NationStates Jolt Archive

If so, any funny stories.

If not, why?

Stay The Hell Away From My Blood

Frequently.... other people's.

:D

Blood? *faints*

Yes, I've given blood several times. Those who can, and don't, deserve to be smacked with ladles.

http://www.danishglass.com/new_look/pictures/georg_jensen/silver/blossom/georg%20jensen%20blossom%20soup%20ladle%203084151.jpg

I can't, I am consistantly anemic. My hemocrit or whatever that's supposed to be a min. of 36 to donate sits around 12-15 all the time, they say if it drops to 10 or below then I will have to get a transfusion.

Hubby can't because of crohn's meds.


They are having a blood drive at my church this weekend and we are just about the only ones not able to donate. :(

Yes, I've given blood several times. Those who can, and don't, deserve to be smacked with ladles.
/extracts two liters of your blood and donates them/

Don't smack me with a ladle! /ph34r/ /cowers in corner/

What's with all /this/ of late?

"I don't give blood, bitch!"

(nothing personal, just a random quote)

Nope, I haven't. Between my severe needle phobia and my being just a wee bit smaller than the standard minimum weight, I've never been able to do so.

No. Never have.
While I am a trained paramedic and have seen my fair share of blood everywhere (e.g. I've been puked on with half-digested blood) and even knew how to put an IV into someone I honestly hate needles.
*shudders* Even vaccination shots are teh horror and blood samples already get me close to fainting, weak knees and everything...
So, no. Besides, I'm on long-term medication that would show up and that's why my blood wouldn't be any good for others anyway.

What's with all /this/ of late?
I grew tired of asterisks. /nods/

(It's also derived from the IRC code.)

As a healthy 19 year old male I give blood as frequently as possible, which is every 90 days.

What's with all the needle phobia? It's just... a clean tiny piece of metal. Haven't you ever been cut before. Pussies.

Hey, at least I won't become a pusher, a'ight?

I've given blood 4 times now, I'm 18. I think that it's important that (if you can) you should repay your potential blood debt to society. And I personally plan on hurrying up this process because I plan on engaging in lots of anal sex in university and you can't bleed if you are a bumgay.

I have, but no funny stories or anything.

I did a few weeks ago. Didn't hurt a bit. I hadn't actually noticed until I looked down and noticed the tube running out of my arm was red.

No. I'm not allowed to, as I was given a transfusion when I was a baby and they've decided that the blood they used might not have been clean, or something. I don't really remember the exact reason, but when I tried to register, they refused to let me.

I grew tired of asterisks. /nods/

(It's also derived from the IRC code.)
O...k...

Anyway, haven't seen you on IRC in ages - or do you not mean NS IRC?

As for needle-phobia (dunno what the proper name is): it's a phobia. It's not meant to be rational. Trying to explain it as such won't work. I don't have a problem with people with genuine fears. I have a problem with people who don't give blood out of laziness.

O...k...

Anyway, haven't seen you on IRC in ages - or do you not mean NS IRC?
I haven't been on IRC in ages. As I have more important things to do (yes, porn and creating flags does count as more important), I never go on unless I need to (in order to hold private conversations with people who don't have AIM or to contact the mods). Also, I don't follow half the conversations that go on there, or when I do come on it's mostly inactive, being 4 AM or whatever the time happens to be.

I've given blood many a time. One time at school, a classmate passed out while giving blood, although he claimed he was only "sleeping." He was a nice shade of green when he finished.

No. I'm not allowed to, as I was given a transfusion when I was a baby and they've decided that the blood they used might not have been clean, or something. I don't really remember the exact reason, but when I tried to register, they refused to let me.
And you haven't had a checkup since? Mmh...

I've donated blood a few times. No stories though.

I gave blood for the first time about a month ago. I plan on doing it again. No funny story really.. But when the phlebotomist put the needle in, she had to sort of push it in. Then she said, "Have you had much water today?"
"Nope"
"Well your skin's pretty damn tough".
It was kinda funny to watch her pushing the needle in.. Instead of it just gliding in like it's meant to.

