 20+ years ago ( This was due to a low white cell count (cyclic neutrapenia)and, despite assurances by the august Professor of Haematology at Edinburgh that I was fit and healthy, the BTS overruled him

During the Gulf war (Project Desert Storm) I was persuaded to give plasma (2 donations) and was going every week at one point to enable one of our seriously ill returning heroes to survive. I never knew his/her name but I hope my blood/plasma helped

When I first gave blood (B Rh. -ve) back in the early 70's you received a bronze badge for 10 donations, the silver for 25 and the gold for 50, from memory ??? There was even he small carrot of the British Empire Medal (BEM) for those achieving the dizzy heights of 100+ donations. I don't know if this is still the case but Mike, you are well on your way

Of course, no one is doing it for altruistic reasons. We are giving to help people worse off than ourselves and hopefully prolong and save lives. And long may this continue

[dapinky]

I started back in 1981, as soon as I was old enough..... then every 6 months until I was 41. At that point I got put onto various tablets for blood pressure and they wouldn't take it anymore

I also gave a few lots of plasma (which takes quite a bit longer than the 'quick pint' of blood), and was on the bone marrow register (although never called upon to donate).

At this stage of my life I am 'in credit' as I have never needed to receive any blood transfusion products, but am very aware of 'there but for the grace of God', and am happy to have been able to help where I could.

[MPx]

When I first gave blood (B Rh. -ve) back in the early 70's you received a bronze badge for 10 donations, the silver for 25 and the gold for 50, from memory ??? There was even he small carrot of the British Empire Medal (BEM) for those achieving the dizzy heights of 100+ donations. I don't know if this is still the case but Mike, you are well on your way

Of course, no one is doing it for altruistic reasons. We are giving to help people worse off than ourselves and hopefully prolong and save lives. And long may this continue

No most of the awards have been stopped now Mark. I got to 50 when they were still in place and got a nice pen but missed out on the decanter for 75. Cant remember the earlier awards. You used to get invited to an awards dinner after 75 but that's moved on to 100 now (I wont be going if I make it that far). You still get a card and certificate for each milestone - if you want them. Indeed now that they can take all kinds of separate blood products (eg just platlets) some people donate very regularly indeed and get certificates for 250,500,750 and 1000 - which obviously you couldn't get to for whole blood. What they have started, which I like much more than the rewards, is they text you sometime after the donation letting you know where/when your blood has been issued and sometimes even what it was used for.

My motivation is entirely selfish as with most of what I do. If I do ever need blood I'm very keen that the service is in place to provide it!

[alan e]

Next donation is on Thursday...that will be the 85th. Can't remember when the first was - sometime in the late 70s. Of course we were only called on twice a year for most of that period - they only moved to the "as often as possible" model in recent times. I've promised myself I'll stop when I've done 101.

Like you i have been giving blood since the 70's my next donation will be my 88th on June 6th i have blood type O neg and i have been told that i have very good anti bodies so my blood is put into what they call a baby bag for the childrens ward which gives my a nice feeling knowing its going to children (not that its good that they need it) and like you i want to make it to 100 donations but i won't stop if i can give more. If by starting this post just one of us on here starts giving blood it will be worth it if you don't give blood and are able to please try it.

[Rusty Wishbone]

I am put to shame with the 3 or 4 donations that I made when I was at university, along with a friend of mine. I recall the best bit of the donation process being the nurse's face when this friend (correctly) gave his name - Hancock. And so followed half an hour of the best of The Blood Donor TV show.

[alan e]

I am put to shame with the 3 or 4 donations that I made when I was at university, along with a friend of mine. I recall the best bit of the donation process being the nurse's face when this friend (correctly) gave his name - Hancock. And so followed half an hour of the best of The Blood Donor TV show.

Did the words arm full get used much.

[Rusty Wishbone]

Did the words arm full get used much.

I'm afraid so. But I don't think he had the blood type of a monkey, which was a shame.

[sideways]

Used to do it as a matter of course, back in the '60s. It is what you did in Jolly Old.

Then I joined the RAF and found that when you gave blood in that noble institution, you were given, at the end of the vampire thing, a choice of either a cup of tea and a biscuit (usually a Rich Tea) or a bottle of Guinness.

