Friday Question 258
Do you donate blood? Do you know your blood type?
In the past week several blood donation and blood draw stories have come up, and it’s got me thinking… I really need to donate blood one of these days! I never have! I’ve only had it taken.
Hopefully when I do it, it doesn’t give me a story to tell like the ones that inspired me asking the first question.
I’ve definitely asked the second question before, because it surprises me how many people don’t know their blood type. Of course, I have no idea how I learned mine, but it’s A +, which apparently, is the second most common for Caucasians. That is Steven’s blood type, too. I found this page from the Red Cross site really interesting – it shows which blood types are most common and how blood types can be matched for transfusions.
Now someone hold me to it that I actually donate!
Themocracy
Definitely. I used to donate every few months when I was in the Air Force, but my blood type (B+) isn’t high in demand so I don’t do it as often anymore.
I am O+!
I am going to donate after the marathon. From what I was told it can knock out running for a few weeks – not in that you can’t run, but in that it is much more difficult – and I didn’t want to add any more stress to marathon training.
Yeah, I was thinking about that when I wrote this! Less blood means less blood cells to carry oxygen so it will make running harder!
I’m O+. I only found out a few years ago when blood typing was an option provided by my company’s yearly free blood test at the health fair. I’ve never donated blood, though. In high school when they did blood drives I didn’t weigh enough (hahahaha) and now I think I’d still get too woozy.
Oh boy. Oh, blood donation!! I have tried to do this on three occasions now–the first time, my iron was too low. The second time…my iron was too low. The third time…my iron was better (I ate burgers for three days leading up to donation day!) and I passed out within 30 seconds of starting the process! I tend to get a bit woozy even with blood tests, but that time I went completely under. It was scary.
I found a blood type test on ThinkGeek that I ended up purchasing because it was driving me crazy that I never knew my blood type! I found out I am B+. 🙂 Mom is O+ and Dad is AB+. I am glad Michelle shared B+ isn’t that in demand, because now I feel less bad that it is unlikely I will try to donate again! (in addition to the fainting, my iron still runs pretty low)
Are you doing anything now for your iron now? Or it it just an issue that they don’t want your blood (lol)?
That is an interesting test! What did you have to do? Prick your finger?
I wish I could give blood. Having walked the plains of Africa during the ebola and plague outbreaks (Djibuti is a beautiful place…), experienced the English countryside during the Mad Cow days, twice in Hong Kong and Chenzhen during the SARS epidemic, and the experimental malaria drug during my Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean days – they normally bar the door… But I do know I’m A Positive!
I have tried, but I always pass out 1/2 way through. Apparently my body thinks it needs that blood! After multiple failed attempts, the red cross told me to stop trying!
I’m B+. I only found out once I donated blood for the first time, though.
I started donating a couple years ago, I was too afraid of it before then! But once I’d had some medical blood draws, and more ear piercings, I started getting more comfortable with needles, and now try to donate regularly.
I donate very regularly! I m O- and they really encourage me to get in there. The iron thing can be an issue for women but I find that just taking a multivitamin with iron keeps my iron high enough. Kim, being vegan, you might want to stop by and have them check your iron to see where you are. It is just a finger poke and about 20 seconds waiting for the machine. I am going in a few weeks, want to go with me?
Hmm, I wonder if low iron would have showed in the blood work I got this spring? They only said my B12 was low (which it is for most vegans). I might go! First I need to know which Sarah this is, ha ha. Sorry, I don’t recognize your email! 😉
I know my blood type! And I have donated blood in the past, but because I have lived in China for a while and because I had an aunt who passed away of a rare disease that is on the list of no-gos, I am no longer eligible to donate 🙁 It makes me sad because it is such an easy and good thing to do. And you get a cookie afterwards 🙂
I used to give blood every 56 days or so unless my iron levels weren’t high enough. I don’t do it as often these days but try to donate when they have a drive at my work. I wasn’t able to give while pregnant do it’s been a while.
I’m O positive and I just learned that my baby is too. Oh btw, I had my baby! 🙂
Congrats!
I’ve been told my blood type a few times but I don’t remember it! Good for you for giving blood!
I like to donate doubles, I have trouble as V needs to be watched. I used to donate platelets.
I donated a couple times in high school; they would do blood drives at the school and students who were old enough could donate. I wonder if they still do that. I tried to donate once in college when they did a drive in my dorm, but my iron was too low. Then I developed an aversion to needles that I’m only just now getting over. I get my blood drawn every year at my company’s health fair, to measure the basics (cholesterol, glucose, etc). Usually I would justify not donating blood because I was always training for a race and didn’t want donating to impact my training schedule. (I’m a terrible person.)
I don’t know my blood type. I assume A+. I’m sure my mom has it in my baby book … ?
So needles used to NOT bother you?
Ha ha, yeah, I definitely wouldn’t do it if I had a race coming up that I cared about 🙂
I once donated two days before a sprint triathlon and had a very difficult time of it. Not the smartest move. O+.
Awww, Kim, I’m A+ too. You, Steven, and I are blood buddies, har-har! I haven’t given blood in several years because the last time I did, I almost fainted during the class I had to teach. It also threw off my running for several days afterward (which, duh, makes sense), but maybe I’ll do it now that I have a pretty sedentary job and am not training for anything.
Something weird–Asians really care about blood type as a superstitious indicator of personality or compatibility or something. Like, it can be asked on dating sites!
I also am on the bone marrow donor registry because I’ve heard it’s hard for Koreans and half-Asians in the US to find donors. I’m kind of afraid of getting called because it’s a super-intense and apparently painful process, but I figured I’d sign up anyway because, well, it’d be selfish of me not to.
Blood buddies woo hoo! 🙂
That is really interesting that Asians care about that. What does A+ mean for personality compatibility? Is it kind of like how some people believe your zodiac sign makes you more or less compatible with other certain signs?
Aww, that is cool you are on the bone marrow registry!
I donated a couple times in college. Made it to the cookies before passing out the first time and the parking lot the 2nd time. They said, “maybe you shouldn’t donate anymore”. I’m O+, I do know that. I’ve thought about donating plasma but I’ve had many friends say to wait until after my marathon.
Not just no, but HELL no. I pass out at the sight of blood. Even just thinking about donating makes me weak-kneed. It’s always a pretty big production even when I just have to have blood drawn at the doctor. I’ll donate anything and everything when I kick the bucket, but for now, not a chance.
My parents both know they’re O+, so I’ve always just assumed I am too, but I really don’t know for sure if that’s even how it works. haha
I used to give regularly, but haven’t in a while. My iron is usually too low, so unless I’m regularly taking an iron supplement, I know I’ll be denied. I need to get back to taking my iron so I can donate again! It’s such an important – and easy! – thing to do.
I believe I am O+, too. But don’t quote me on that. Heh.
I never knew what type of blood I had until I was pregnant and they had to do blood testing. And I already forgot. I guess it is mommy brain?
That would be a no to both. If I had to guess, I think i’m O Positive.
Since I was a teen, I’ve had some form of hypoglycemia, which precludes me from donating.
Mine is A+ which makes it very easy for me to remember. I’ve donated a few times but now that reminds me that I need to do it again.
I have A+ blood! I’ve never donated – I was really anemic in high school and was scared for awhile about being that exhausted again. Then I got a needle stick in nursing school (that’s terrifying…), and even if both you and the patient test negative, I believe that prevents you from donating for awhile. Then I went to Africa two years ago, so I think there’s a limit on that…although it’s probably up by now. Although honestly, I feel selfish saying that, but I feel like I use running/training for something as an excuse because I don’t want it to impact that.