Second level donor now. Since yesterday.
Got three bars of chocolate and +1 to attack.
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Second level donor now. Since yesterday.
Got three bars of chocolate and +1 to attack.
:confused: Levels? I don't think we have any such thing here. You are making me curious. Enlighten us, please.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taliesin
/Claes
I think he means that he has donated blood for the second time now. It is too early Taliesin, isn't it? I think only two months have passed since you last donated blood? There must be some rules regarding to the time one has to wait for the next blood donation??Quote:
Originally Posted by ClaesGefvenberg
There are rules, Pensy, and think over here it's six weeks. But I could be wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pensive
In Canada the maximum frequency you can donate is every 56 days. I don't understand what 'second level' means either :p maybe its an award of some sort.
I got a cute little pin after my 5th donation, but they have all kinds of cutesy little incentive things to get people to *keep* coming back after their first time (certificates, plaques, pics with the mayor etc.) Its kinda like skydiving, if you can get your nerve up to jump out of a plane once, the problem is that then you know just how scary it can be and what to expect, most people don't go up for their second jump because they are more scared to do it than they were the first time :lol: The trick is to go up again immediately after your first jump when you're still high on adrenalin./sidebar
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClaesGefvenberg
We don't have them here either.
This was a bit of inside humor, we are afraid. A geek thing.
You see, we are into RPGs quite a lot and levels is a term from D&D.
Basically, it just means experience on a certain field - but in D&D those fields are like sorceror, fighter, druid - the higher level you get through experience, the more abilities you gain. So we just thought it was amusing to view donor as a class.
Quote:
In Canada the maximum frequency you can donate is every 56 days. I don't understand what 'second level' means either maybe its an award of some sort.
I got a cute little pin after my 5th donation, but they have all kinds of cutesy little incentive things to get people to *keep* coming back after their first time (certificates, plaques, pics with the mayor etc.) Its kinda like skydiving, if you can get your nerve up to jump out of a plane once, the problem is that then you know just how scary it can be and what to expect and most people don't go up for their second jump because they are more scared to do it than they were the first time The trick is to go up again immediately after your first jump when you're still high on adrenalin./sidebar
We got a pin too, although it was our second time.
It wasn't so scary at all. Besides, after giving blood you feel kind of high, you know?
Well, I get dizzy/lightheaded for a while and usually do it on a day I don't have to do much else physically `cuz I get sleepy too. However the next day I feel really good, full of energy, its weird but good weird.Quote:
Originally Posted by Taliesin
I have yet to give blood although now that the GP more or less said right there is nothing to worry about I might get to goive blood at Last.
WHich will be quite somthing as Ive been aiming to do it since I was 8....:rolleyes:
Yay Night! :thumbs_up would love to hear about it if/when you do it, I think its interesting to read about the whole process, how it is the same or different, from different parts of the world :)
Ah vampire play tools--what memories.
Attempt #1--USAF Basic training--rejected because they had enough volunteers. The reward was to get off duty the rest of the day,
Attempt #2. Castle AFB CA (now closed)--again a half day off for going. I remember having an awful time squeezing a rubber ball and getting a quite a bit whiny about it. Would have been 19 or 20 then.
Attempt #3. Hancock Field NY June 1973--waiting for orders to come thru for Grand Forks and nothing better to do. Rejected because I had left Guam that April and you had to wait at least 6 months before they'll think about you.
Attempt #4--Grand Forks AFB ND. Took part on behalf of a friend arounf 1976 or so I believe who's mother would receive a pint for every one donated to the University of North Dakota. I remember being as whiny as ever but the cute but unsympathtic nurse kept me cool by shaming the drama queen (which worked and I hope was her intention--another lost love).
Attempt #5 and final. Another favor for a friend. All I know is what I was told later. I remember being stupid and looking at the bag filling up. The next thing I remember is (Another) cute nurse tapping my forehead and asking me if I knew where I was. After escaping my feiend says I had abruptly said I have to go back the the office and started to walk away needle bag and everything. To this day those moemnets are a blank. I never got used to the feel of the procedure--don't like needles and frankly felt I'm done with this. When you're not macho to begin with there is little shame in this form of quiting.
Attempt coda: A church member needed some but to be honest when I finally got the nerve up that quota was meant. I doubt God was glorified with this Laodecian.
Aha.... Now I get it. You really lost me there, you rascal, you.;) :lol: :thumbs_upQuote:
Originally Posted by Taliesin
/Claes
I did my 7th donation yesterday, it wasn't very good :( only 1/2 a bag* before the blood started clotting around the needle opening so that the blood couldn't come out, but anything is better than nothing :p
*the nurse said it was enough to give a preemie baby a transfusion
mtpspur, maybe it's time to give it a try again :D
.
