People who refuse to give blood.

I see what your saying but I don't think that's the right attitude to take, just because you don't want to give blood doesn't mean you should be denied it if you need it. By that standard a lot of people wouldn't get treatment they need, plus we pay for the healthcare we receive from tax ( in the UK that is) so by right your paying for that treatment. (Side note I've gave blood before)

a reply to: greencmp

It hurts but well worth it.
I just don't get you, my rant is about people accepting blood but not willing to give it.
Be nice If you would clarify your position you have stated you would never give nor accept blood but are going to donate bone marrow?.
So would you or would you not give blood If a family member needed it to live?.
Oh and twice now you have name called I will not accept it again.

Maybe they could use giving blood as alternative to paying a parking ticket, We would have plenty to spare then.

Maybe even export it to raise funds for the NHS.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: tothetenthpower

Wow I did not know gay folk can not give blood....in the UK they can If they have not had sex for 12 months.
Wow I'm shocked at this.

That's messed up too... wow :|

I used to work at a large blood bank (although I worked in the donor tissue testing section and not blood bank) in Colorado.

Sadly, I don't donate because I black out (I've tried).

The good news is that whenever there is a national (or a bad local) disaster people from all over Colorado would show up and donate so I think it will be there should we need it.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: greencmp

It hurts but well worth it.
I just don't get you, my rant is about people accepting blood but not willing to give it.
Be nice If you would clarify your position you have stated you would never give nor accept blood but are going to donate bone marrow?.
So would you or would you not give blood If a family member needed it to live?.
Oh and twice now you have name called I will not accept it again.

If that is all you are saying then, yes, I have overreacted. Frankly, I can feel that I have overreacted anyway.

I have also been adolescent about it.

You have managed to push a very sore button of mine and don't deserve to receive all of my ire.

originally posted by: nonspecific
a reply to: tothetenthpower

So even if your hiv tested negative and celibate but gay your not allowed to donate?

It sounds like this is more about causing panic in narrow minded biggots and less about the risk of contaminated blood.

Indeed Sir.

Like I said, I'm a relatively successful and known person in my community ( for good reasons) and my husband is local pediatrician. I get it if we were junkies or something, but we are both good, healthy, tax paying members of society.

And somebody dies every time they tell me no. Oh and if I lied and they found out, I could go to jail.

~Tenth

originally posted by: eisegesis
Couldn't we all just donate to our own cause?

Kind of like a personal savings account or life insurance, lol.

The bank is the hospital and they keep your blood account safe incase anything happens to you.

The human genome project would expand exponentially.

I doubt those who haven't already found themselves in the system will want to give up their secrets though.

Our blood is our identity.

That is great in theory but in practice it is not really feasible.

Blood banks store freshly donated blood for up to six weeks before it is considered outdated and thrown away. Some recent studies suggest that people who receive transfusions of blood older than two or three weeks may suffer adverse effects. Older red blood cells may lead to a higher infection risk, because as they break down, they release chemicals that can suppress a transfused patient's immunity.

Why Banked Blood Goes Bad

I can't find the article, but I read a few months ago in some science site that they are working on a way to store blood longer by freezing. They can freeze it and it stays longer but it is a lengthy process to defrost in case of emergency it has to be done a certain way to keep the blood cells from breaking down they found that a chemical found in Visine can keep the cells from deteriorating when thawed at a faster rate. That method is still being tested. Even with freezing the blood still has less than a few month shelf life.


Err...yeah I know it was probably way too much information it just happened to be something I recently researched.

originally posted by: greencmp

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: greencmp

It hurts but well worth it.
I just don't get you, my rant is about people accepting blood but not willing to give it.
Be nice If you would clarify your position you have stated you would never give nor accept blood but are going to donate bone marrow?.
So would you or would you not give blood If a family member needed it to live?.
Oh and twice now you have name called I will not accept it again.

If that is all you are saying then, yes, I have overreacted. Frankly, I can feel that I have overreacted anyway.

I have also been adolescent about it.

You have managed to push a very sore button of mine and don't deserve to receive all of my ire.

It is rare to see someone appologise on an annonymous forum.