I don't care for needles. Find another way to get it out of me and you can take my blood.

I've always thought blood banks should be like any other, if you can give blood but dont then you should'nt be able to make withdrawals. I give blood as often as poss and would be extremely upset if i needed some back one day and it had all been used up by some one who just could'nt be bothered.

I can't, for several reasons. About half my life has been spent in Africa - strike one. I spent six years in Europe after 1980 (mad cow) - strike two. I'm a tad under the minimum weight - strike three, and I'm out. Apparently, that second reason makes me completely ineligible to donate - the Red Cross website doesn't give a time frame for ineligibility, just says I'm ineligible.

No I haven't given blood because I'm not old enough.

I have never given blood; I am ineligable. Because I have Leukemia, a cancer of certain blood components, I may never be able to give blood, but I would if I could.

People, there's a blood shortage right now. Folks like me need blood - AND PLATELETS!!! - and it's just not very easy to get it right now. PLEASE give blood, platelets, and plasma. It doesn't do you any harm (anyone who complains about a needle stick is too big a pussy to be allowed out of the house), and it saves lives - like mine. personally.

I recieved two units of platelets and a unit of blood just last week. Over the course of the last year and a half, I've probably been infused with something like 20 units of blood, and maybe 25 of platelets. Without these transfusions, I would probably not be writing this post.

Give blood. Save lives.

Incidentally, I've been told that because I've slept with another man at some point in my life I will be forever ineligible. This is ridiculous. If true, it is one of the most heinous mistakes the system has ever made. There is nothing medically different between straight and gay people (at least, outside of a proctologist's domain); straight folks are fair game for AIDS now, too. They test you for various viruses and such every time you donate, and if you have certain stuff in your blood (like West Nile, which kept my father from donating for two years after he had it) they don't let you give. There is no reason to discriminate against gays in this. It's stupid, and closes off a large demographic who would otherwise very likely be prolific donors.

Gave blood last week, platelets last year, and I'm in the bone marrow directory...

No funny stories, but my blood pressure is a little high, so I always manage to fill the bags up right quick...

And you haven't had a checkup since? Mmh...

**shrug** I think they're just covering themselves in case anything was to happen to someone who received my blood because it wasn't screened properly

People, there's a blood shortage right now. Folks like me need blood - AND PLATELETS!!! - and it's just not very easy to get it right now. PLEASE give blood, platelets, and plasma. It doesn't do you any harm (anyone who complains about a needle stick is too big a pussy to be allowed out of the house), and it saves lives - like mine. personally.
You're damn right, the sick need blood, not half-assed excuses.

If so, any funny stories.

If not, why?
no cos for the last 3 years or so they wouldn't have wanted it anyway.

could now though... would be willing to if i knew where to go.

Yes.
I'm an organ donor too. I've also encouraged several friends and family to complete their oragn donor sections on their licenses. I didnt insist they donate-its a personal decision, but after learning they intended to donate, but hadnt completed the necessary form, showed them.

I think thats doing something good without being an activist.

The only thing I'm even afraid of is needles, so I figured giving blood would be a better option than a tattoo. I don't have to pay for it, and it helps out someone else.
It only made me also afraid of a large amount of my blood.
But I feel so bad for not doing it, I had to get the blood bank to stop calling me because any time they asked me I'd start crying thinking about needles. So they did stop, but then maybe a week ago, I got an email saying they were low on o negative, so now I think I should. I'm sure my iron is low though so I should work that up first haha.

I do have a good story though. I thought I was completely calm, and I was sitting in the chair. The woman just starts prepping my arm and I start crying. Nothing at all was going on. But then the entire time I stared at the opposite corner of the ceiling from my left arm saying whatever monologue it was I was performing at that time. The woman and my mom thought I was about to pass out just because I closed my eyes when I couldn't remember a line. So after it was all over, I was forced to eat way too much food and drink a little too much grape juice. I wasn't even going to pass out.

