Donating Blood

[DebH]

I just got a call that they need blood donations in my area and are having a drive tomorrow.

Does anyone have any thoughts on if this would affect our sway if either DH or I donated? The guy told me it takes about 56 days to rebuild your supply to the same level as before.

We will be making our attempt in 10-14 days, so I thought I'd try and figure out if we should donate or not.

Thanks

[purplepoet20]

Well.... as a trained phlebotomist/vampire I would have to say that donating blood will increase the chances of a miscarriage and possible infection. Baby oven needs blood and low blood before conception is not good, will either cause m/c or birth defect.

I went to college for 2 years to complete the program and noticed that in my area most of the blood collection people are not fully trained or are trained on the job, so NO formal education on how to prevent the spread of illness or disease. If you do decide to go...

1. watch how they clean the other peoples arms - they should never ever touch the arm once the alchool pads have been used, or they should not dry the arm with a dry pad, must air dry. The cloth pads used to dry are touched and handled by hands that are not always clean.

2. Gloves are for the protection of the person doing the blood draw, even a fresh pair of gloves can not be 100% clean - during a blood drive many bare hands go in and out of the glove boxes and hands are not washed properly after gloves are removed. Because of the many people coming and going during a blood drive hands are not always clean.

3. The strap used on the upper arm is reused many times over the day - the person doing the blood draw has already put on the gloves and is now touching the strap that was just on someone else, the gloves are no longer clean.

4. When the phleb has put the needle in they will most likely... walk away from you to touch paper, a pen, or another surface. They hardly ever take the gloves off or put new ones on and they have to reach for a swab to put on your now hole in your arm, handle and fold the swab and put in on you.

... while in school I learned a funny fact about phlebotomist they are the "rats" of the hospital because most major illness are spread because of them... I now know why. I tell the phleb's what to do if they draw blood on myself, hubby, and kids! I only trust a few phleb's in my town and that is because I have worked with them.

PS... I am no longer a phleb because I am afraid of getting a life threatening illness and infecting my family. The phleb trainging made me a germ freak!!!

[TTC5]

I wouldn't do it... but that is my thought of this

[DebH]

Thanks for the great info!
Definitely not going to do it.

[Hobbermittens]

Well.... as a trained phlebotomist/vampire I would have to say that donating blood will increase the chances of a miscarriage and possible infection. Baby oven needs blood and low blood before conception is not good, will either cause m/c or birth defect.

I went to college for 2 years to complete the program and noticed that in my area most of the blood collection people are not fully trained or are trained on the job, so NO formal education on how to prevent the spread of illness or disease. If you do decide to go...

1. watch how they clean the other peoples arms - they should never ever touch the arm once the alchool pads have been used, or they should not dry the arm with a dry pad, must air dry. The cloth pads used to dry are touched and handled by hands that are not always clean.

2. Gloves are for the protection of the person doing the blood draw, even a fresh pair of gloves can not be 100% clean - during a blood drive many bare hands go in and out of the glove boxes and hands are not washed properly after gloves are removed. Because of the many people coming and going during a blood drive hands are not always clean.

3. The strap used on the upper arm is reused many times over the day - the person doing the blood draw has already put on the gloves and is now touching the strap that was just on someone else, the gloves are no longer clean.

4. When the phleb has put the needle in they will most likely... walk away from you to touch paper, a pen, or another surface. They hardly ever take the gloves off or put new ones on and they have to reach for a swab to put on your now hole in your arm, handle and fold the swab and put in on you.

... while in school I learned a funny fact about phlebotomist they are the "rats" of the hospital because most major illness are spread because of them... I now know why. I tell the phleb's what to do if they draw blood on myself, hubby, and kids! I only trust a few phleb's in my town and that is because I have worked with them.

PS... I am no longer a phleb because I am afraid of getting a life threatening illness and infecting my family. The phleb trainging made me a germ freak!!!

Yikes! This totally freaks me out! I have never donated blood and now I am really glad I haven't!!

[My Fabulous Children]

I won't, and I have never donated blood.