I used to donate plasma - they take out the blood filter it and gives you back the red bloodcells, but keep the rest. I do not really know what they use it for. Perhaps they just like to cool machines? Before I did i was afraid of needles, but it kind of wore off. They do not want my blood anymore since I eat a lot of medicine. the place I donated at used to give you different things you could choose from, and you got points for every time you donated that you could trade for items that had been donated by different companies- like candleholders, socks, teacups... as a poor student I saved up and got neat things to give away for christmas.
Once there was something wrong with the tube in my arm conentcting me to the plasma machine I think, something about the pressure, and when the nice, goodlooking young student took it out the blood just spurted right into his face. For some reason that made me very embarrassed. When I tried to tell him I sorry I was and turn my arm away I only managed to make things worse by spraypainting the person beside me. It was like some Monty python sketch. "spurt - oops, sorry- spurt- oops sorry".
I'm still squeamish of the needles Isagel, I wish I could get over it.
How often did you get to do plasma donations? and how long did it take to do one? they don't do it in the city I live in, I would have to drive about an hour to where they do..I've thought of doing it but there is a huge pile of paperwork to fill out for it and I haven't gotten around to it yet.
I think it took about 45 minutes, or so, and you had to rest afterwards. I do not remember how often you could do it, about the same as regular blood donations I think, perhaps abit more often. It was a couple of years ago so I don´t remember exactly. (I hope I gave the right word and that it is called plasma in english too, but there might be some other medical term used)
Yup its plasma here too, besides platelet, 'whole' blood donations that I do, and bone marrow donations. Ah ok I thought it took a lot longer than a whole blood donation (5-20mins) The thing about resting too, I would have to devote a whole morning to do one. (Although I do donations on days when I'm not doing anything else because I get tired and don't want my arm all bruised :p )
I have never donated blood so far, but I think it's a good way of helping people and it makes you feel part of mankind somehow....
Well, I'm not scared of injections, but I don't like thinking about veins, nerves and stuff like that ( I get upset even if I listen to my own or somebody else's heart-beats!)....
Anyway, I hope I'll manage to do it one day!!
Well... I suppose most of us are to some degree? It doesnt' bother me much, but I don't think anyone really enjoys getting their hide punctured. Perhaps you can get over the fact that you can't get over being squeamish about it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Logos
I hope so too, Silvia, but don't beat yourself up about it if you don't... Some of us can cope with it quite easily and others can not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Silvia
/Claes
No, of course I won't, Claes. I'm not going to hurt my person if I think I'm not fit for blood donation.Quote:
I hope so too, Silvia, but don't beat yourself up about it if you don't... Some of us can cope with it quite easily and others can not.
But I have to try at least and see how it is to have your blood taken away for a good cause.
Well, I have just had a drawing because of my doctor, and I didn't find it so annoying as I expected it to be, but I'm not sure if it's the same thing!
Actually, if is makes you feel better, I think it hurts less when the people at the donation place do it. They do is so many times a day that they are excellent at it. Also, you can always tell them that you are scared. I did, and they were really kind. You are there to help, so they take good care of you.
yes, this makes me feel better!
It is reassuring to know they are used to doing it.....and anyway, we're talking about something which doesn't last too long, does it?
Even if it hurts, the pain won't go on for hours!
Actually, mine is not fear of pain...just trouble connected to the idea of people tapping on my arm in order to make the vein show and so on....I know it's silly, but I can't help it!
I think I know what you mean. I have had to have surgery while being awake and I used this small trick to make myself think about something else. I count in my head 100-7 = 93, 93 -7=86 , 86 -7 =... and so on. It keeps my mind occupied since I am not good at math. And, some where between 100 and zero, it is all done. Perhaps it can work for you too?
wait can you get 0 if you minusing in 7?
100-7...wait thatll take too long....divide?
hummm so n-7 no 100(n-7) ?:confused: n-7 to the power of x ??yes oh booo
or is it 100-7 to the power of n?
yaaaaaaaaa:brickwall:
its a loop of n-7 =n so the answer is how many 7s in 100 oh yes that is divide...except when you divide you end up with 1 dont you?
what am I doing theres a repetive function the calculater :rolleyes:
I thought so you dont get 0....:D:D
No, you don´t... just a figure of speach. :-). It will be 2, I think. But it does not sound as good.
