"Best" Way To Donate Blood?

[Rider]

So are you guys all doing double red cell blood donations, or just whole blood?

I probably should do a double the next time I go. They keep telling me I'm a perfect candidate for it, blood type O with very high iron levels.

 

[rawdeal]

So are you guys all doing double red cell blood donations, or just whole blood?

I probably should do a double the next time I go. They keep telling me I'm a perfect candidate for it, blood type O with very high iron levels.

lol, my experience with them is they ARE sales-oriented, used to get spam emails AND spam phone calls till I got so ugly they stopped. Your "O" is the universal donor, you are very user friendly for the blood supply. "A" is the universal acceptor, good for its owner, less than your O for the big picture. Then there is the AB's, and all the + or - versions, I lost track. Respect and gratitude for what they do for anyone and everyone, but they can get a little like an ADC Indian once they have your contact info. If any of us tests for "blood on steroids," the stuff we wanna guard against, we are very attractive. Whatever, I wanna reduce MY risks, I am long overdue to do a little good for others, I'll deal with the spam.

 

[extremevet]

You can sell it too. Usually there are a couple of centers around.

 

[rawdeal]

You can sell it too. Usually there are a couple of centers around.

Yeah, I am vaguely aware of that. That line "sales oriented" in my post above may have been misleading. I'm not after money, just asking about the best way for a guy with "thick blood" to donate, and I confess I ask for my own good more than for the general population, I'm no saint, glad if it helps someone else, but after my own best choice.

My "sales oriented" comment was directed at THE Red Cross, not one of those other donation places you can find. Not sure if the Red Cross itself pays or not. Also think any paying some place might do is geared toward how desirable a donor's blood type is. MY blood is as clean as Snow White's pussy, even with those 7 little dents in her hymen, but it's a common blood type. I am much more in it for the health benefit, not for the profit motive.

 

[extremevet]

I figured you weren't trying to cash in on your blood. Just an idea in case the blood mobile is not running that day and you got that about to pop red face I need to drop some rbc's soon thing happening...

 

[Rider]

lol, my experience with them is they ARE sales-oriented, used to get spam emails AND spam phone calls till I got so ugly they stopped. Your "O" is the universal donor, you are very user friendly for the blood supply. "A" is the universal acceptor, good for its owner, less than your O for the big picture. Then there is the AB's, and all the + or - versions, I lost track. Respect and gratitude for what they do for anyone and everyone, but they can get a little like an ADC Indian once they have your contact info. If any of us tests for "blood on steroids," the stuff we wanna guard against, we are very attractive. Whatever, I wanna reduce MY risks, I am long overdue to do a little good for others, I'll deal with the spam.

Yes, same here. I get an email from them at least once a week. You're right though, it gets annoying, but I don't mind donating at least 4 times a year.
Good for others as well as myself in the long run.

 

[rawdeal]

I figured you weren't trying to cash in on your blood. Just an idea in case the blood mobile is not running that day and you got that about to pop red face I need to drop some rbc's soon thing happening...

LOL . . . are you on my FaceBook?! I tell ya, African-Americans do have a lot of complaints about things, but I don't see any of them getting pop red faces. Irish, German, English is no bowl of peaches 'n cream either.

Yes, same here. I get an email from them at least once a week. You're right though, it gets annoying, but I don't mind donating at least 4 times a year.
Good for others as well as myself in the long run.

Yeah, I do stick with "THE" Red Cross anyway. This whole thread has been about the various types of donations, and I'm not sure if little neighborhood places or bloodmobiles would be equipped to offer all. I live near a Red Cross main outlet, so I can get whatever this thread leads me to do.

 

[NDLessPSYcle]

Guys you should imo have a junk phone line. I have a google voicemail number which I use for all businesses that solicit. I have it set to not ring and just turn any message left into a visual vm. Either set yourself up like that or tell the Red Cross when they call that you recently have gotten a tattoo. In certain states that takes you off the list for 6 months or a year dependant on state you reside.

 

[ketsugo]

Just remember one just can't walk in donate - they test your blood for guidelines as they want clean blood - no blood with ultra over limit red blood cells , can't have iron too high and if your vitals arent within guide you can't , unless your doc writes script for therapeutic blood draw. My first time ever was after doing high doses EQ cycle luckily I was like right on the cusp on some . However my RBCs and iron came down. I found that too they want to know how long you used certain medications including steroids . Now yeah maybe you say lie Ketsugo get that blood downbeat lol but although they will test the batch prior to giving to some feeble sick young child or elderly so me I'd feel like shit if person got sick . Hey im clean of disease lol . All in all was fascinating experience I do reg at local Red Cross when I take long break . I feel much more energetic .

 

[ketsugo]

Guys you should imo have a junk phone line. I have a google voicemail number which I use for all businesses that solicit. I have it set to not ring and just turn any message left into a visual vm. Either set yourself up like that or tell the Red Cross when they call that you recently have gotten a tattoo. In certain states that takes you off the list for 6 months or a year dependant on state you reside.

Fascinating this interesting thread !!

 

[rawdeal]

Guys you should imo have a junk phone line. I have a google voicemail number which I use for all businesses that solicit. I have it set to not ring and just turn any message left into a visual vm. Either set yourself up like that or tell the Red Cross when they call that you recently have gotten a tattoo. In certain states that takes you off the list for 6 months or a year dependant on state you reside.

Totally agree with the junk phone, junk email idea. But that's now. Somehow I assumed Red Cross would be more "dignified" than other places, that damn Indian pharmacy comes to mind. Once my Red Cross Newbie self screwed up, I was in their system, took a while and some increasing Ugly from me to get them to stop.

 

[rawdeal]

Just remember one just can't walk in donate - they test your blood for guidelines . . . .

Shit, ketsugo, that post of yours IS informative. I knew they tested for HIV and Hep A-Z and if you've had sex with mad cows or been to a few worrisome countries.

I did not know they also worried about our blood being too thick, too red, whatever else they worry about. I did note your comment about a doctor's note might solve that, I just like to minimize my exposure to doctors Seems like our high octane stuff would be desirable for sick ppl, like Red Cross could dilute it to their specs, but I think too much.

Wondering now if some of the non-Red Cross places are quite so strict.