I think thats doing something good without being an activist.

Because who has time for activism these days, anyway?

Do what you can to make the world a better place. If everyone did that, guess what.....it'd work.

Yes I donate blood. I probably should donate more often but I do donate.

But my veins can be almost impossible to locate. I can drive a phlebotomist crazy sometimes. One funny story was when the junior phlebotomist thought she found a good vein. In went the needle and nothing happened. She waved over the senior phlebotomist who immediately said, "Oh it's over THERE!" She found the vein allright, but she also hit a nerve ... literally. I could literally feel an all points buletin requesting every red blood cell to immediately head to the stomach for a meeting. I almost fainted on the spot.

Why was that funny? Because it was the nurses who turned red. They lowered my head immediately, and used alchochol towels to keep my head cool. Ah such attention!

Now adays I have to have advanced warning, because I'm taking baby asprin every night to help with the high blood pressure medication I take in the morning. But if I get it I can stay off it for a few days like they want before the donation day.

Because who has time for activism these days, anyway?

Do what you can to make the world a better place. If everyone did that, guess what.....it'd work.

I figure if more people just did what I did, many situations would drastically improve.

Im too young.

People, please stop with the "pussy" comments, or I'll have to tell you the story of how exactly I came to have a needle phobia, and it tends to make people pretty squeamish.

(And for heaven's sake, speaking for myself at least, it's not like it's exactly selfish when the same needle phobia has kept me from getting vaccinations and blood tests to check for pretty serious health problems. Perhaps there are terrible people out there pretending to have phobias just so that you all might have someone to call a pussy, but I assure you that I would genuinely prefer being beaten to a pulp over having one little needle stuck in me. Odds are others who say they're phobic are also, you know, phobic. Also, as previously mentioned, I'm ineligible to donate blood, anyway, and I'm not under the minimum weight just to spite people, either.)

... that I turned up to donate and saw a funny series of ** next to my name. Fearing the worst I asked what the code was. And you know what it was? It's so sweet ...







... my blood is especially suitable for premature babies. Ahhhh. :D

Never have. Never will.

Reason: I hate needles. The end.

People, please stop with the "pussy" comments, or I'll have to tell you the story of how exactly I came to have a needle phobia, and it tends to make people pretty squeamish.

(And for heaven's sake, speaking for myself at least, it's not like it's exactly selfish when the same needle phobia has kept me from getting vaccinations and blood tests to check for pretty serious health problems. Perhaps there are terrible people out there pretending to have phobias just so that you all might have someone to call a pussy, but I assure you that I would genuinely prefer being beaten to a pulp over having one little needle stuck in me. Odds are others who say they're phobic are also, you know, phobic. Also, as previously mentioned, I'm ineligible to donate blood, anyway, and I'm not under the minimum weight just to spite people, either.)

I'm pretty sure someone's already covered the phobia thing. A phobia is legitimate. The ones who piss me off are people who say "Ewww. I don't like needles, so I'm not going to go give blood." I've known A LOT of people like this. They can deal with it if they have to, they're just pussies. No phobia, just wimps. I would be VERY surprised if everyone who claims a fear or dislike of needles as a reason for not giving blood actually has a real psychological condition associated with it.

I would have if I was old enough the last time the blood bank was here. They'll be back sooner or later. Meh, it's not like I need all the blood, may as well share.

Never have. Never will.

Reason: I hate needles. The end.

Pussy. Unless you have a real psychological thing going on, which causes you to avoid all needles at any cost, etc. (in other words, a real PHOBIA), then you are depriving sick and dieing people of much-needed blood, just because you don't like a little discomfort.

Again, if you actually faint at the sight of a needle, or something drastic like that, forgive me. Otherwise, stop being a pussy.

As a healthy 19 year old male I give blood as frequently as possible, which is every 90 days.

What's with all the needle phobia? It's just... a clean tiny piece of metal. Haven't you ever been cut before. Pussies.

