• Yankee_Self_Loader@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    1 day ago

    I’m going to go against the grain and encourage people to give blood if you are able to. I’m past the 5 gallon mark of donated blood products through the Red Cross even though I have the most common blood type. My blood is cmv negative so despite it being common it can be given to newborns so it definitely worth it.

    Do the phone calls get a little irritating? Yeah maybe. But if I had a choice between being called about my car’s extended warranty and the need to donate blood because there’s a constant shortage I know which call I’d prefer. That said, in all my interactions with the Red Cross over the phone, they have always been happy to take one off the call list.

    All of that said, go give blood if you are able. You can quite literally save a life! And let’s be honest, you probably don’t need all of yours right now so why not share?

    I also want to address the elephant in the room that is not everyone is able to give blood or has a lifestyle that the Red Cross precludes from giving blood. I personally think it’s time that the Red Cross updates their policies to reflect modern medical findings but I will also admit to not being a scientist or medical professional to make a judgement call. I wish they would look into it at least.

    But seriously, go give blood if you can.

  • vrek@programming.devEnglish
    551·
    2 days ago

    I tried donating blood once and never again. They ask way too many questions… “whose blood is this?” “where did you get it?” “why is it in buckets?” blah blah blah

    /s

  • spittingimage@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    1 day ago

    Try working in healthcare. Awful hard to say no when you have to face them across the lunchroom table every day…

  • 🍉 Albert 🍉@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    1 day ago

    I used to donate every 2 months, stopped because I have high blood pressure and no healthcare so can’t really take care of it.

    they were calling me every week guilt tripping for me to give more blood, they are relentless.

  • HollowNaught@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 days ago

    I’ve donated blood twice. If that’s all there was to it, I’d do it more

    But the incessant calling. I remember it being once or twice a month I’d pick up and it’d be somebody trying to guilt trip me into donating blood

    Like I’d love to do it, but only when I’m free and when I want to. Pushing me to do it just made me block the number and never donate since then

    I say block, because telling them to stop doesn’t stop them from doing anything

    • artichokecustard@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      8·
      1 day ago

      you can block the number and still donate even, like i get how it’s kind of annoying, but it does actually help people, not to mention it’s lowkey kind of good for you esp for the blood donations. i’m definitely biased tho, having an inflammatory condition and regularly donating platelets and plasma just helps my body not to hurt me so much, i’m done with a dono in prob 40min and i get a free saline and anticoagulant drip at the same time, try and catch me with a clogged artery. not to mention the socks and t-shirts, i do be rockin the red cross drip heavy.

  • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    2 days ago

    I tried to donate/sell plasma, but they wouldn’t let me! Just because I’ve had “cancer”, and would “infect” other “healthy” “people”.

    Pssshhhhh!!!

    Suck me out, and pay me, dammit!

    • drcobaltjedi@programming.devEnglish
      7·
      2 days ago

      Please note, in the US at least, if you’re being paid for plasma then the plasma is non transfusable, and is being sold for medical research or cosmetics.

        • drcobaltjedi@programming.devEnglish
          3·
          22 hours ago

          Yes. People are willing to lie for money, and a lot of those questions asked for transfusable blood products are asked to make sure donating is safe for both you and the recipient. Now some questions asked only impact certain blood products, aspirin only impacts the utility of your plasma platelets for example. Now those paid plasma centers ask a lot fewer questions as they only need to make sure you’d be okay parting with the plasma.

          It’s regulated by the FDA and lying on those blood donation forms is a crime as its both a legal document and considered tampering with the blood supply. As with everything in the medical field there is a required paper trail.

          EDIT: my blood product in my example was wrong. It has been updated. If you’re curious how I know so much about blood donation, my roommate works as a phlebotomist at a nearby blood bank.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.todayEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      there has been extremely rare niche incident where cancer was spread from person to person and 1 unlikely where an animal gave it to a person who had aids. one was organ transplants the other, surgeon nicked his hand and developed a tumor(apprently it was a minor issue since its only deadly to the host it came form,)

        • ferret@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          6 hours ago

          iirc regular ass dogs have an infectious disease that comes from doggy cancer but (iirc) does not exhibit cancer-like symptoms in doggy recipients, it’s just another bug to catch

  • NABDad@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    2 days ago

    I gave blood a couple times in an area outside my own. They harassed me for years after that. I kept explaining that I wasn’t in their area and it wouldn’t be possible.

    I do have that sweet O type (positive not negative, but still).

    • 🍉 Albert 🍉@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      1 day ago

      same O+, they were the worst spam callers I ever had. it sucked because I cannot give blood anymore for health reasons and I don’t have healthcare 🇺🇸. so twice a week I got a reminder that the system wants my blood but doesn’t mind letting me die.

  • RebekahWSD@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    2 days ago

    My twin had to tell them to stop calling because universal donor it was just so so often, even when twin was too low iron they still called.

  • LogicalDrivel@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    6·
    2 days ago

    Last time i donated blood, the untrained “phlebotomist” collapsed my vein by trying to force the blood to flow with these roller things on the IV tube. I had literal black and blue bruises for months. and they kept asking me for more…

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      i was bruised by a phlebotomist a few years ago when the needle went through the vein. i thought it was more painful and odd than usual, because i already had many blood draws before, and they wernt this painful.

  • tomiant@piefed.socialEnglish
    25·
    2 days ago

    Take all you want!

    …for a blowjob.

    Like, how bad do you want that kid to survive, eh?