Just curious, how many blood donors do we have?

[Rusty]

after my niece having heart failure/bypass/transplant i made sure i was registered and happy to give blood to repay the goodwill/supply she used.

[PhilA]

i have kept knowing i should go.

the thing that puts me off is i get so nervous of giving a blood sample at the docs, and hate the feeling, i just cant see me coping.
silly, maybe.

so - what is it like?

[j2 lot]

I have a dread of needles and despite knowing I should, I have never quite got around to giving blood. Last year I met with the organisers of the blood donor awards as we hosted their awards ceremony (and do each year) - there are people who have given literally hundreds a pints of blood over many years and I have wimped out for years.
I am actually going to the docs tomorrow for blood tests, so once the results come back if all is well I will do my duty and donate.

[Rich H]

It's fine if you don't look....

[rossybee]

so - what is it like?

Seriously, if you can put needle phobias (and the fact that you're filling a decent-sized bag with your blood) aside, thinking more about the good you're doing, it is a very pleasant experience.

As I said earlier, the staff at Ninewells (and undoubtedly other Scotblood centres) are brilliant, doing everything to make you at ease. Makes me wish I'd done it 20+ years ago

[rossybee]

after my niece having heart failure/bypass/transplant i made sure i was registered and happy to give blood to repay the goodwill/supply she used.

Adam - I didn't realise this - my niece has an irregular heartbeat (I think caused by Ebstein's) and a hole in the heart - and has received two open procedures at Yorkhill - also part of the reason for me donating

[xtreme]

Would hijack this thread slightly and say dont just give blood, register with Anthony Nolan, all it takes now is a spit sample in an envelope and you can easily save a life!

http://www.anthonynolan.org/What-you-ca ... tAodujJ8Gw

I registered approx 4 years ago, and was down in August to donate blood stem cells after being matched. Thoroughly recommend registering, especially when you consider what the potential recipients will be going through.

It was a bizarrely humbling experience just how easy it was to do, especially considering the impact on the recipients life is literally life or death, yet so few people know about it or choose to register.

Will get off my soap box now!

Well done for giving blood, I'm now not allowed for two years in case another donation is required!

[AJT]

Gave blood for many years, not allowed to now due to the medication for high blood pressure .
Everyone should also think about registering for organ donation, can now be done online at http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/

[Kinger]

Great prompt from AJT, have been meaning to register for Organ donation for ages. Just clicked on the link and it only took a few minutes.

Like most folk I hate needles, but have been donating blood for 35 years, and laterly Platelets which is a bit more of a commitment as it takes best part of a morning every 6 weeks or so. I find if I'm distracted by looking away and talking to the nurse about anything the needle thing is done before you even know it.

Well worth the effort as you never know when you or your family will have to make a withdrawal, hopefully never.

[Ferg]

Used to be regular giver but not for while, must fix that. The competitive streak dies hard, I find myself checking out the competition in the queue and seeing if I can beat them to a pint!

[Jacobite]

I've been donating since I was 18 fairly regularly although the odd break for 12 months after getting pierced or tatt's now up to 54 pints
And agree on the time competion to finish giving a pint although the 2 mile cycle up hill usually helps ~they used to tell me my blood pressure was high until I explaned I'd just cycled a single speed MTB up from half way down Leith Walk

[ikarl]

to answer some of the 'what's it like?' and 'I'm afraid of needles' - if you say to the nurse on the way in, they will do their best to make you feel at ease. You'll probably also find that a different nurse will do the injection etc because although they will all say they are as good as each other, there's probably one that is more 'delicate' with newbies (a bit like our Shug )

my girlfriend went to give blood a good few years back now and before that she had a phobia about needles and would literally pass out at the site of any blood....needless to say, after getting over the initial shock she's now 'toughened up' to the process and has just overtaken me in the amount given

[tut]

They are very broad minded nowadays, so just ask for a couple of whisky's and a porn mag to take your mind of it.

tut

[a4drk]

My dad died back in 95 from a form of Leukemia called "Aplastic Anemia"
He went thro lots of blood transfusions & platelets.
From that point, I started giving blood. Given over 30 pints, but I had a wee operation a few years ago & not given since.
Been meaning to go back........... ! going to make a point of it.

It's a cheap night out to get drunk.
Have 1 pint of lager once you have given blood & you're p1$$ed !

I liked the Radio Advert a few years ago:
A guy walks into the "Bank" - "Hello, I'd like to make a with drawl please.."
"Do you have an account with us?"
"No......."

Says it all really..........

David

[tonyg]

Been about 40 times, failed the pretest a couple of times and haven't been for a couple of years.

Shoud really think about going back.