When I was seven I had to have blood taken to test for allergies. I get told don't worry, won't hurt etc. Then they stick it in, and can't find the vein. So some bright spark thinks they should wiggle the needle around to try and find it. Went on for around twenty seconds.


When I was twelve I sliced the arch of my foot open on some metal. We went to hospital and to my dismay I was told I would need stiches. The doctor then proceeds to give me ten japs with anesthetic around my heel. Apsolute agony (remember this is straight into the muscle of the foot). Then when he prods the muscle with a needle and asks if I can feel it, I say I'm not sure, as I cannot differenciate between that and the rest of the pain. He takes this as confermation that the anesthetic had worked (dispite the obvious pain I was feeling), and got on with doing the stiches.



I'm sorry, but I feel I have a vaild reason for being nervous around needles :(

Pussy. Unless you have a real psychological thing going on, which causes you to avoid all needles at any cost, etc. (in other words, a real PHOBIA), then you are depriving sick and dieing people of much-needed blood, just because you don't like a little discomfort.

Again, if you actually faint at the sight of a needle, or something drastic like that, forgive me. Otherwise, stop being a pussy.It's like I turn into a complete maniac when I need blood work done. I can't handle them.

If you faint would they take the blood while you were out of it?

Probably.

Nervous, fine. If at all possible, try to get over it.

1) Your veins are probably a lot more accessible now than they were when you were seven.

2) The foot is not really an ideal place for needlework once you're past infancy. There isn't really much extra room to work with. Arms are far easier.

See, here's the thing: people actually do sometimes die for lack of available blood. It may be an uncomfortable experience for you, but it saves lives (and it's such a short procedure!)

I'd do pretty much anything to save a life... just not that. It gives me nightmares days afterwards. :eek:

Which in turn makes me feel like a dumbass because I'm 18 and I should be able to take a needle. :(

If you faint would they take the blood while you were out of it?

Absolutely not. That would be EXTREMELY unethical. The only time when doctors or nurses can do anything much to an unconscious patient is in an emergency situation, in which the patient's life would otherwise be in danger.

Incidentally, I've been told that because I've slept with another man at some point in my life I will be forever ineligible. This is ridiculous. If true, it is one of the most heinous mistakes the system has ever made. There is nothing medically different between straight and gay people (at least, outside of a proctologist's domain); straight folks are fair game for AIDS now, too. They test you for various viruses and such every time you donate, and if you have certain stuff in your blood (like West Nile, which kept my father from donating for two years after he had it) they don't let you give. There is no reason to discriminate against gays in this. It's stupid, and closes off a large demographic who would otherwise very likely be prolific donors.

You should never give blood if:

2 You're a man who's had sex with another man, even "safe sex" using a condom.

Thats ridiculous.


I used to be unable to give blood because I was a fair bit under the minimum weight. But I'm pretty sure I can now. So I will be doing so, very soon.

I'd do pretty much anything to save a life... just not that. It gives me nightmares days afterwards. :eek:

Which in turn makes me feel like a dumbass because I'm 18 and I should be able to take a needle. :(

OK. It sounds like you don't fall under the "pussy" category. My apologies. Really, it sounds like something that therapy might be able to help with. I say this not out of a desire to scrutinize every little irregularity in society, but because nightmares are often indicative of an accessible psychological condition.

Anyway, just be glad you're not in my shoes. It's a rare month that goes by when I don't have to be stuck with at least one IV needle.

I've just found an animated "blood donation" thing on the UK blood donating website. Its quite funny.

I'm in the hospital quite frequently because of a medical condition... and I each and every time I need an IV. I don't know how I handle it, but the last two times I took it pretty good... until they messed up and needed to take blood 3 more times! :(

I used to be unable to give blood because I was a fair bit under the minimum weight. But I'm pretty sure I can now. So I will be doing so, very soon.

Out of curiousity, what is the minimum weight?

Yeah, oddly enough one time it was biazarrely similar to being drunk.

