Sound off IF you are a blood, plasma, or platelet donor

[Omaha Steve]

My stats below,

OS

[mercuryblues]

1. I probably recieved

Your platelets during treatment. I lost count after 20 transfusions

Thank you!

[hlthe2b]

2. I was a regular plasma donor, having been vaccinated and thus having antibodies present for a lot

of diseases, conditions, and with investigational vaccines against emerging infections that few people have--given my work for many years overseas and in unusual settings. Thus, my plasma can afford some passive protection against yellow fever, rabies, some atypical mosquito-borne diseases, and other far more rare infections, although my antibody levels are likely decreasing over time.

I felt good about doing so, but now, I am nowhere near an equipped center for anything but common blood collections or plasma. While I can do so in Denver, they can't accommodate my schedule, so I only do so once or twice a year now.

[Kali]

15. you had mentioned this to me when we had our rabies incident

and nobody has ever seemed interested in the fact.

[underpants]

3. I need to get back on that

15 years ago or so I answered honestly on a question and wasn’t able to donate. I checked with Virginia Blood Service a few years ago, they updated their system and I’m not in the database anymore.

The question? Have you lived in Europe for more than 3 months since 1980? My 3 years in the Army in Germany made it a YES.

☹️

[LogDog75]

6. I had the same problem but now

I can donate. I was stationed in England in the late 80s and again in the mid 90s. Because I spent so much time In England when the had the Mad Cow disease I was unable to donate. That prevented me from donating for over 20 years. About two years ago, that prohibition was removed and I began donating blood and platelets. So far, I've donated over a gallon but I will continue to donate.

[underpants]

7. O-

I’m getting on this.

[multigraincracker]

4. Regular blood donator.

About 3 or 4 times a year. They send me a text to remind me.
Years ago I had high iron levels and my doc recommended I do it for my health. Just a habit now.

[FloridaBlues]

5. I lost track of how many gallons of whole blood I have donated

In fact just donated 3 days ago. A neg blood type.
I like when the blood center sends a notice where my blood got shipped to in hopes it helps someone. Sharing Italian blood 😊.

[rurallib]

8. We moved about a year ago, but up to then I gave pretty solid

for 56 years (Dec. 1967 to Jan. 2024) the first 20 years or so was whole blood, the last 30+ were platelets and white blood cells.

When they were taking white blood cells, Would usually give 18 times a year (O neg btw with some kicker antigen)

I gave on Thanksgiving twice, Christmas Eve twice, Christmas Day and even once on New Years.

One time I got called at 3AM on a Sunday Morning. it was one of the nurses at the clinic. She identified herself and asked "How quick can you get here?" I said half an hour and she said "Come a running. There will be a cop at the for to park your car."

So I had a needle in my arm by 4AM and had a doctor pacing at the bottom of my chair. As quick as the bell went off the doctor grabbed the bag and went running out the door. The donation was for a new born.

Couple weeks later when I went for my regular donation, the secretary said "Oh yeah - we got this for you" and she gave me a gift basket with some nuts and candy bars. The basket had a little card that said "Our baby lived - Thanks" Boy did it taste good!

I got a couple of more stories. I am tearing up as I write this one. But one day I accidentally met a guy whose life was saved by my white cells.

I am damn proud of my blood donations.

[Omaha Steve]

9. Thanks for sharing

R for your reply.

OS

[Fla Dem]

10. Yes, 3-4 times a year.

The company I worked for held Blood Drives several times a year. I started and just never stopped.

I still have the old cardboard card on which they would list my donation days.

I don't know how you can get a record of how many times you donated. I've moved several times so doubt my record followed me.

[OldBaldy1701E]

11. I sure used to be. (n/t)

[Emile]

12. It's time for me to donate again, also 0+

[Rincewind]

13. O+,

whole blood, around 25 gallons.

[Kali]

14. started regular in 2017

went to power red in 2018, try to go 3 times per year, but have had a few misses due to infections, BP too high, and I broke the machine a couple times they got platelets though

[NNadir]

16. I was for decades. Recently however I've been failing the hemaglobulin test...

...showing up as borderline anemic, and as it happened four or five times in a row, I quit responding to the regular emails and phone calls.

[beemerphill]

17. On and Off Donater

Up to the age of about 50, I only donated a few times. Then I started to think about all the people who had donated blood that probably saved my life in Vietnam. I decided that it was my turn to help others. I started to donate regularly. That is every 56 days for whole blood. I became anemic, and shortly after was diagnosed with Cancer. That ended the donations. I do have a pin for giving 11 Gallons and am proud to wear it. If it was medically possible to donate, I would. I am afraid that I will never be able to donate again.