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Donating blood again, after only 17 years
October 28th, 2009, 2:41 pm · 9 Comments · posted by Landon Hall
“When was the last time you gave blood?”
I searched for a long, embarrassing moment through the calendar of my memory, and the pages flipped all the way back to 1992. I was in my senior year of college, and I question how usable that pint even was, given its high concentration of Old Milwaukee.
I have no excuse for going 17 years between blood donations, but I feel a lot better about myself after giving at the American Red Cross station set up in The Register’s home office today.
I wouldn’t say I’m squeamish about needles, but the sight of my own blood spilling anywhere — even into a sterile plastic bag — is a little unnerving. The staff was very patient, though: Nora Gonzalez, the assistant who signed me up and hooked me up (pictured above), answered all my annoying questions (”How long before I can donate again?” Answer: 56 days). Two other workers who saw me snapping photographs of my arm assured me that if I passed out, they’d take a picture of me — because journalism never sleeps, even if I do. Also, they put on K-Earth 101, which plays fine blood-donating music: Aretha’s “Think” makes you instinctively squeeze the foam ball faster.
Some of my annoying questions were about who can give blood, and what conditions would disqualify someone from giving. I found out that if you’ve gotten a tattoo in the past 12 months, you can’t donate if the tat was administered in a state that doesn’t sufficiently regulate such establishments. California is among 18 such states (and Puerto Rico), which is preposterous. But I guess that’s a topic for another post.
Other information in the literature they ask you to read before donating says you shouldn’t give blood if you’ve ever had hepatitis on or after the age of 11 (which made me think how awful it would be to get that on your 11th birthday), or “been in prison, lockup or juvenile detention for 72 consecutive hours over the last 12 months.” If you fall into that category, being denied at the bloodmobile probably isn’t your biggest problem anyway.
I did OK on the blood pressure (118/72), and absolutely rocked the hemoglobin count in my red blood cells: 15.6! They take anyone with 12.5 and over.
Nora’s laptop told her that, unsurprisingly, the Red Cross had no record of me, likely because the last time I donated computers had not yet been invented. I used the laptop to answer several very specific questions, including whether I’ve had sex for money or drugs since 1977; had an ear or body piercing over the past year; lived for a total of five years in certain European countries (because of the risk of Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, which comes from eating mad-cow meat); or taken one of the prescription drugs on the list (Avodart, for enlarged prostate; and Accutane, for acne).
This questionnaire could weed out many prospective donors, but not enough to account for the relatively slow traffic in the donation center. Only about 27 people had walked in by the time I left shortly after noon, three hours into the drive.
After I filled up the bag, a technician made sure I stayed there long enough so that I didn’t feel woozy, which I did a little at first. Another staffer made sure I got my fill of water and Nutter Butters.
Now I’m back at my desk, feeling a small but very real sense of pride. And feeling glad I didn’t get that “Twilight: New Moon” tattoo a couple weeks back.
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My work had a blood drive and alot of our employee wern’t able to give. One of the most important that needs to be mentioned if you have been to visit ta third world county in the last 6 months even if it was a short visit. Also as I found out you have to wait 5 years if you have had any cancer, including skin cancer.
I recommend St. Joseph Hospital Blood Donor Center in Orange, if you want a really nice donation experience. It beats the Red Cross and UCIMC I say! Of course, you can’t beat this setup for the convenience this time, and you probably helped save someone’s life. (Do the story sometime that follows your pint through the blood bank and into someone else’s veins–although that’s harder now with HIPAA)
I’m a big fan of donating blood. Prior to having my baby, I worked down the street from St. Joe’s and was a regular donor there for many years. The staff there are just wonderful! I wish every hospital had a donor center.
The CHOC Blood Donor Center also rocks!!!! Wonderful staff, comfortable chairs, and television/DVDs to watch if you like.
I also like that the blood you donate goes to kids first, then is released to SJO and the outside world as needed.
Wish I could donate, but it turns out that my living overseas means that I could be a mad cow carrier. Go figure.
Donate blood. Please.
Unless you have a very good reason, it is your moral obligation.
Would you not help save the life of a stranger if it was in your power for just a little inconvenience?!
The truth is, it really doesn’t hurt.
Don’t think “somebody else will do it”.
They won’t, because they are lazy or cowardly or neglectful or ignorant and just don’t care enough.
This means YOU!
There are always shortages and the need is constant.
If you donate, and Regularly, every 2 weeks (for pharesis - you can watch a movie in the 2 hours it takes) or every 56 days for just a 20 minute pint .. you have earned our respect and gratitude.
If you don’t, and have no good reason, shame on you.
Good on you for donating!
I too have not donated since MC Hammer was at the top of the charts — but I think my fairly regular trips to Thailand have pretty much ruled me out — at least that’s what they said the last two times I tried to donate.
Maybe this spring will be the first time in a while that I’ll be eligible. I’ll put Think on my iPod.
Thanks for the stumble down memory lane, Rhena. During that blissful time of my last blood donation, spring ‘92, the radio waves were filled with Jesus Jones’ “Right Here, Right Now.” Which sounded good at the time … another selection from K-Earth 101 I found pleasing yesterday: “Don’t You Want Me,” by the Human League. But I CANNOT recommend, under any circumstances, ever listening to Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets,” ever again.
Ha! My husband loves the song “Benny and the Jets!”