Unfortunately, I have never given blood, and answered the poll accordingly. I truly wish I could, but as a person with diabetes (type I), my blood is not of sufficient quality. In fact, given the surgeries I had as a child, I am actually a net drain on the whole system. I know it sounds hollow, but I really encourage people who are able to donate.

I'm in the hospital quite frequently because of a medical condition... and I each and every time I need an IV. I don't know how I handle it, but the last two times I took it pretty good... until they messed up and needed to take blood 3 more times! :(

Yeah...That's one of the reasons I have a central line (if you're in the know, I've got a Groshong central catheter). It's good for my chemo, and I have to get labs drawn between one and three times a week...but I still end up getting stuck with IVs a lot.

Out of curiousity, what is the minimum weight?
7st 12lbs I think. (50kg)

7st 12lbs I think. (50kg)
Sorry, but I have no idea what that means (Stupid non-metricised American...) Do you know in straight lbs.?

I donate!

I have a phobia of air being injected into me, so while it's hell to get an injection (I have to check what's being injected into me over and over and over again before they can come near me with a needle) I have no problem with blood being removed.

The only vaguely funny story was that on my first time donating I took nearly an hour to donate. I have only slightly low blood pressure, but apparently have small veins. The funny part was that my dad had come along with me, and he went to sleep in the donating chair next to me, and he sleeps like the dead. The nurses switched shifts at 8, and the new nurse thought my dad had fainted after a donation so three nurses appeared and tried to put him in the recovery position. Very amusing to watch. :p

Sorry, but I have no idea what that means (Stupid non-metricised American...) Do you know in straight lbs.?
1 stone is about twenty pounds, if I remember correctly, so 152 pounds.

1 stone is about twenty pounds, if I remember correctly, so 152 pounds.

Thanks. I have to say I'm a bit surprised that it's that high; I know a lot of perfectly healthy people who weigh less. I suppose it's got to do with the volume they want.

I give blood. Could have given more (over 30 donations made, but could have made above 40 by now if I hadn't been a bit lax during my University years and extended the enforced wait after my appendectomy a bit too long).

My Dad must have given several times that (don't know when he started, but he had been donating as long as I can remember) and had 'emptied his first arm' (i.e. had too much scar tissue from past donations to easily needle again) a few years before he was 'retired', after being given blood thinners during an unneccessarily-lengthened hospital stay and they decided to take him off the register as he was approaching the top-end age limit.

My only 'bad' experience was on the first donation, where I probably stood up too quickly (got a bit dizzy), since then, never any problem. As for 'funny little things:
I'm a 'fast little bleeder', and am quickly back out for the hot drink,
At one time used to regularly get nosebleeds within the week approaching the donation reminder letter's arrival on the doormat (even when I'd stopped getting them at all times,
I try to remember to shave my the point inside my elbow around the donation site so that the plasters they put there aren't excessively painful to remove...


That's about it. But as you were asking...

I gave once, but haven't been able to give again because of piercings and tattoos

Thanks. I have to say I'm a bit surprised that it's that high; I know a lot of perfectly healthy people who weigh less. I suppose it's got to do with the volume they want.
Yep, they want a certain amount of blood at the minimum, and taking the minimum out below a certain point isn't good for the donor at all.

On a side note, they love me. Not only do I have the beloved O+ blood type, but I'm also 6'2" and just under fifteen stone, meaning they'll try to suck me dry every time.

1 stone is about twenty pounds, if I remember correctly, so 152 pounds.

There are 14lbs in a stone, so 7st 12lbs is 110lbs (which is a smidgen under 50kg, agreeing with the metric value quoted).


(Edit: Were you thinking 20 fluid oz in a pint? Not that it matters, just that apart from 20 hundredweights in a ton, there's a surprising lack of the number "20" in the conversion tables...)

When I was seven I had to have blood taken to test for allergies. I get told don't worry, won't hurt etc. Then they stick it in, and can't find the vein. So some bright spark thinks they should wiggle the needle around to try and find it. Went on for around twenty seconds.


