I think giving blood is important; however, I'm a fainter.  I'm wondering if the people at the blood center would prefer that I not come or if the importance of giving blood outweighs the hassle of my fainting.  Any thoughts?
134432
Ask your doctor if it will have any side effects or long term issues. Personally, that sounds like fun, I love the head rushes you get after giving blood, I have never fainted though....
364444
The blood treats the problem..eg anaemia is lack of quality red bloods cells-> -> blood given, now patient has good quality blood cells, for a short while anyway...;
363939
my uncle received a heart and kidney transplant that gave him life for an additional 13 years...someone elses loss gave us more time to enjoy our family member...am i selfish, yes? am i grateful to those who lost a beautiful woman, yes! yes, because they in their time of sorrow were able to give the gift to us--total strangers....so, my answer is of course my organs are being donated....
3472
(1) You can donate even without knowing your Blood Type.\n(2) Blood Group test is performed at almost every hospital. Result is obtained very shortly which allows you to know the type of yuor Blood Group.
609049
When you faint from starvation, the nurses will pump you full of calories via IV. Just thought you should know. If you actually go through with your plan, by day eleven you will probably collapse. So that gives the nurses plenty of time to destroy your plan. So just don't faint until day 57, and you'll be all set. Good luck with that.
215699
I used to have the outlook, that I am just one person, so therefore, can't really make a difference.  The older I get, the more I realize this isn't really true.  If everyone had that same view, then nothing would get done in this world to make a difference in someone else's life.  As a nurse, I try to give the best care that I can to my patients, and by educating them on taking better care of themselves, I feel that I may be helping others in the long run.  I take care of many elderly patients as well, and though they may not need any medical attention at that particular moment, I will just sit at their bedside (if they are open to this), to talk with them, or to just hold their hand, to simply let them know that someone cares.  I volunteer my time as a nurse, to help with community health fairs, and traveled to San Antonio last September, to help with the Hurricane Katrina victims.  I think that I gain as much, or more from helping in these types of things, as the people that need the help.  I also donate blood, and am on the bone marrow donor list, in the hopes of helping someone.\n\nAnother way that I like to volunteer, is by simply picking up trash where ever I go.  I have a dog, and we take him walking everyday.  I began to notice one day many years ago, that trash is a prevalent problem, everywhere.  I started carrying a bag with me, a pair of gloves, and a long stick with a point on the end to help reach items of trash that I couldn't otherwise reach, and quickly developed the habit of picking up trash.  I've had many wonderful comments from others that have observed this habit of mine.  I only wish that more people would be concerned enough, not to leave trash lying around. \n\nI'm not sure that anything I described above, is what you were exactly referring to in your question, but I feel very strongly that we should all give of our time if we are able to do so.  Simply being able to help one person, can be so very rewarding.  I also realize that I chose nursing as my careeer, and that I am paid to give the care that I do, but I  tend to gain much more from just "being there" for the patients that have no one else, than I do from the more technical aspects of nursing.\n\nAfterthought... I'm not looking for any recognition or praise for anything that I've done, or do; I'm merely trying to make a point.
427571
I have donated blood 3 times... i don't know if it's true but i am suspecting that I got fatter since i donated blood..is it true? can it be possible....? i wouldn't mind but I am curious. donating blood doesn't hurt at all...in my opinion...and I think that it is a beautiful way to help others.
396407
I know when you donate blood you can't donate even if you take aspirin. You might want to find out if you can because people who have medical problems can't donate.
572867
The reason they don't want you donating with a pulse rate that high is because when you lose blood volume your heart rate will increase anyway to compensate. If it's already high this accelerated rate could cause your heart to pump innefectively causing hypotension and other problems. Better safe than sorry.
534970
A law? No way. You can't compel someone to give up the body parts of their dead loved ones. That's just wrong, and I think against some religions.\n\nShould you be able to compel blood donations, too? Granted, the person isn't dead but they don't really NEED all that blood, do they? They can make more.\n\nI really don't NEED all my bone marrow or one of my kidneys---okay I'm actually saving the spare kidney for a friend who may need it---but you get the point.\n\nOrgan donation is a great thing. I am down as an organ donor and I support it. Forcing it is another thing entirely.