Oh Lord, did I give and may have single-handedly kept the Guinness family in plush existence for some time.

That to one side, I hope that my contributions helped those in need, never kept track over the years so have no idea how many gallons I have given.

Don't do it anymore as I fear the ratio of alcohol/platelets/plasma thing would be so skewed...

[Bolsom]

I too gave blood when in the RAF.

Some years ago I had a six and half hour OP for cancer. A couple of days later they discovered I wasn't

making blood. So they gave me 4 bags over 2 days. Then started daily testing to keep an eye on me.

After several days I went into my Hancock Blood doner act, the nurse (French where I live) picked up her

Kit and made for the door and despite my entreaties never returned.

So be careful what you do.

Colin

[Neil D.]

Started in the eighties, however since the mid 90's neither the Swiss or French want mine, as I was a UK resident in the mid 80's during the mad cow disease !
N.

[donsladek]

I've been giving regularly since the late 70's. Started with whole blood , transitioned to platelet donations, and recently been doing a double red blood cell donation - takes about an hour, and can only do this every 16 weeks. Started after getting out of the Navy, I'm at 150 donations or 18 gallons. I'm o-neg, so they always want my blood!

[daveiow]

Started donating around 2004 when our eldest joined the Police Force and thought I would like to do something useful
The staff were Island phlebotomists, mostly women working part time going round the local towns and my collection point was about a convenient 4 miles away.
The Blood Transfusion Service in their wisdom then decided that this wasn’t efficient so sacked then all and brought in a team from the mainland (2 hour ferry trip there and back every day) and about 4 centralised collection points meaning I then had a 22 mile round trip to donate.
A lot of us wrote to the Service and the local press to complain but obviously to no avail so sadly after about 10 years I gave up

[Rambo]

You've only ever posted here twice and both times you have quoted something from someone but embodied your own (French) text within taking you to an obscure link. Why ????

See also here quote="cathpeta39"]

If it were me, I'd simply do as you always have, with the dog on the floor devis monte escalier électrique (passenger side ), and loop the lead through the passenger seatbelt.

Dog is officially 'restrained' and unable to interfere with the driving of the car, and unable to hop out as you stop at the traffic lights.

Moderators?

[Rambo]

Rather odd ?

[dapinky]

Well spotted, Mark........ he (and both posts) have now been 'disappeared' by magic of clicking a few bits on my machine.

[dapinky]

Anyway, now that I find myself back on this thread, I'll update my own situation......

My post from 2 1/2 years ago is now incorrect (or at least, needed some updating!). Having Covid 18 months ago kick-started my donations as I was contacted following a positive diagnosis fairly early during the pandemic, when they wanted to harvest my antibodies to treat those who got it far worse than I did.

It was a standard blood donation, but with an extra 50ml or so bottled separately. This was tested, and then the main bag was split to get to the white cells with antibodies out and duly processed for further use - I don't know if the remainder had any use to them, or if it merely went to feed animals (or whatever else they could do with it).

This was a process completed every 3 months, but after the second visit it was ascertained that there were insufficient antibodies remaining in my blood to allow harvesting, but that they could simply carry on with 'standard' full-blood donation if I wished to.

It seems that the blood pressure tablets are no longer an issue, and they are grateful for whatever they can get.

So, I now get a trip to Tenby every 3 months for a free cuppa and a Club Orange biscuit.

As far as the Covid antibodies go, it was explained to me that I still have them, but in an ever-diminishing quantity. This was a bit of a disappointment to me as I wanted to keep lots of them to help prevent future infections of the virus - but it doesn't work that way

However, they tempered this information with the fact that at least it is known that my body can create the antibodies when needed (until it can't ), so any future infection is likely to be lesser than without the first exposure. This, coupled with the Vaccine (and whatever boosters they invite me to accept) is pretty much as good as it will get until the next breakthrough.

Anyway, I'm back to donating 4 times a year, and will be giving my next lot on 7th December.

[Rambo]

Good for you Dave. I always felt better when giving a donation as I felt it was benefitting someone in a worse off condition than myself. And that was before the sweet tea, orange club, shortbread or jammie dodger