Community Chat

[SeaMaiden]

What I do not understand is that people give blood for free.....and then people needing the blood are charged for it.  

[Stormygirl]

Used to give blood ...am unable to anymore. Thank you to all donors!

[chrystaltree]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

What I do not understand is that people give blood for free.....and then people needing the blood are charged for it.  

There is charge because the blood has to be taken, processed, packaged, cooled, stored and then delivered to hospitals.  None of that is free.

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[Desertdi]

I'm really short......and don't weigh enough to give blood.

[Noel7]

I am also 0- , a universal donor.  I gave blood once.  Shortly after that I was told I couldn't.

My daughter has given since she was a teenager. 

[Noel7]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

What I do not understand is that people give blood for free.....and then people needing the blood are charged for it.  

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@SeaMaiden

It has to cost a heck of a lot of money to run blood donation centers and mobile trucks.  Doctors and nurses pay, equipment, building and mobile truck upkeep, etc.

[qualitygal]

Not so far

[Hayfield]

I used to give blood but I can't anymore.  

[tends2dogs]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@tends2dogs wrote:

I passed a bloodmobile the other day and I got to thinking that it had been WAY TOO long since I have given blood.  I am universal Type O and they are always in need of it.  I need to do something about it!

BTW When my husband had a blood cancer, he received over 140 units of packed red blood cells and several units of plasma. It kept him going until he had his bone marrow transplant and by the grace of God, he is cured.  We are so thankful for the hundreds of people that took the time out of their day to give this precious gift.

If anyone is considering it, but is a bit afraid, rest assured that it doesn't hurt.  It doesn't take that long, either.

This is my public service announcement for the day LOL!

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@tends2dogs  Well have you donated since realizing how important it is?   I used to donate but am too old now.   I have AB- blood for which there isn't much demand. 

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@Kachina624  No I haven't.  I wrote the post right after seeing the bloodmobile.......the same day.  I will keep my eyes and ears open for the next drive.  They have them quite often around here.  I didn't realize there is an age limit.  Do you know what it is?

[SilleeMee]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@tends2dogs

While there's no doubt that giving blood is definitely a life saving act, you don't always have to give it all away.

Years ago, I used to donate just my PLASMA at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY.    They needed the white blood cells for those fighting the disease.

They would take blood from me in the usual way, and I'd relax and do nothing.   Then my blood was spun very fast in a centrifuge which would quickly separate the red and white blood cells.   They would then skim off the white cells and give me back my red blood cells via an IV.    

This process is called Plasmapheresis (sp?) and is also a real life saver for patients in desperate need of more white cells in their body.   

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I used to work in a blood bank. Plasmapheresis was one procedure I used to perform. Another was platelet-pheresis, which is similar and both are very life-saving.