613045
I've been donating plasma for almost two years, twice a week.  It is comparable to donating blood.  You do have a chance of bruising if you are not "stuck" right, but that's happened to me perhaps 5 times.  There is slight scarring after a while but it's hardly noticeable.  As far as pain, if it is done right you hardly feel it when they put the needle in your vein.  Each time you go in, they will prick your finger to test your blood for protein level and look at it for fat content, and hurts a bit.  It is so worth donating plasma.  It helps so many people and you get paid for it! It takes me 45 minutes to donate the maximum amount of plasma.  I make $50 a week, but you can make more, depending on the program in which you are enrolled.
528428
You can rely on the placebo effect. This one person once posted on the web that to imagine more blood flowing to them. Some people have said it works. I think it's all placebo effect.
323053
kelly_willmar  she was getting blood work done.  Not giving blood.  The answer to the question is just that some pregnant women get light headed and some even faint.  Getting blood work done probably had nothing to do with it, but you should be asking  your doctor.
178638
Well...in light of medical advances in the last decade...the JW's have somewhat lightened their view on the abstanence of blood products.  Back in the day when, if you needed blood, you received whole blood (all components included: RBC, WBC, plasma and platelets).  Nowadays, if your WBCs are low, you can receive just WBCs...not whole blood.  Even with the technology to separate the blood into four major components, most JW still refuse.  However, each of the four components can be processed further to isolate smaller parts, or fractions, of the blood components.  Because many medicines, antibodies, clotting factors and other wound healing factors can be derived from the fractions of components of blood...the governing body of JWs are leaving that particular decision up to the congregation.  Well, leaving it in their hands to discuss personally with God.\n\nI'm pretty sure that if they're a cutting-edge JW...and they allow products made from fractions of components of whole blood, then they'll let their doctor know in case of emergency.  Otherwise, they sign all of the legal documents needed to relieve the physician of liability issues concerning the refusal of necessary blood transfusions...before anticipating the need.\n\nJW have issued decrees...I guess that's what you call it...or official "stands" on the issue, stating that there are many safe alternatives to blood transfusions.\n\nWhatever.  :o)  I believe that God can either heal miraculously, or work miraculously through the wisdom He gave to the physician taking care of you.  I trust the doctor.  If he says blood...I say -- how much?
604022
For my life between 19 and 35, I donated at my various work places for a total of 46 times.\n\nBack in the  mid 80's, folks started to hear that AIDS was contracted by "donated blood". It was kind of stupid and funny that less people volunteered their blood because the 'risk' of AIDS. \n\nOf course they have a ton of questions to try and weed out the donors that are 'practicing' homo-sexuals, going back 25 years. Even then they expect some to donate blood, - just to have their blood tested for AIDS. They give those deviants one last chance to use a bar code sticker that says "don't use my BLOOD".\n\nOh, btw, I met my wife while we were giving blood.
397359
OH NO...You too !!!! I get defferred all the time for the same reason. I just boosted my iron to a very heatlhy level simply by taking iron pills with Vitamin C for easier processing. \nNot sure how quick it works, but it did for me within a week.\nEven if it's not good for this donation, you'll be good for the next one. \nBTW, my dad's life was saved because of people who donated blood. \nIt really is a worthy cause.
313405
Your dad is just being paranoid.  All of the equipment used when you donate blood is new and sterile - there's a one in a billion chance of you getting an infection from donating blood (if anyone got sick, the donation center would be in BIG trouble).  Transfusions (the receiving of donated blood) is also safer than ever before and it's only getting safer.  Donated blood is tested for a lot of diseased including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, HTLV I and II and Syphilis.  Besides the testing, there is a long questionaire that you have to fill out before you dontate that assess your risk factors for having any of these diseases (and others such as Chaga's and malaria) and not knowing it.  If you seem like you're at risk at all for possibly having a disease, they won't allow you to donate.\nA "mini" physical is also performed that includes weight, iron levels, temperature, blood pressure, and pulse.  If any of these are out of range, you will not be allowed to donate.\n\nDonation centers try to get everyone to donate, not just the young.  There is no age limit to donation, but there is a minimum age (17).  Getting in the habit of donating blood is a good thing to do while you are young, that way you can carry it throughout life.\n\nAfter donation, some people get weak, some people even pass out (me, for example).  This is due to a drop in blood volume.  The any feeling of lightheadedness usually goes away in a few minutes, but you will be allowed to lay down in the chair for as long as you want to.  If you're going to donate, drink plenty of juice or water.  \nYour body replaces the blood cells you lost within one week, and many people actually feel better in the week after they donate than they did before.\n\nYour father is just being paranoid. It sounds to me like he's getting his knowledge from what little bad press has gone around about blood donation.