When I was twelve I sliced the arch of my foot open on some metal. We went to hospital and to my dismay I was told I would need stiches. The doctor then proceeds to give me ten japs with anesthetic around my heel. Apsolute agony (remember this is straight into the muscle of the foot). Then when he prods the muscle with a needle and asks if I can feel it, I say I'm not sure, as I cannot differenciate between that and the rest of the pain. He takes this as confermation that the anesthetic had worked (dispite the obvious pain I was feeling), and got on with doing the stiches.



I'm sorry, but I feel I have a vaild reason for being nervous around needles :(

Wow- when I was a kid,I stepped into an open floor heater, then had the joy of shots of anesthesia in the arch of my foot so they could clean the rust out of the wound and sew it up. That sucks.

I have had an inexperienced nurse wiggle the tip of the needle around in the back of my hand to try to insert and IV. You dont realize how bad it is til an experienced one comes along and slips it right in correctly.

I also had stitches in my top eyelid amongst my eyelashes, then down the side of my eye and finally to re-attach my lower eyelid where it was flapped away to my cheek. That took the gifted hands of an incredibly talented plastic surgeon. Its still very noticeable today, but nothing like it would be if the cretin that stitched my lower lip had done it. I got a shot of anesthesia right in my through and through lip wound that hit the back of my throat and numbed it all the way down. This nit wit proceeded to stitch my lip, I'm feeling all of it. And it looked like the threading of a baseball when she was done.

I dont "like" needles but I do what I have to do.

If you're afraid to donate blood or just afraid of needles in general I strongly suggest you don't join the military.

There are 14lbs in a stone, so 7st 12lbs is 110lbs (which is a smidgen under 50kg, agreeing with the metric value quoted).



110 pounds is the figure I've generally heard - I remember because I weigh about 105 pounds. ;)

I gave blood for the first time a fortnight ago. I tried several tiems before, but they were turning away people without appointments. So I finally made an appointment (Well, actually, my mum made one, and I told her to make one for me at the same time! Now I'll do it every three months.) Managed to get myself totally paranoid anout how much is was gonna hurt, and then in the end the needle in the finger to take the haemophilia test was the most painful bit :D

I'm now waiting for my little card to come through to tell me my blood group etc.

I (personally) weigh around 14.5 stone (a touch above 200lbs, I've just calculated)... Fancy forming a double-act and going on the comedy circuit?

Sure, why not? People are always laughing at me anyway... :p

If you're afraid to donate blood or just afraid of needles in general I strongly suggest you don't join the military.

Explain. It sounds intruiging.

As a healthy 19 year old male I give blood as frequently as possible, which is every 90 days.

What's with all the needle phobia? It's just... a clean tiny piece of metal. Haven't you ever been cut before. Pussies.

Four times a year? All of the letters I've been getting say you can give three times a year maximum, maybe it varies between countries.

I've only recently turned 17 and I gave for the first time a month ago, I was born by caesarian and my mum needed a fair bit of blood then so I feel I've got a debt to pay back.:)

Nobody's having my blood, because, well... its MY blood!:mad:

Nobody's having my blood, because, well... its MY blood!:mad:

But you make more, and people need it.

Nobody's having my blood, because, well... its MY blood!:mad:

If you are injured in an accident what would you say if the hospital told you that you couldn't have a transfusion because it was their blood? :rolleyes:

If you are injured in an accident what would you say if the hospital told you that you couldn't have a transfusion because it was their blood? :rolleyes:
I'd thank them for being the first person to agree with me, ever.
No, really, I would. Power to them.

But you make more, and people need it.
Damn right, and the "more" is mine too.

I can't give blood because I've been given blood. It's the mad cows fault.

Mind you, I hate needles, so I'm not exactly disappointed, even though I think I would if I could seeing as it saved my life.

No. They don't want my blood.

About two years ago I gave plasma twice a week for about six months straight, but have not given any since hten nor will I, as all the places round here ya cant give blood for a year if you have a new tat.

