RR Blood Drive: Help Save a Life

Huh. I know that I can’t give double red cells level, since I’m underweight. :-(

Literally one point below the limit three donation attempts in a row. The difference maker for me, when I finally was successful, was a Guinness the night before. It’s actually full of iron.

And I’m partial to platelet givers because that in particular was what my mom needed the most. I will consider platelets as a double-shock entry. However, do the other pieces take as long as platelets? Not that I won’t count them, but I didn’t know if they were particularly time consuming.

Again, the important part is the actual donation. The book is just a reason for me to encourage those that don’t normally do it to get out there and help.

I used to donate blood regularly, every two months. (I started in college, when you’ll do anything for free juice and cookies.). Recently, my doctor told me I should stop due to anemia. (My hemocrit was 8, which caused much consternation in the doctor’s office. They couldn’t believe I was walking around. I had no symptoms of anemia, except that I was getting sick, when usually I’m healthy as a horse.) I didn’t ask about platelets, though.

I did get my gallon pin. Donating doesn’t hurt much. Sometimes there’s a brief sting, if the anticoagulant gets on the needle before they stick you. I was a “difficult” donor – tough vein walls, low blood pressure, and scarring on my veins from my drug habit. (Just kidding – the scarring was from donating blood, actually.) Sometimes they had to use an extra fine needle, but it was more stressful for them than for me.

Hoxworth is the only blood donation place in Cincinnati. They have offices all over the place, not just at their UC headquarters, plus they run the drives at offices and schools in the area. I just gave last week at the downtown location for the first time— it’s really hidden, but the staff was great.

I’m addicted to those damned things.

They came to my college every month, too, making it easy to donate. My employer gives people time off to donate, too. (Though there was an issue with a platelet donor. You can donate platelets twice a week, and he was taking too much time off. After that, they limited it to once a month.)

And they give you lottery tickets along with the cookies.

The only weird thing was when they tried “international symbols,” with images instead of verbal or written questions. In case you didn’t speak English. It was really strange, having this gray-haired old lady showing me pictures of men kissing and prostitutes standing under streetlights, and asking me if I was involved in such things.

it kinda shocked me that they would be so slow to change. i mean, they are a medical institution, so they know the facts. and with such a blood shortage you would think they would have enough motivation to relax a bit. it’s unfortunate.

Is when they ask you if you’ve been in jail for longer than 72 hours.

Apparently, they assume you’ll have been raped by someone with AIDS in that time.

except for me it’s because I lived two years in England, and they are afraid I’m going to donate mad cow disease along with my blood.

I’d love to contribute another way, though.

you can always give your time or money to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or Jewish Hospital’s Cancer Center or Hospice of Cincinnati (or any local Hospice). All played a large role in my mom’s comfort.

More generally:

Acceptable if the tattoo was applied by a state-regulated entity using sterile needles and ink that is not reused. There are 32 states that currently regulate tattoo facilities.

18 states don’t regulate tattoo facilities? Yuck.

Erardi likes to say, “It’s easier to write a long book than a short book when you have tight deadline.” I’m still trying to figure out what that means, but it sounds sage.

There’s a genetic disorder that causes people to accumulate too much iron. Women tend to be protected until menopause, but men have been known to accumulate so much iron they can’t get through metal detectors at the airport. It can cause organ damage, heart failure, liver cancer, and all kinds of fun stuff. It was once thought to be rare, but is now known to be one of the most common genetic diseases among Caucasians.

And yes, donating blood is the cure.

cuz you all certainly are difference makers.

I won’t be around when it’s announced.

I wonder if MLB licenses their logos for tattoos.

This is from the Reds twitter:

It took 80 hours to complete.

look at that smirk it caused on Snohio!

And BK looks like he just heard a good knee slapper.

Well, the Backyardigans are currently stranded on a desert island.

The challenge starts during the 7th inning stretch, and you have to finish it by the end of the 9th inning. He actually ate all 5lbs. Made it by one pitch.

jch, this is your valhalla.

I also went to a bbq for lunch, so I’m just lying around feeling sad about myself all day today. Your story reminded me of this, but also made me feel real, real, woozy.

They bug her all the time because it’s a relatively rare bloodtype (at least in North America).

I immediatley assumed this meant I was this guy.

Thus making me the greatest ‘hero’ and ‘villian’ in the history of comics.

Perhaps we could form some sort of emergency blood donation mutual aid pact?

the guy who took my blood today was telling me stories about how he frequently dreams of violently murdering people. not kidding.