Well of course I have, that's why I've gone back 6 times :D They know me now and their chairside manner helps much in dealing with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ClaesGefvenberg
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silvia
Well where I go to do donations they've got music playing and or a television on to the newschannel or somesuch, there's at any given time 2-7 other people doing donations, so, lots of distractions going on that you can focus on, or talk to other people :D I've met many regulars now. They also cover up the needle injection site with gauze once things get going and cover most of the tubing so you can't see. And like I said it takes from about 5-20mins from start to finish.
aargh! I don't think I could bear watching my blood flowing through a tube...at least they cover it!!:D
Could it take 20 minutes?? to be honest, I thought much less!
Anyway, talking to peole is a good way of relaxing your mind, as well as counting, like Isagel said!
In my opinin, the doctor's behaviour and attitude really helps you feeling comfortable and safe...if you find friendly people, everything turns out well!!
I agree with that last statement. And it does take 20-30 minutes but youcan turn your head and not watch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Silvia
From what I've been told, (and again it might be different in various parts of the world as far as procedures) but if between the 15-20 minute mark the bag is not filling up anymore they stop and remove the needle, the nurses/phlebotomists/technicians are constantly watching that everything is going ok :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Silvia
It doesn't hurt once the needle is in and taped into place so it doesn't move. They have that cutoff time so as not to cause undue stress on the vein/insertion site, especially for people like me who now just use one arm, my other one the vein is hard to get at. Here too you can ask to have the same person/nurse/phlebotomist do your donations everytime you go in if you prefer one over another. But really they are all such nice people where I go, they really do go way out of their way to make you comfortable and happy because blood is increasingly such a necessary product for so many different types of surgeries and treatments and they are so grateful to people who give blood.
It has never ever taken more than five minutes for me, but as the others say, different procedures as well as equipment can make a huge difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Silvia
/Claes
I did it at last!!!!!:banana:
then I fainte don them.... oops:lol: well not a whole faint but they had to stop it a minute or so early becuase I went OI is this supposed to happen , then the nurses said that I was about to faint.
STil Ive done it and Ill go back in 4-6 months and do it again, only this time Ill make sure m not tierd to start with.
:nod:
I have given blood many times, but the funny thing is that the Red Cross won't let me donate blood. Apparently its because I served in the US Army in Germany back during the Mad Cow Disease scare of the late 80's and early 90's. I have to go to an underground blood donation center...joking. The place I used to go to always gave away T-shirts(some sort of marketing scheme I guess).
Good on you Nightshade :thumbs_upQuote:
Originally Posted by Nightshade
Oh... Well, let's hope that doesn't happen next time, then... My guess is that you were a bit tense, that being your first time and all... You'll probably be all right next time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nightshade
/Claes
I did my 8th donation on the 14th, and thankfully it was a full one, unlike my 7th one where the bag only filled halfway before it stopped. I also filled out the initial bone marrow registry application. Night, there have been a few times too where all of a sudden I'm getting vertigo while sitting in the chair because I'm so nervous, the nurse said the #1 reason for that is a person is not breathing properly :lol: so I did my yoga breathing and it worked out great.
.
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I've never given blood but I'm so scared that every time I get an inoculation I'm afraid I'm going to cry. And I don't.:blush:
do yu get pressies? http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/b9_blood.html
I got my red card and stickers...in a couple more months Ill work up to another donation I guess:D
About half a month ago We saw our mobile phone ring, took it up, AND THE HORRORS! Someone called BLOOD was calling us!
Luckily, we gathered our wits and answered the phone, who turned out to be the vampi... blood bank, who wanted our BLOOD! We told them that we had a lesson in about two or three hours but then we just went and gave some.
Twas quite a good reason of being absent from lesson.
(We were needed! It was our duty! You wouldn't want someone to have died because there was no more blood wouldn't you? See, a good reason.)
Plus, we got a cup which claims it is a good person:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_jrsX6kxv8Sg/...heainimene.JPG
Night, wow! you get a key thingie on the second donation? I will get pressies when I do my tenth :) Keychain with flashlight, a donor pin, and a pic on the Wall of Fame(?) Just did my ninth donation few days ago, yay! another full one, took minimal time to fill, double yay.
Tal that's a lovely mug you've got there! :p
I want to donate blood, but I can't till I'm of age. Even thought I really DISLIKE needles, I would do it. For saving people and all that, and of course: for the free cookies!
I've only donated once...which ended up with them calling me up saying that they need me to donate blood platlets because I have such a high amount...I'm going tommorrow to donate. I'm excited!
When I first donated blood, I got mardi gras beads and a t-shirt...plus some tasty drinks!:D