Blood Donation

[Jax]

I think there is a fair amount of awareness but to be honest its like most things, if you havent really thought about it you wouldnt really know. Although there can always be more awareness!!!!

[zazen999]

Still get tea and biscuits to make sure you are not a bleeder.

On my last trip - the one with the unbendy arms - she jokingly said I could only have half a biscuit as I had only managed half a pint [or half the usual amount whatever that is]. I asked her how she would suggest me eating it when I couldn't actually bend my arms anyway....and she just said best stick to the tea. Um, and how....oh never mind.

[kevnsue]

I recently made my 38th donation,i find that if i dont give blood i have massive nose bleeds so i look forward to it.

[kernowyon]

then one scary day a friend of mine crashed in the HDU after some pretty nasty surgery. The fast work of the truly incredible nurses* on that HDU and a calm doctor on his rounds who was calling the shots managed to keep her with us. For that I can't thank them enough (though I did try).

The thing that really stunned me though, was the difference a single unit of red blood made.

not having a go, but why is it a general perception that only doctors and nurses work saving lives in the NHS?

[kirsty b]

Very true. There are so many others within the NHS who save lives (like yourself). Without lab peeps and haematologists to cross match, group and save blood, the right stuff wouldn't get to the right person.

[binley100]

g



the 'something extra' could be something like Irradiation or CMV negative blood and could be due to ongoing treatment regime or other drugs.

Thanks for explaining things . She is on chemo for CLL at the moment so that probably is the reason.

[OllieMartin]

If I were you I would offer blood when it is needed. The blood ALWAYS needed is the most common one and, contrary to belief, blood doesn't keep for very long. Your blood may one day be vital to someone of the same group!

Apparently, after 911, so many people wanted to do something to help that blood banks had an influx of attendees. Sadly, as you say PF, blood doesn't keep very long so they had to tip litterally hundreds of thousands of pints away.
But people felt they were doing their bit all the same.

[organic]

not having a go, but why is it a general perception that only doctors and nurses work saving lives in the NHS?

I don't know why you've asked me that.

She was in HUD, given a new drug, stopped breathing and all the alarms started going off. (Blood oxygen plummeted. BP fell. Heart sped up and then started slowing below resting).
The doctor who that moment arrived at her bed on his rounds started asking questions and giving instructions while the nurses did the work.

There are many important jobs in the NHS but not a single one of them saved her life then. There was a doctor and some nurses. Their quick actions took my crashing friend and kept her with us. The surgeons did their bit, the porters did theirs and so on - but I'm not talking about her entire stay, just 5 scary minutes in HDU.

[batpixie]

I have been giving blood now for many a year. They do appear to be doing very strange things like having to now drink a litre of water while you wait now.

I think that drinking the water before hand is meant to speed up the recovery rates. At least that's what it said in the magazine thingy they sent out a while ago. I can't say that I noticed much difference.

[organic]

The girls (and guy) at the place I donate are great.
Long time donors will have noticed changes like losing the sponge balls we used to get to play with (risk of infection through the pin-prick hole).

They've given me things like bandages to replace it and most recently, rolled up and taped strips of corrugated card taken from something they get in (could be bags, needles or something like that).

Good on 'em I think. Having something to occupy the hand of the donation arm makes the donation easier for me I find.

I'm a sod for pigging out after though. I'm always absolutely STARVING by the time the needle comes out so I tend to eat a penguin and a pack of biscuits and usually grab a couple of bits to snack on when I leave too.

That machine-made orange cordial stuff is potent gear too.

[WrexTheDragon]

The squeeze balls are back in my area. They always ask if I a allergic to plasters?
No waiting now after giving blood, it's get up and have your Crawford's biscuit.
They come to my area every month, but you can only give every 4 months. So if you miss one another comes along very soon.

[kirsty b]

I think that drinking the water before hand is meant to speed up the recovery rates. At least that's what it said in the magazine thingy they sent out a while ago. I can't say that I noticed much difference.

It did make a difference to me. I usually have a drink anyway, but usually before I leave the house and can feel very tired afterwards. The last couple of times I have done it, I've had the water beforehand and felt absolutely fine after. Must admit I get bored and slope off after 5 minutes instead of 15

[organic]

Wrex - asking if you're allergic to plasters is pretty standard I think. Thankfully I'm not but I believe quite a lot of people are. Dunno what they do for them, maybe a different type of plaster? Maybe a bandage? I just dunno.

I wonder if we'll have the squeezy balls back here, then. I'm going to try to donate tomorrow (I'm passing by the centre this afternoon but am training tonight so can't afford the loss) so I'll have an answer before long.

I wonder what logic they've used to bring them back. It seemed sensible when they took them away (though I still protested )

[WrexTheDragon]

People appear to be allergic to all sorts of things now.

I think the squeezy balls help in keeping a standard blood flow.


Worth asking tomorrow.

[Eco-Chic]

My sister is allergic to the non-allergenic plasters but fine with the bog standard ones.