I am truly honored. I hope every blood donation I gave was able to help save a life. I always wonder about how the recipients are doing, and what circumstances led them to need a life saving blood transfusion. The blood bank keeps all of that private for security reasons, of course, along with the name of the donors who donate. I just hope it all helped.
as someone who cannot, thank you. I depend on people like you to make up for me,
You’re so welcome! If it isn’t too personal, and you don’t mind me asking, why do you not donate? Is it a health reason, or a religious reason? I’ve known people who were JW and couldn’t donate. If you’ve had cancer, you can donate after treatment ends. Sometimes people think they are eliminated for life after medical problems arise, but the blood bank is actually pretty relaxed in some of their requirements. They even allow people who have just had a tattoo to donate, as long as they had it done at a licensed tattoo shop.
I’m not the person you responded to but for me its anemia and autoimmunity. Plus I have a tendency to faint when drawing blood.
Oh, ouch! I’m so sorry! I hope things improve for you. I know there are ways to combat the anemia and they can keep you in the chair longer to have you avoid fainting after the withdraw the IV, but I don’t know about the autoimmune disease. Is there any chance that will ever be remedied, or are you stuck with it for the rest of your life? Some diseases like mononucleosis disappear.
Thanks, its manageable but my autoimmunity is chronic. I get bloodwork done regularly and it’s tough to get through those draws. I know there’s conflicting advice on whether those with autoimmunity should donate, but I hate the process and never feel well after even those simple draws. I try to make up for it by being an organ donor but I’m not sure that mine will be worth much when I do go!
Obligatory also not the person. I had a relative die from the Mad Cow prion. They say nobody in the family can donate, even though she likely contracted it at work, as a surgical nurse.