1.20.2008

"What Can I Do?"

I know there are many of you that want to do something to help, but living so far away, you feel powerless to do anything of significance.

This is where I get on my Red Cross soapbox to say: Give Blood.

I've been donating blood since the moment I could--I think my first time was within a few weeks of my 17th birthday--and barring a few interruptions (one piercing, one tattoo, one pregnancy, and pretty much all of college where I was always thisclose to getting bronchitis), I've been donating pretty steadily since.

Fortunately, it looks like I'll be able to donate again five years from sometime this fall, but in the meantime, maybe y'all could pick up my slack? I promise to get pierced or tattooed sometime in the interim so as not to waste those five years... ;)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Were you not in the London Program? Mitsy and I have been banned by the ARC for years now, due to our having lived there for 4 months, *15 years ago!* We recently checked, and the ban on us is still on the books.

Here's from the website:

"At this time, the American Red Cross donor eligibility rules related to vCJD are as follows:

You are not eligible to donate if:
From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK)..."

I realize that mad-cow disease sucks, but wouldn't you think we'd have started exhibiting symptoms by now? Or maybe we're like "Typhoid Mary" and are carriers not exhibiting symptoms.

Anonymous said...

I have the same issue as gilles. I lived in London for five months in 1995, and thus I've been blackballed. It's a shame, because I've got O- blood swirling around inside of me. Oh well, more for me I guess.

Anonymous said...

Can we have a poll about what the next poll should be?

Anonymous said...

Another funny thing about all of this mad-cow stuff--I think you needed to eat said cows to get the stuff. So, if you're vegetarian, Hindu, etc? Sorry, you're still disqualified.

And on the flip side, if you visited for 2.5 months and were a strict bovivore, you're in the clear.

While I'm neither Hindu nor vegetarian, I was remarkably poor at the time, and I think I had beef maybe 5 times in 4 months. Now, if you contracted it from drinking beer in the UK, I'd surely be dead by now.

Sugarmouth O'Riordan said...

Gilles--I couldn't agree with you more re: the ARC's messed up exclusion rules. Then they wonder why they're always running a shortage! Gah.

Cap--I have no inspiration for the poll, so any input from you and others would be more than welcome.

Anonymous said...

I get tattoos every few years simply to avoid this very issue. Donating semen (seamen?) - another story altogether.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for making it so easy for us.... I had no idea. AA and i both have appts on sunday. We used to sell our blood in college for beer money which usually ended with me passing out after a shot or two....not too smart. Hopefully this will redeem us. Thanks for the kick in the pants.

Sugarmouth O'Riordan said...

Hey Meg--You might want to make an appt to get scoped the next time you have 24 hours of non-AA childcare...

Anonymous said...

As another O-neg ineligible despite a diet of beer and bread in London, I think there should be a separate pool to which we could contribute, for those who like to gamble a little. Like, "So you choose to ride your motorcycle with no helmet and a 0.328 blood level; would you like to try a transfusion with a theoretical one in 7 gazillion chance of containing mad cow prions?

Anonymous said...

I got the referral from my doc. and got the first appt. avail for non-emergent scoping on April 18th. A early b-day present for my butt. Just have the double check with insurance to make sure it is covered. Thanks for checking on me. Do something ridiculously indulgent today: i love the milkshake script, but what about a massage or a mani-pedi..maybe tomorrow when my niece is in daycare. take care of yourself. loveya

Sugarmouth O'Riordan said...

Dr. Niebler--I like your way of thinking.

Meg--The prep isn't fun, but hopefully you'll get a huge sigh of relief (and a much deserved massage/shopping binge yourself) afterwards. xo!

Anonymous said...

I'd be sweating more if it was Mad Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Disease or Mad Pasta With Nothing On It Disease, the staples of my London diet. I tried donating when my niece was sick last year, what a let down! Hey cap-o-hiddenskeletons, you would have been disqualified anyway because of that awkward question about interactions with farm animals.