Thank you blood donors

[burnin_vernon]

I have received blood 4 or 5 times due to sickness. I felt like a new person every time I received it. Every time I sat there waiting for it, I wished I could share some beers with whomever's blood it was.

[DrJ]

Always short donors around the holidays, especially.

Best wishes to your Mom and keep donating people!

[First Lady]

Another O- checking in. I've been giving regularly this year.

Any one else get a tingly feeling thinking it might have been "your" blood that helped malcolmk14's mother?

Thanks for sharing you story.

[Tron_fdc]

whats the criteria for donation? I travelled through the UK in the 90's and I believe there was some kind of ban on my blood because of it.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I don't do it enough. Time seems to be my biggest hindrance, but I need to make time to do it more often. I'm O- and in demand.

Glad your mom is doing better Mal!

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

whats the criteria for donation? I travelled through the UK in the 90's and I believe there was some kind of ban on my blood because of it.

Basically, if you have spent more than 3 months (cumulatively) in the UK or France between 1980 and 1996, then you are excluded from donating blood. Interestingly, there are also exclusions on people who have spent 5 years in a number of "major" Western European countries.

Essentially, if you were just visiting, you're still OK to donate. It is people who lived there or have been there for frequently (like myself, due to my family being there) during that span.

Full details can be found here:
http://www.blood.ca/CentreApps/Inter...Q?OpenDocument

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Another O- checking in. I've been giving regularly this year.

Any one else get a tingly feeling thinking it might have been "your" blood that helped malcolmk14's mother?

Thanks for sharing you story.

Thanks for all the kind words in this thread, I really appreciate it and it's good to know so many people donate blood so often. My mom is also O-, I'm sure after this experience she will want to go and donate to 'give back' the blood she borrowed this week. I don't think she's donated in about 5 or 6 years.

She's improving every day and her vital signs have stabilized and are almost back to normal. She will get to go home tomorrow, my girlfriend and I are going to head over to her place tonight to set up her Christmas tree.

[OffsideSpecialist]

I am probably going to donate after missing a couple times after not feeling good after my first time. TBQH, I blame it on not eating at all for about 24h beforehand so I will see how it goes in January.

My dad used to donate as often as he could, but he has come across blood pressure issues and cannot anymore. My mom had cancer at one point so she cannot donate. I will do my best to carry on for my family. TBQH, I am a bit disappointed it took me this long to make to me remember, but thanks for making this thread and reminding me malcolm, I will get in touch with CBS and be sure to make an appointment in January

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by OffsideSpecialist

I am probably going to donate after missing a couple times after not feeling good after my first time. TBQH, I blame it on not eating at all for about 24h beforehand so I will see how it goes in January.

Going in with an empty stomach was certainly your problem. The only time I ever felt funny afterwards was when I went after work once and hadn't had a chance to eat lunch that day. I thought that I'd soldier through it and nearly passed out for my efforts. Silver lining: extra cookies and juice!