Gave platelets today for the first time.

[RSKY]

Have a friend who is going to Hospice for cancer. Youngest daughter's FIL has cancer. Know a couple more having chemo. So I thought this would be a good way to help. I gave a full three units which is the most you can give. She said they would be very full units and asked me to come back if possible. Said the bigger the person the better results they have. I am 6' and 240 so they were happy to see me. Said most men gave two or three units and women one or two. People undergoing chemo usually get one unit each time. Don't know if this is true in all cases but it was the simplified explanation given to me.

The lady sticking me was good. Didn't feel the stick in the left arm. Had a little sting in the right. She insisted on putting a heating pad under my back and a blanket over me. I did get cold. Blood goes out your right arm, thru the machine, and back in the left arm. It is cold when it goes back in your arm. The entire process took around two hours. You can give once a week but they recommend two weeks between times. She said they have people who come in on a regular schedule to donate. I may schedule once a month. I am retired, two hours sitting on a recliner watching a movie is not a big deal. Some of my family may need it some day.

RSKY

 

[Wagtail]

Lord, I wish I could give blood again. I used to donate regularly when I was in the Navy but those dockyards/bases were always in a major city with either the full facility or a mobile clinic.

Then I got kidney cancer, which wasn't a big deal for me as they just 'popped' the bad one out. Easy peasy. But they barred me from giving blood for 5 years after that, even though I didn't have to go through any treatments other than the nephrectomy.

Now that I live in the North-East corner of Tassie, with a 4 hour round trip to where they can take donations (no mobiles), I'm buggered if I can. I'd have to stay overnight due to 'being down a pint or two'.

Oh, well.

 

[Streetcar]

Rsky glad to see another platelet donor.
Blood centers love their platelet donors. In Cincinnati the machines use one needle, so only arm gets chilled.
You are roughly same size as me. I usually give a triple but sometimes platelets are low and they only take a double. I can donate every two weeks, but average once a month

 

[Bird]

Yep, nothing to it. I used to donate every once in awhile; but not on a regular schedule. I guess the last little button they gave me was for having donated 7 gallons. I did the regular one pint in the earlier days, then the double red in later days. So I was going to try the platelets just to see what it was like, and now I've forgotten just what the reason was that they said I shouldn't; just to do the same as I'd been doing.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

All of you who donate blood are true heros. You are giving life to someone else. That is being very generous. Thank you....

I have given blood many times over the years, and I need to do it again. I do pass out almost every time I give. But I always warn the technicians to be prepared for me to pass out.

Yesterday, our guest speaker at our weekly Rotary Club meeting was the blood coordinator at a local hospital. She said they are ALWAYS on the verge of running out of blood.

 

[UpstateSC_Papi]

All of you who donate blood are true heros. You are giving life to someone else. That is being very generous. Thank you....

I have given blood many times over the years, and I need to do it again. I do pass out almost every time I give. But I always warn the technicians to be prepared for me to pass out.

Yesterday, our guest speaker at our weekly Rotary Club meeting was the blood coordinator at a local hospital. She said they are ALWAYS on the verge of running out of blood.

Morning! Fellow Rotarian here! That's a great idea on having local blood coordinator speak. I'll have to look into that. Will discuss next time I am in to donate!

YIRS

 

[bigtiller]

I have a sign on the back door from the blood center that says I am a 3 gallon blood donor. I have always given Whole Blood, never Double Red Cell, Platelet, or Plasma. After the paperwork is done, it takes 5 to 10 minutes to draw depending on hydration levels. And ad another 20 minutes for cookies, orange juice and bs ing with old friends.

Keep it up RSKY, it is a good thing to do and you probably slept better that night.

 

[Streetcar]

I have a sign on the back door from the blood center that says I am a 3 gallon blood donor. I have always given Whole Blood, never Double Red Cell, Platelet, or Plasma. After the paperwork is done, it takes 5 to 10 minutes to draw depending on hydration levels. And ad another 20 minutes for cookies, orange juice and bs ing with old friends.

Keep it up RSKY, it is a good thing to do and you probably slept better that night.

Big push for platelet donors, I have friends that do dedicated donation of platelet. With dedicated donation, you are scheduled for a specific person to receive your donation.

 

[deserteagle71]

I'm scheduled to go in next Wednesday, 18 July. They only take 2 units of platelets from me, though...I weigh a lot less than you guys! Thought I was going to freeze to death the last time I did this so this time I'm going to make sure they give me a warm blanket. Never heard of getting a heating pad also but that sure sounds good to me!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Thank you sir. It is a truly honorable and selfless thing to do. There's a high probability that it will save someone's life. That, IMHO, is the definition of a heroic act.

Also, I can tell you from first hand experience that the medical community is very careful that that valuable gift is not wasted or used ineffecently.

Thank you.