I just recieved a phone call from a very friendly lady at the American Red Cross asking me to go donate blood this weekend. We talked for 10-15 minutes and she shared some distrubing facts with me. Only 5% of the US population is healthy enough to donate blood! But only 1% of those donate on a regular basis! Thats sad! It doesnt take long, isnt painful and you may be saving a loved ones life! Here's a link to go see when and where a blood drive is being held near you: http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation FYI, if you've been told no in the past because of over seas military deployments, check again! My wife and I were both told no years ago but recently learned we could give because the restrictions were changed.
^pansy! I've given blood so many times I practically have track marks on my antecubital area. I did feel faint part way through a two hour karate class after I had given blood and another time I made the mistake of taking 800 mg of ibuprofen and two excedrin right afterward (had a migraine) but otherwise... no problems. It certainly doesn't hurt. I recommend people get on the bone marrow registry too.
The last time I gave blood was an emegency donation. I had gotten out of the field and was working at Division HQ in Chu Lai. The medics came by the TOC about 11PM and said they had an emergency for O Positive. I was O Positive so went to give some blood. Within a week I came down with malaria and spend 21 days in the British Military Hospital in Hong Kong. SOooooooooooooooooooo... I probably gave some wounded GI a bad case of malaria along with all his other problems. They told me never to give blood again. I had falciparum malaria which kills a lot of people,... but if you live through it, you don't have relapses. It's the most deadly malaria. My average temp for the first few days was 104. The only thing I really remember those first few days were the constant ice baths.
For the first 10 years of my military career, I gave blood every 8 weeks like clockwork. Since I was on a ship at sea a lot the first 3 years, it was a pretty cheap clock evidently. Anyway, got a mild case of malaria in the mid 80's and my blood donation days were done. Shortly before my last donation, the Red Cross gave me a 7 gallon pin. Nothing to it, and in my early years, loved to have a beer afterwards, talk about a cheap buzz.....oh to be young and dumb again.
I'm glad you guys post on here. I like to see posts about donating blood. Serving our country and catching malaria (well not so much the malaria). It helps me with my denial that bowhunting (or at least the bowhunting message boards) are being taken over by folks who focus on fashion and status more than much else. :D
