:
I have...

Do you know your blood-type? If so, what is it? You may save the life of another...

I'm 0-

I haven't (I'm O+), but my boyfriend is a VIP blood donor. He's donated nearly seven gallons (over a 10 year period)!

In some ways, every person's blood is the same. But, when analyzed under a microscope, distinct differences are visible. In the early 20th century, an Austrian scientist named Karl Landsteiner classified blood according to those differences. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his achievements.
Landsteiner observed two distinct chemical molecules present on the surface of the red blood cells. He labeled one molecule "A" and the other molecule "B." If the red blood cell had only "A" molecules on it, that blood was called type A. If the red blood cell had only "B" molecules on it, that blood was called type B. If the red blood cell had a mixture of both molecules, that blood was called type AB. If the red blood cell had neither molecule, that blood was called type O.

If two different blood types are mixed together, the blood cells may begin to clump together in the blood vessels, causing a potentially fatal situation. Therefore, it is important that blood types be matched before blood transfusions take place. In an emergency, type O blood can be given because it most likely to be accepted by all blood types. However, there is still a risk involved.

A person with type A blood can donate blood to a person with type A or type AB. A person with type B blood can donate blood to a person with type B or type AB. A person with type AB blood can donate blood to a person with type AB only. A person with type O blood can donate to anyone.

A person with type A blood can receive blood from a person with type A or type O. A person with type B blood can receive blood from a person with type B or type O. A person with type AB blood can receive blood from anyone. A person with type O blood can receive blood from a person with type O only.

Because of these patterns, a person with type O blood is said to be a universal donor. A person with type AB blood is said to be a universal receiver. In general, however, it is still best to mix blood of matching types and Rh factors.

from: http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/...types.html
[This message was edited Thu Feb 6 7:52:20 PST 2003 by applekisses]

nothing special in it, B+
will this thread will inspire a have you donated sperm one..
*
*
[This message was edited Thu Feb 6 7:52:27 PST 2003 by jnoel]

applekisses said:

Excellent!

My father was a regular blood-donor, too. Back where I grew up, if you donated blood, if/when you needed it - blood would be free.

Thanks applekisses! That was a great article!

Yeap I'm o+> but no longer aloud to give any 'cause they say I'm high risk 'cause I'm gay !! Well I might be gay but also one of the few that realy uses condoms every time I do it. I'think they are right though and that they have to rule every chance out ! You just can't do that on a sexual prefference I think !!

LaVisHh said:

You're welcome...it sort of makes me want to go out there and donate I know I should, but the idea of it kind of makes me want to faint.

I mean 0+ not 0+>

Fhunkin said:

I was wondering about that!

applekisses said:

Let me tell you a cute story, nothing exciting but here goes...

At my very first donation, I waltzed right in, filled out the paperwork, and went into the office where they take a blood sample...

Then I waited...waited...finally my name was called. I walked into this room with 4 gurneys. I calmly lay where they asked me too...no biggie.

Then another gentleman came in and layed down on one of the other gurneys. For some reason, they got to him first, and I was watching...they pulled out this needle that when pointing to me (although I must have been 5 feet away) looked very large, the hole was CLEARLY visible... lol.

I felt weak, lol...but the woman who inserted the needle in me was so good at her job, I honestly felt just a slight twinge!

It really does feel good, and makes you proud - for that day at least.

Fhunkin said:

Yeah, that's P's bloodtype.

LaVisHh said:

Thanks for sharing that story! It makes me feel less scared. I think I may go this time I really do want to do it, I've just been a chicken about it.

You're welcome.

Not many donate, but you can be sure that most will accept blood if they ever need it.

Yes, I've donated. I haven't in quite some time, but I should start doing it again. I think I'm halfway to a gallon.

I do take issue with some of the blood donor policies, like the rule that any male who has had sex with another male since 1977, even once, is indefinitely banned from the donor pool. (By contrast, I could have unprotected sex with 1,000 women and still be an eligible donor.) I wonder whether policies like this are part of the reason why there's always a blood shortage.

However, I'm not going to use the people who need blood as "hostages" to advance my views on this, and as long as I'm eligible to donate, I intend to do so. (In the past it seemed as if recent body piercings could be a problem, but I just checked the Red Cross blood donor website, and it says they're okay with them as long as they were done in a professional, sterile manner.)

My blood type? A+.