I give you much respect for admitting your mistake.

a reply to: greencmp

Apology accepted I think lol.

a reply to: nonspecific

I guess I should rephrase. Blood transfusions and blood donor is possible here, but I would need a 2,000 mile drive to do it. Most people here do not live in cities but rather in small farming communities, we don't really have this option without traveling across the country for it.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: greencmp

Apology accepted I think lol.

No, it is an honest recognition of fault on my part.

Whenever I find myself being guided by emotion, I know I am doing something wrong.

I would have thought myself better than this, plenty of work to do.

a reply to: greencmp

Ah we all do that sometimes dude .
Good on you giving bone marrow I did it about 5 months back.

a reply to: Grimpachi

Err...yeah I know it was probably way too much information it just happened to be something I recently researched.

First of all, take those words back and never speak them again! I envy and try to act as a member who is willing to take the time to educate another.

Thank you for this information as I didn't consider it when my idea came to mind. Makes perfect sense. Seems like a huge priority to develop ways to preserve it longer when we can't seem to maintain enough on hand.

Here's what a quick searched produced...

How long can you store blood?

We can store blood for forty-two days if we don't freeze it. If we freeze it, we are allowed to store it for ten years, but freezing blood is a very poor way of storing blood. When you need blood right away, it takes at least two hours to thaw that unit and only about 80 % of the blood is usable. For these reasons we don't freeze units of blood unless there is some special need for it. Generally speaking we store blood in the refrigerator and we can store it for up to 42 days.

originally posted by: SpongeBeard
a reply to: nonspecific

I guess I should rephrase. Blood transfusions and blood donor is possible here, but I would need a 2,000 mile drive to do it. Most people here do not live in cities but rather in small farming communities, we don't really have this option without traveling across the country for it.

I think a 2000 mile trip gives you good reason not to donate without having a guilty consience!

There are many reasons why people do not give blood as others have stated, I think the OP was more about encouraging those who can to do so and not attacking those who are unable to do so.

I imagine you would not have easy access to transfusion blood yourself in the event of an accident?

a reply to: nonspecific

Yeah maybe keep a pint or two in your fridge maybe .
Of course some can't give blood but many just can't be bothered and thats why we are always low on the sweet sweet red juice.
Sorry on my fifth scotrch

a reply to: eisegesis

OK I take them back.


With the storage period of frozen blood, I was going by the article I can't find so my memory is probably mistaken. It happens from time to time.

I am sure about them working on a process that will allow them to thaw it faster involving some chemical found in Visine.

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: boymonkey74

I would love to give blood.

But unfortunately, since I'm a "disease carrying homosexual", that's not legally allowed in my country.

Which is insane, but anyway...

~Tenth

What does your sexuality have to do with this, purely a non-biological reason eh?

Not a personal attack....I just don'(t see how it is relevant to the condition of your blood, or is this disease exclusive to homosexuals???

originally posted by: nerbot

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: boymonkey74

I would love to give blood.

But unfortunately, since I'm a "disease carrying homosexual", that's not legally allowed in my country.

Which is insane, but anyway...

~Tenth

What does your sexuality have to do with this?

Not a personal attack....I just don'(t see how it is relevant to the condition of your blood, or is this disease exclusive to homosexuals???

Discussed earlier in the thread.

a reply to: boymonkey74

I transport emergency stores of blood, meaning if a hospital is out of blood, and/or someone is dying I drive it to them from the bank. Sadly this is the only way to get blood somewhere quickly on demand without huge $.

It's very common to drive 4 hours one way, but I have gone over 9. Sometimes it is a single small lifesaving box because there's not any more to send.

Anyone who says there's enough is misinformed. Rare blood types are appreciated, but the common ones are spun into platelets (which have a CONSTANT demand) and other blood products.

Please donate. It doesn't do you any harm nor does it take very long!


Aside: In the US the question is "men who have had sex with men" and the FDA regulates it. They denied overturning it in 2010. It's related to HIV/AIDS from the 80s when it wasnt easily detected and is outdated. No conspiracy, just dumb policy.


Oh hey!
Starting in 2015, however, this ban will be lifted for healthy MSMs who have not had sex for a 12 month period.

edit on 7-3-2015 by FireflyStars because: the good news!