Not yet. I probably will when summer starts.

There needs to be more poll options. Perhaps a "haven't yet, but intend to someday", or a "myrth", or the choice I want "I would but can't."

I'd thank them for being the first person to agree with me, ever.
No, really, I would. Power to them.


Damn right, and the "more" is mine too.

Then you're a selfish, death-loving ass-hole, and you shouldn't ever expect any favors from anyone. It literally does you NO HARM to give blood, and it saves lives in a big way. True, it's your blood, and no one's going to try to take it from you by force, but your stance is at about the level of maturity of a child refusing to give up old clothes to charity "because they're mine."

Dammit, other people need that blood more than you do. And That's That, kiddo.

Once the new deferral criteria are adopted by the Red Cross as early as mid-September, the organization will not accept blood donations from individuals who:

Have spent time in the UK for a cumulative total of three months or more since 1980 or
Have spent time in any other European country for a six months or more since 1980 or
Have received a blood transfusion in the UK since 1980

http://www.redcross.org/news/bm/tse/010628madcow.html

...the second piece, IMO, is pretty bad. Never mind *screening* blood. No, that makes too much sense. :(

Nope, I haven't. Between my severe needle phobia and my being just a wee bit smaller than the standard minimum weight, I've never been able to do so.

Omg, those are the exact same reasons why I don't ever donate blood! I too have like, a severe fear of needles, and plus I'm a little short of the weight minimum needed to donate blood anyway.

No, and I feel guilty, but every time the opportunity arises, I've either got an infection (of the blood or urinary tract), coming up to surgery, just had dental work, or, now, I'm pregnant. I can tell you a funny story about when I had to have a blood test though:

I was working at Intel, and you have to give a blood sample every two years to make sure you're OK to work in the cleanrooms. So, my appointment is first, at 7:15am, so I saunter in, and the nurse is freaked out and late for work, just got a grueling from her supervisor and now has to take blood samples from about 50 new hires. Well, to make a long story short, she screwed up and squirted my blod all over herself and me. Thinking it was all done, I looked down and there's blood all over the place so I start to hyperventilate in front of her, which makes a bad situation worse. So about 10 minutes later, I come out pasty faced and covered in clammy sweat into a room full of expectant newbies, clinging onto my now very sore arm with blood spots on my glases, and people start to move towards the door. Poor girl, I felt sorry for her that day... :D

There needs to be more poll options. Perhaps a "haven't yet, but intend to someday", or a "myrth", or the choice I want "I would but can't."

Wanted a fair poll, and it's too late to now

1 stone is about twenty pounds, if I remember correctly, so 152 pounds.

Nah, 1 stone is 16lbs, so 7 st, 12lbs is 124lb. But yeah, I do agree, there are plenty of people of lower weight than that, I'm presuming that's for a specific height. Probably lower for shorter people.

I'm underage, they don't let me yet. But when I'm 17 I'm going to fill out a parent permission slip so I can start giving as soon as possible.

You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.

You are at risk for getting infected if you:

# are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977
# have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex since 1977
# have had sexual contact in the past 12 months with anyone described above


even if i hadn't done those things, i would withold my blood in protest.

You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.

You are at risk for getting infected if you:

# are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977
# have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex since 1977
# have had sexual contact in the past 12 months with anyone described above


even if i hadn't done those things, i would withold my blood in protest.


So, in this day and age, how does having gay sex put a person at any more risk for AIDS than having straight sex with an equivalent partner - for the sake of argument let's say same age, little previous sexual experience in either party. AIDS isn't just for fags anymore. Any group, program, or argument that addresses HIV/AIDS as a gay-only issue is ignoring a HUGE problem.

As for witholding blood in protest....depriving people of a medical necessity in protest seems a little bit immoral to me. Would you deprive people of water you weren't going to use anyway during a drought out of protest? If so, then you have just declined eligability for the human race (we can't just let any ass-hole in here).