If I remember correctly, they even asked about tattoos! I wonder what that does to your blood, or is it merely the possibility of a contaminated needle?

LaVisHh said:

Tattoos will still get you a 12-month ban, for fear of hepatitis. I'm not sure why professional piercings are okay while professional tattoos are not, but that's the rule.

Ah, thanks matt. Forgot about hepatitis.

Tats and piercings get you banned for twelve months as does sex with prostitutes and being British!!

As a Brit (and therefore certainly contaminated with BSE) I always tried to donate as much as possible in the UK. Spent a couple of years in the US and they REJECTED me!! Never got back into the swing since I got back.

We always used to go from work, all of us. Then any new employees would get dragged along as some kind of initiation. It's great to give blood, the camaraderie of it makes it totally painless. We used to try and race to see who could fill their 500mL first, then chat about it with tea and biccies afterwards. Very civilised and I am definitely gonna start again next week. Everyone should do it, you feel like you helping without doing anything really, real buzz.

I am boring O+


0+> very funny, . I am O+>

I just donated blood yesterday. I've done it twice before and it is always something that I enjoy doing for some reason. The problem is that after I give blood I'm like a drunk person giggling and crying and stumbling around. Other than that it's a good experience

jessyMD32781 said:

You can facilitate the giggling by going straight from the blood centre to the pub . Very cheep night out!

no...

there's a weight minimum. I don't make it.










[This message was edited Thu Feb 6 10:03:54 PST 2003 by Shorty]

jessyMD32781 said:

The first time I gave blood, I was 17 and just barely met the minimum weight requirement. I was expecting to be dizzy or something afterwards, but nope, I was fine. I went over to the "recovery" area, had a Pepsi and a snack, and then went back to class (this was a blood drive at my HS). So far, so good.

However, I was a member of the track team, and my practice assignment after school was what we called a "ladder" sprint (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m). By the end of the first 200m sprint, I was starting to feel woozy, and after the next sprint (300m), I was about to pass out.

Fortunately the coach was understanding--he had me lie down in the locker room for bit, and once I felt well again, he excused me from the rest of the practice.

My (unspectacular) atheletic career is over, but I still take it easy for the rest of the day after giving blood.

My only problem is that I am an on and off anemic...so sometimes I can't give.

But they call me several times a week, because 0 negative is the only bloodtype that is 100% universal...but I can only receive my own type.

Shorty said:

110 pounds, I believe.

Whenever I've given blood, I've seen several people get rejected for having insufficient iron in their blood. They do this test where they take a drop of blood from your finger or earlobe, and then drop it in this blue liquid. If it doesn't sink, you fail.

The Red Cross gives stickers that say something like, "I tried to give blood today" as a consolation prize to people who get rejected during the pre-donation screening.

NO...
and i have blacked out a few times when blood was being extracted for test... after the first tube i'm like

matt said:

Yeah, they do, rofl...I like their stickers...I kept my 9/11 ones...where they are is anybody's guess...

00769BAD said:

Awww...just look the other way, that's what I do.

matt said:

Similar story for me -- the first time I donated was at a high school blood drive at age 17. The tech who was withdrawing blood couldn't find the vein in my arm. After a good minute of poking around, he found it, and blood spurted everywhere. It wasn't pretty. He actually scarred my arm. Then the juice and cookie table was empty once I was done. My friends had to drive me home because I was too woozy. I went home, laid down and watched "Donahue" while eating ice cream bon bons.

The next year, again they had trouble finding my vein, and scarred the other arm! (Both small scars, nothing too traumatic)

Then I go to college and plan to donate again. I sign up in advance, show up at appointed time -- then turn around and walk away. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Flash forward to 2001 (11 years later), I hear about the Red Cross needing blood, and decide I'm ready to donate again. That's when I find out that as a gay man who has had sex since 1977, I'm not eligible to donate. Bummer. So I guess my donating days are over...

26 years ago?!

Will somebody tell me what is wrong with gay men giving blood?


.
[This message was edited Thu Feb 6 10:41:16 PST 2003 by LaVisHh]

Yeah, pretty frequently, in between tattoos. I'm A-. It is a very large needle (16G I think), but I'm not really afraid of needles, so no biggie.

If I were gay and knew that I was HIV-, I'd just lie about it and go ahead and donate as a small act of protest. You Brits, though, keep your Mad Cow blood to yourselves!

Doves,
Mel!ssa