hoey222

I had to crack a smile when they asked

"have you ever exchanged money for sex...."

i almost answered - does my wife count......

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i have become comfortably numb......

RIVERWIDOW

Soon I will be eligible to give again and that donation will bump me up to 5 gallons donated. Every 8 weeks I give blood and then get my car washed with the freebie coupon. Maybe my Apex name should be Cheapietoo !

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My grandkids are cuter than yours !
Rock on Chargers !

Lets go Padres !! All the way in 2009

Kevster

I am now over 2.5 gallons donated, even thoguh they aren't in terrible need of my blood (AB+). They have been trying to get me into apheresis again, but it takes sooo long (2hrs min) I have been a little hesitant to donate my platelets.

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I think over again
My small adventures, my fears.
The small ones that seemed so big,
For all the vital things I had to get and to reach.

And yet there is only one great thing, the only thing:

To live to see the great day that dawns,
And the light that fills the world.

-old Inuit song

zippyjuan

According to the Red Cross, I am still considered inelgible to donate blood since I spent more than three months in England after 1980 (fear of Mad Cow diseaase). I was in England for six months (and another five months in other parts of Europe) over twenty years ago (1983- 84). Yes, I ate meat while I was there.

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I add new pictures to my photo gallery pretty regularly. You can see them here if you are interested: http://www.pbase.com/jeffryz

Sirrich3

I keep getting those calls from the Red Cross. I wouldn't mind donating, I just hate the wait!

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chrissy

I am scared of needles.
But I donate.

Tried to donate a couple weeks ago -- iron was a hair low. Like by two points. Figured it was monthly related so I am going in this Saturday.

THE perk of donating in LV is you get show tickets when you donate.

RIVERWIDOW

If you go online and schedule an appt there is almost no wait.

Eat beets they will jack up your iron.

I know there is some way to put both these together but I am challenged. !

Sirrich3

3 times I have made appointments and I end up waiting and next thing you know a couple of hours have gone by...

Jcranmer

Even though I hate needles in veins, I would donate. However since I am diabetic and my sugar levels are most always out of control, I really can't donate.

Sirrich3

I've been jinxed! Just got a call from the Red Cross wanting my BLOOD!

hoey222

they now are introducing a new method of collecting red blood cells. called ALYX. it's like a filter process they only take the red cells.

supposedly a smaller needle, slightly longer donation time (25 min), but you have no loss of fluids. they replace the fluds in the filtration process so you don't feel tired after giving.

you need to be a certain size and weight and have a certain iron count. i would have done it but my veins were a lillte too small. they need to withstand the push and pull of the system.

Houdini

I can see the reason for an iron level, or even an H/H, but fluid devoid of red cells, unless the fluid has added glucose, wouldn't necessarily make you less tired. A unit of blood isn't much, but for some, the depleted hemoglobin and the small depletion of venous fluid may make one tired. That can be fixed with a little water or gatorade, though. You're still losing RBCs, which carry oxygen.

hoey222

They said they take 2 units of red cells. and i think it is added glucose.