monkycndo 0 #1 October 9, 2013 No, not jumping. Last night, I made did my 25th platelete donation. I have a standing appointment about every 3 weeks. If you aren't familiar with the apheresis process, check out this link. It does take extra time compared to a standard blood doantion, but it is so worth it when you know the need. The demand is always higher than the supply. I'm lucky in that my platelete count is really high and my one donation can be used for as many as 3 therapeutic doses. I have family members who have received plateletes when they were recovering from cancer or after suffering burns. For me, it is a very personal way to give back to the community for what was done for my loved ones. If you used to be a donor or have never done it, I highly encourage you to contact the Red Cross or whatever your local organization might be and schedule an appointment. Whether it be whole blood or plateletes, even if you only do it once a year, your donation really can be a life saver. And as much as we get injured in this sport, it might just be for a fellow jumper.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TriGirl 268 #2 October 9, 2013 Well done, you! I used to donate white blood cells and platelets every couple of weeks. Then I started traveling to all the exotic places the military likes to send us, and have recieved requisite immunizations for such travel, and have been ineligible for some time. But, once I stop doing that, will certainly start up again. They get at least 8x more platelets and 10x more WBCs from a single pheresis donation than from one whole blood donation (although the website says much more). Your WBCs are usually back to pre-donation levels by the tiime you've finished your snack and head to your car to go home. While whole blood is also important, packed WBCs are used for chemo patients, or others who have diminished or impaired immunity. Not to mention you can donate much more frequently because of the rate your body replaces these elements. (Interesting -- the website doesn't mention WBCs. I wonder if they've stopped doing that? If so, why?) Also important is plasma, when they just need to pump volume into someone who has lost a lot of blood due to trauma (more efficient than only using whole blood, and much more effective than simple IV fluids). Of course, that's the part that takes longer for your body to replace, so you can't do it as often (kind of like giving whole blood). Note to drinkers -- only the plasma donation (IIRC) will reduce your blood volume to the level that makes you a cheap(er) drunk! See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus Shut Up & Jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #3 October 9, 2013 TriGirl I used to donate white blood cells and platelets every couple of weeks. Then I started traveling to all the exotic places the military likes to send us, and have recieved requisite immunizations for such travel, and have been ineligible for some time. But, once I stop doing that, will certainly start up again. "Please list all of the countries you've been to in the last x years:" Crap, gimme a pen, paper and a few minutes. That reminds me, as of Monday I'm eligible to donate again. Better get that done!"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrDom 0 #4 October 9, 2013 Donating blood is truly lifesaving. Platelets are even harder to come by so those of us in the medical community thank you. I donate when I can because its the right thing to do. If the place will do platelets, I say take them away!You are not the contents of your wallet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #5 September 10, 2014 Up to 35 donations as of yesterday. Donors are always needed.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #6 September 10, 2014 I've donated every 8 weeks for about the last 15 years. Most charities want money. The Blood Bank just wants my time! It's a good thing to do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dantes 0 #7 September 11, 2014 Blood products for hospitals is a $4.5B industry. A hospital will pay the blood bank ~$250 for every donation you make. Time = Money. In this case too. That said, it's a great thing to do. I myself donate when I can. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #8 September 13, 2014 I donate blood to Mattel... ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #9 September 13, 2014 Dantes Blood products for hospitals is a $4.5B industry. A hospital will pay the blood bank ~$250 for every donation you make. Time = Money. In this case too. That said, it's a great thing to do. I myself donate when I can. Very true. NPR recently had a long program on the money behind the scenes of our all-volunteer blood. But labs and techs and transport cost money, so what can be done short of legislative intervention, right? I'm a regular blood donor. I did the platelets a couple of times. Had a bit of nausea one time. I think it was a reaction to that orange crap they pump into you. Last time I volunteered to do platelets they told me "no". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #10 September 14, 2014 airtwardo I donate blood to Mattel... I think they sell it back to Dow Corning, and Phizer.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #11 June 30, 2015 Getting closer to my B. Just three donations to go. If you aren't already, please look into becoming a donor. You get to eat all the cookies you want. 50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rifleman 61 #12 June 30, 2015 Where I live the nearest centre for apheresis is two hours away, so I donate whole blood and recently made my 60th donation. If I can stay healthy enough I'd like to reach 150 donations before they sign me off as a donor.Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #13 June 30, 2015 monkycndo Last night, I made did my 25th platelete donation. I have a standing appointment about every 3 weeks. If you aren't familiar with the apheresis process, check out this link. Wow, very impressive. I've done it twice and it's a huge commitment. (I had problems one time with nausea and they decided I wasn't a great candidate for it.) The fact that you do it every 3 weeks is even better. You are saving more lives than you can imagine. Thanks, Monkey. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #14 June 30, 2015 DantesBlood products for hospitals is a $4.5B industry. A hospital will pay the blood bank ~$250 for every donation you make. Time = Money. In this case too. NPR did a piece on the blood industry not too long ago. Very interesting stuff. Lots of cheap blood in the heartland, like Kansas, Iowa, etc. Lots of expensive demand in the big cities, like NY, LA, etc. Lots of blood flying around and markups being made. Once again, we have pretty good health care, but the costs can be outrageous, way more than they need to be. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 291 #15 June 30, 2015 For all you regular blood donors (more than 1.5x per year), you should get your ferritin level checked. Ferritin is the molecule that stores iron. Your hemoglobin count, which is typically all that they check when you donate, will probably not drop until your ferritin is much lower than it should be. I failed the hemoglobin check, and a subsequent workup showed that my ferritin level was 4, my red blood cells were smaller than normal and more variable in size. For men, the "normal" level is 24 to 336 ng/ml. 50 is a better minimum, and I now shoot for 90 or so. It took 6 weeks of 2x daily iron supplements (taken with vitamin C and at least 2 hrs before/after tea/coffee/dairy) to get up to 30, and another 7 months to get up to 60. I cut down from 4x per year donations to once in a while. When I donate, I supplement with iron for 30 days afterwards, to replace the ~250mg of iron that is lost with the unit of blood. Ask your doctor to add the ferritin test when you are seeing them anyway, or do as I do and use econolabs.com or requestatest.com and pay ~$28 out of pocket to get the test done by LabCorp. Low ferritin (lower than 60) has other side effects than blood counts. It has some correlation to hair loss and other issues. High ferritin is less common, but can be caused by either health issues or hereditary factors, and can cause serious problems. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyMarko 1 #16 June 30, 2015 Sigh Good for you, I'm jealous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #17 June 30, 2015 I've donated six gallons and change so far. I've tried to donate blood fractions twice, but I have a pretty bad reaction to heparin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #18 June 30, 2015 I donated exactly ONE time... Apparently I have a rare blood type that makes getting back to feeling normal a ridiculously long time (3-4 weeks), and I didn't like it very much. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dantes 0 #19 July 1, 2015 I donate when I can, as well. It's a great thing. For men, it can have additional health benefits, as we tend to have higher iron levels than women. Donating whole blood can reduce oxidative stress. One last thing, wait a few days to jump after a donation! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #20 July 2, 2015 Where I donate, they use citrate instead of heparin. I take some viactive just before donating to bump up my calcium and maybe one about an hour in. I know I need it when my nose and lips starts to tingle. When I first started doing apheresis, I did feel a bit of nausea. I now make sure to watch my diet and limit caffeine and no alcohol the day before donating. Makes a huge difference. The donor center loves me because I produce 3 full therapeutic doses at each donation.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
