So I gave blood today...

[Creag]

COVID-19 has restricted some things. Giving blood is a chore that remains relatively painless. Although the SANBS used to come to our office premises, which made it super easy, I now go to the local mall and do the deed there.

Today’s experience was a little different.

The mandatory COVID-19 questionnaire was rattled off and the good dude was completing questions before getting my answer
. That and I honestly couldn’t hear what he was saying despite my hearing aids, it was just a mumble.

The wee lass take ping my BP and checking iron was much the same, except when it came to extracting a small blood sample from my finger, it was a real ‘moer’ into the soft finger to ensure she got her just reward.

Giving blood was done in no time. Added incentive, if that blows your back, was a small black fleecy blanket. Nice gesture.

My daughter was giving too. They couldn’t find a vein and switched arms in the cause. Being only her third, it was a harrowing experience. Then she got dizzy and her BP must gone pretty low. It was 80/54 at a point before we were giving he juice and crisps.

The team were great and passionate and were great ambassadors for the service.

TL;DR?

Give blood if you can. The SANBS are taking all the right precautions. Your pint of blood will make a difference.

 

[unobeat]

I also give blood continously and got given the fleece blanket this time arpund which i appreciate but its not the main motivation to do it

It does save lives.

 

[Desig]

I don't even know my blood type, just the colour.. red!

 

[unobeat]

I don't even know my blood type, just the colour.. red!

I also never knew my blood type till i asked the guys at the Blood donation station as they had taken samples for tests.

 

[Desig]

So I can give blood?

 

[3WA]

So I can give blood?

As long as you haven't been to a malaria area, done intravenous drugs, or slept with prostitutes recently.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

I started giving blood when I was at school. The blood bank in Durban was over the road from where I changed busses on my way home. So it was super convenient. At one stage I was donating plasma (tetanus) and was going every week for about 6 months. They would take a pint, separate the plasma and pump the red cells back. Then do it again for another pint. They had small electric blankets because the red cell and saline was cold going back in.

I stopped donating when I left the country in 1999. Back then I had donated over 40 times for whole blood and about 20 times for plasma (total of about 80 pints). When I came back to SA the Natal Blood Transfusion Service had become the SANBS. I no longer donated. One reason was the NBTS would not charge regular donors for blood if you needed it. The SANBS charges everyone over R3K per pint regardless.

 

[TedLasso]

Also have been donating blood regularly for years. Last time, a few weeks ago , after doing iron test, which I failed for first time, has got me super worried. Now trying to increase iron count by drinking iron rich smoothies at home.

My blood pressure also getting higher. Need to exercise more.

Donate blood regularly if you can. Besides doing a great service for your country, also gives you a basic insight into your health trends.

 

[Leno]

I get so much anxiety before donating blood (terrified of needles)
But once the needle is in you think that wasn't bad at all :/

I remember in school we used to donate to get off PE / Sport that day lol (And the class you donated during)

PS the first time you donate they used to post you a letter with your blood type, not sure if they do that anymore

 

[Creag]

So I can give blood?

Yep. Just do it. Put the politics and cost of blood and whatnot aside. What we have to pay if we need a transfusion covers their costs. We need healthy donors to keep giving. You never know, God forbid, when an emergency will require a pint or two for you or family. Like healthy organs for transplant, blood is a scarce but critical resource.

 

[RedViking]

Why can't they pay for my blood?

I must have a medical aid and pay to get blood.

 

[PoppieChoffel]

As long as you haven't been to a malaria area, done intravenous drugs, or slept with prostitutes recently.

Or had any tattoo's or piercings done in the past 6 months.

 

[etienne_marais]

I would love to donate blood more often, but the Brooklyn, Pretoria center I'm always getting notifications to donate blood in working hours during the week, they finish before 5pm. Where can I donate blood over weekends (Pretoria/Centurion) ?

 

[PoppieChoffel]

I get so much anxiety before donating blood (terrified of needles)
But once the needle is in you think that wasn't bad at all :/

I remember in school we used to donate to get off PE / Sport that day lol (And the class you donated during)

PS the first time you donate they used to post you a letter with your blood type, not sure if they do that anymore

If they still do this, it's likely it only gets delivered when you're pushing up daisies.

 

[Claymore]

I donate about 5 times a year. I go for the free juice & biscuits.

Donating blood is what alerted me to a trend of increasing blood pressure. I'm on pills now, all good.

 

[PoppieChoffel]

I would love to donate blood more often, but the Brooklyn, Pretoria center I'm always getting notifications to donate blood in working hours during the week, they finish before 5pm. Where can I donate blood over weekends (Pretoria/Centurion) ?

The one at Atterbury Value Mart has extended hours on a Thursday and also operates over the weekend:

Hours:
Tuesday 9am–5pm
Wednesday 9am–5pm
Thursday 9am–7pm
Friday 9am–5pm
Saturday 9am–4pm
Sunday 9am–2pm
Monday 9am–5pm

 

[powermzii]

I would love to donate blood more often, but the Brooklyn, Pretoria center I'm always getting notifications to donate blood in working hours during the week, they finish before 5pm. Where can I donate blood over weekends (Pretoria/Centurion) ?

The centre in Atterbury value mart is open on weekends

 

[Iamn0tageek]

I'd love to give blood but have an extremely low threshold for pain. & that needle is the size of a hosepipe.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

COVID-19 has restricted some things. Giving blood is a chore that remains relatively painless. Although the SANBS used to come to our office premises, which made it super easy, I now go to the local mall and do the deed there.

Today’s experience was a little different.

The mandatory COVID-19 questionnaire was rattled off and the good dude was completing questions before getting my answer
. That and I honestly couldn’t hear what he was saying despite my hearing aids, it was just a mumble.

The wee lass take ping my BP and checking iron was much the same, except when it came to extracting a small blood sample from my finger, it was a real ‘moer’ into the soft finger to ensure she got her just reward.

Giving blood was done in no time. Added incentive, if that blows your back, was a small black fleecy blanket. Nice gesture.

My daughter was giving too. They couldn’t find a vein and switched arms in the cause. Being only her third, it was a harrowing experience. Then she got dizzy and her BP must gone pretty low. It was 80/54 at a point before we were giving he juice and crisps.

The team were great and passionate and were great ambassadors for the service.

TL;DR?

Give blood if you can. The SANBS are taking all the right precautions. Your pint of blood will make a difference.

Don't we have synthetic/substitute blood in RSA?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Don't we have synthetic/substitute blood in RSA?