Donating Blood Kilted

**Riverkilt** · 25th August 07, 04:44 PM

Aye, the questions sure have changed over the years. Noticed today that all the questions they used to ask about Africa have been dropped and now the questions are about South America...go figure.

You might wanna recheck with the current list of everchanging questions.

And, forgot to mention that the lady across from me seemed to keep trying to peek up my kilt...weird, must be what women feel like when we try to look ourselves. Nothing for her to see. Decorum for the position required to donate seemed to indicate that boxers would be most appropriate.

Ron

**Hamish** · 25th August 07, 05:59 PM

73 pints?! Wow! That IS good, Ron, and I congratulate you. I only made it to 42 pints before my cancer medication put a premature stop to my giving any more - would not have made the 50th anyway because of my age. We have to stop at 70 here in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, I missed donating for nigh on 20 years when I moved out of London to a really rural area where there were no facilities for me to continue. It was not until we moved down here to Sussex that I was able to resume for a few years. Latterly, I was always kilted, of course, but the nurses always insisted on covering my legs with a 'modesty cloth' whilst I was prone!!!

(PS: It never occurred to me to take a camera to the sessions!)

**Riverkilt** · 25th August 07, 06:36 PM

Five gallons plus is nothing to sneeze at Ham. I had a long break too, between organizing college blood drives and a friend's sudden need for blood somewhere in my 40s. After that there were annual breaks when I got tattoos, and after being bitten in a tussle on the psych ward.

When I learned that it was a fast way to lose a pound and skim off cholesteral at the same time I was sold. Then they told me it helps our bodies "learn" to recover faster in times of injury or surgery. A pretty sweet deal. Over here they often give goodies out for regular donations...a coffee mug, a t-shirt, etc.

Knowing my grandmother was able to donate ten gallons gave me a goal.

I've been on television donating when the news folks came around to punch up holiday donations, and been on the front page of our local paper donating for the same reason...just happened to be the only one willing to be photographed at the time the reporter was there. Today, was taking pics at the health fair and thought why not. One more thing to do kilted.

Must have inspired the lady at the booth next to our agency's booth. She donated for her first time today. That is so cool when that happens.

Ron

**kiltedsawyer** · 26th August 07, 07:07 AM

Giving blood is also a great way to combat a condition whose name I cannot remember, (Hypo or Hyper something,)(hopefully someone on this board will,) in which there is an excess build up of iron in the blood. Persons of northern European dissent, (Scottish in particular,) seem to be prone to this condition which has several effects, lethargy, depression, and several others that I'm sorry I can't recall. It is thought that additional iron in the blood was a good thing hundreds of years ago, when wood was the only heat source, as those with high iron levels in their blood were less likely to freeze to death. (I read all this on the internet a couple of years ago and I'm getting older so my memory is failing.)(Maybe another effect.) Anyway the only treatment for the condition is the age old remedy known as bleeding or bloodletting. So giving blood is not just good for those who receive it! If anyone else knows what I'm talking about, please chime in, it's going to drive me crazy if I can't think of it. Oh, I just passed the three gallon mark.
Respectfully,
David

**kiltedsawyer** · 26th August 07, 07:26 AM

Okay, it just came to me in the shower,(funny how that seems to happen,) it's hemochromatosis, (or some variation of that spelling,) sorry I don't have time to post a link, I'm late for church. Search the web for it, I'm sure you'll find it.
Again, