fields 0 #51 October 14, 2006 I think they only defer you for a year afer being pierced and tattooed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 42 #52 October 14, 2006 2 days ago. I've made 159 donations to date."Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbordson 8 #53 October 14, 2006 Today. Getting closer to the 9 gallon mark. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #54 October 14, 2006 Because of my "business travel" they don't want my blood. Last time I gave was 1996 or so. That was the last time I was "eligible." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #55 October 14, 2006 QuoteBecause of my "business travel" they don't want my blood." ..or your sad story. Go grab a cookie and move along disease boy.My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #56 October 14, 2006 I forgot to tell that I gave about 100 days agoMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #57 October 14, 2006 Quotemove along disease boy. The docs say I am NOT contageous! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bshl 0 #58 October 16, 2006 Quite a while before I went to Iraq. I'm not eligible now and won't be for a while since I recently returned. It's just a good thing emotions don't make their way directly into the bloodstream or I'd be banned for a whole lot more than just a year! Blue skies and happy landings! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #59 October 16, 2006 QuoteI heard on the radio this week that there was a severe shortage of blood in my area. I hadn't donated blood in years so I decided to start a new birthday tradition by taking a couple of hours off from work and "give the gift of life." At first the interview was amusing. They wanted to know things like if I had AIDS (or had sex with anyone who had), syphilis (or had sex with anyone who had), gonorrhea (or had sex with anyone who had), received a blood transfusion (or had sex with anyone who had), traveled outside the U.S. (or had sex with anyone who had), spent time in prison (or had sex with anyone who had)... In the end I came to the conclusion that only people with boring lives can donate blood. I guess that's all the more reason for me to donate regularly. There is always a severe shortage. I've given more than nine gallons of blood. I used to go every 56 days for many years. I stopped going a few years ago because I was doing a lot of travelling to Mexico and I got VERY tired of all the stupid questions (more and more every year). They deferring me a few times because I travelled through rural areas in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Costa Rica. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #60 October 16, 2006 QuoteI did go read that after I posted. I find it odd, but you're right. they must know more about it than you. Wonder what the difference is here in the US that they don't care..... My guess would be that they haven't been sued yet in the U.S. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #61 October 16, 2006 QuoteQuote The reason for all the questions and screenings is the tragic infection of blood recipients with HIV and other diseases. In Canada it led to the Red Cross being removed several years ago and being replaced with a new entity, the Canadian Blood Services. (We don't have private blood banks like you do in the U.S.) It's all about the safety of the blood supply. yes, so we now have a 'perfectly safe' but non existent blood supply. That's EXACTLY right! Edit: Well, not ecactly, but very close. Perfect safety is impossible, so the ratchet will just keep on turning until the lawyers have their way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #62 October 16, 2006 I don't even travel through "rural" areas of Mexico and LifeSource started deferring me about 5 years ago. It used to be, they'd ask where I was, and I'd say "Ixtapa" (or "Huatulco") and they would ask some more questions if they'd never heard of those places. Once they verified these were resort areas, they would mark "Cancun" on their questionnaire, then proceed. Somewhere along the lines, they started looking at maps, etc. and started deferring me. They told me it was because of malaria and hepatitis risks. I guess I could have kept trying, but I got tired of postponing/ rearranging plans so I could donate, then getting up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday only to be deferred. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conundrum 1 #63 October 16, 2006 Quote In the end I came to the conclusion that only people with boring lives can donate blood. I guess that's all the more reason for me to donate regularly. Or maybe they just want to lessen the chance of getting dirty blood. Last time I donated was last March. I'm always getting calls though, I'm O-. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chaoskitty 0 #64 October 16, 2006 I can't donate because I lived in England in the early 80's and I guess that means I could have contracted mad cow disease as a five year old. I'm 30.. you'd think I'd know by now. Anyway.. I've always wondered how they dealt with that in England. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jshatzkin 0 #65 October 16, 2006 And don't try to give blood (you'll be denied) a few days after gettinga HEP B vaccine. OOOPS Jen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
