Blood donation

I've been given one last chance to donate blood so I'm going along Thursday
afternoon to see if I have more luck than on the last few occasions. My
haemoglobin levels have been too low and if they're down on Thursday I'll be
struck orft the list permanently.

David Love...

Have you established why your haemoglobin levels are low?
Constantly low levels are not to be taken lightly. At the very least
it could suggest you are anemic. Worth asking your doctor "Why?"

Splodge...

No I haven't David. If I am able to donate on Thursday I shall mention it to
him when I next see him. I have all the leaflets about anaemia though and
even the Blood Service here don't seem too bothered.
Splodge

They're desperate for donors since they stopped people donating who've had a
blood transfusion and they've phoned me about 4 times in the last 6 months.

David Love...

Tell me about it! I worked for the Auckland Regional Blood Donor
Service, as a Blood Donor Recruitment Officer, for the 13 years before
I retired. It was a constant battle to get a sufficient volume of
donors. With the stock market crash in 1987, and the shedding of
hundreds of employees by companies, we found that taking even one
person from a production line to give blood halted all production!

Fortunately, in New Zealand, a person aged 16 is considered mature
enough to decide whether or not to become a blood donor. So a lot of
our efforts were given to visiting school and speaking to the students
at assembly. The response was often very good, especially if we could
persuade the school icons (1st XV rugby players) to give blood :-)

Regards from New Zealand on a pleasant Monday evening, after a day of
rain. Time to take Albert for a walk.

Tickettyboo...

yep, they wont have mine anymore cos I had a transfusion in 1989. I had
donated regularly, before and since, right up till they changed the rules.

So iron is in and chocolate is out cos I really want to donate.

Just having a little whinge
Splodge (suffering from choccie withdrawal symptons)

Tyke...

Hope you manage to donate Splodge - good for you,I know how important it is.
In the UK I "paid back" after some very serious operations.

It is really frustrating that I cannot give blood here.I'm O neg and did
give plasma as well.
Here in Oz you are not allowed to give blood if you have lived in the UK for
the last 20 years - due to the very low risk of Mad Cow Disease apparently.
I cringe every time the call comes out on the local radio for more donors.

Splodge...

I know exactly how you feel Russell, as I also cringe when I hear the call
for more donors. I'm not sure what it's like elsewhere but in UK you're not
allowed to donate for 12 months after an operation, and I've had 12 of those
since 1997.
I'm being really good with this iron thing, so fingers crossed for this last
attempt.
Splodge

Wally...

I donated a lot of blood a few weeks back Splodge, I was in
my w**kshop cutting a piece of wood.........

Splodge...

Shouldn't have done it with a Stanley knife Wally lol
If I recall you were lucky to keep the use of all yer digital appendices.
Splodge

Old Grizzly...

make sure the bottles are marked with the appropriate Spirit content
(50% proof :') )

Splodge...

No chance of that Len. I'm being so good I've not had any alcololly all
weekend, sob sob.
Splodge