Aside from being a stellar song from Bon Iver, it is a pretty swell place to visit. You can save up to four lives every time you donate blood. The entire process takes about thirty minutes. So for every seven and a half minutes you take out of your day, you save a life. You are eligible to give blood every eight weeks. The most important times to give blood are in the summer and the winter because that is when shortages most occur. Although, any time is of course a good time.
According to hospitals, the most common reason that people don't give blood is that they were never asked. So I'm asking you now, go give blood! It will make a world of difference.
However, there are a few things that would prevent you from donating blood. First of all, you need to be at least 16 years of age, and weigh at least 110 pounds. If you are 16 your parents need to sign a consent form, but if you are 17 all you need is an ID (which applies to the 16 year old too).
When you go you will be asked to fill out a form with all of your information, and then one that asks a slew of medical and sexual questions that they will use to determine if you are a worthy candidate. They range from weather or not you have taken aspirin or other pain relievers in the past 72 hours, to a cleverly side-stepped question as to weather or not you have ever been a prostitute.
Shortly after you have finished with your form you will be called into a room where someone will go over your form with you and ask any questions they may have about your answers. For example, on of the questions was to whether or not you have had a piercing in the last 12 months. I answered 'yes' and she asked where it was (second hole my right ear), when I had gotten it (about 12 months ago) and if it had been done with a gun (yes) so I was all set.
Once you have passed that with flying colors, you will be tested for anemia. They prick your finger (which, to my surprise, didn't hurt at all), put the blood on a little disk, insert it into a machine, and voila! Now you know. If you want to prevent anemia at the time of blood donation, eat a lot of iron rich foods in the days preceding your blood donation. Like hamburgers and dark greens. You can be anemic one time, and then not the next.
Finally, they check your blood pressure. Mine was really low, which apparently is good for life, but not for blood donation. But no worries! You will not be turned away for this. At Children's Hospital Boston, my donation site of choice, they have a little snack are where you can sit for ten minutes with a salty snack and a drink. When I went, the only salty snack they had were Cheese-It's, so if you're a vegan, bring a bag of chips or other vegan-friendly snack.
After about ten minutes, they check your blood pressure again, and most likely you will be all set to go! You sit in a big cross between a chair and examining table. It's like a blood test, but more intense. They give you a stress ball to squeeze to pump the blood, and put a blood pressure cuff on your upper arm for the same reason. Then, they wipe the area with alcohol, only for way longer and firmer than a blood test. Finally comes the needle. It's a bit bigger than the one used for a blood test, but don't be put off by that. It doesn't really hurt more. Maybe a tiny bit, but not much.
So now you are ready to give blood! Just make sure you are well hydrated (it makes your veins plumper, and prevents fainting) and have eaten. (gives you a higher blood pressure, and also prevents fainting).
Call Children's Hospital at 617-355-6677, or your local hospital to make an appointment. At Children's an appointment is not required, you can go anywhere from 9am-7pm Monday-Thursday or 9am-4pm on Friday, although an appointment guarantees your desired time. You can also donate at many blood drives that may be closer to you, however what I like about Children's is that once your information is entered into the system, it's there. You dont' have to fill out a form every time. You do have to re-fill out the medical form because it askes questions pertaining to the day, and the few before, so answers are subject to change.
According to hospitals, the most common reason that people don't give blood is that they were never asked. So I'm asking you now, go give blood! It will make a world of difference.
However, there are a few things that would prevent you from donating blood. First of all, you need to be at least 16 years of age, and weigh at least 110 pounds. If you are 16 your parents need to sign a consent form, but if you are 17 all you need is an ID (which applies to the 16 year old too).
When you go you will be asked to fill out a form with all of your information, and then one that asks a slew of medical and sexual questions that they will use to determine if you are a worthy candidate. They range from weather or not you have taken aspirin or other pain relievers in the past 72 hours, to a cleverly side-stepped question as to weather or not you have ever been a prostitute.
Shortly after you have finished with your form you will be called into a room where someone will go over your form with you and ask any questions they may have about your answers. For example, on of the questions was to whether or not you have had a piercing in the last 12 months. I answered 'yes' and she asked where it was (second hole my right ear), when I had gotten it (about 12 months ago) and if it had been done with a gun (yes) so I was all set.
Once you have passed that with flying colors, you will be tested for anemia. They prick your finger (which, to my surprise, didn't hurt at all), put the blood on a little disk, insert it into a machine, and voila! Now you know. If you want to prevent anemia at the time of blood donation, eat a lot of iron rich foods in the days preceding your blood donation. Like hamburgers and dark greens. You can be anemic one time, and then not the next.
Finally, they check your blood pressure. Mine was really low, which apparently is good for life, but not for blood donation. But no worries! You will not be turned away for this. At Children's Hospital Boston, my donation site of choice, they have a little snack are where you can sit for ten minutes with a salty snack and a drink. When I went, the only salty snack they had were Cheese-It's, so if you're a vegan, bring a bag of chips or other vegan-friendly snack.
After about ten minutes, they check your blood pressure again, and most likely you will be all set to go! You sit in a big cross between a chair and examining table. It's like a blood test, but more intense. They give you a stress ball to squeeze to pump the blood, and put a blood pressure cuff on your upper arm for the same reason. Then, they wipe the area with alcohol, only for way longer and firmer than a blood test. Finally comes the needle. It's a bit bigger than the one used for a blood test, but don't be put off by that. It doesn't really hurt more. Maybe a tiny bit, but not much.
So now you are ready to give blood! Just make sure you are well hydrated (it makes your veins plumper, and prevents fainting) and have eaten. (gives you a higher blood pressure, and also prevents fainting).
Call Children's Hospital at 617-355-6677, or your local hospital to make an appointment. At Children's an appointment is not required, you can go anywhere from 9am-7pm Monday-Thursday or 9am-4pm on Friday, although an appointment guarantees your desired time. You can also donate at many blood drives that may be closer to you, however what I like about Children's is that once your information is entered into the system, it's there. You dont' have to fill out a form every time. You do have to re-fill out the medical form because it askes questions pertaining to the day, and the few before, so answers are subject to change.
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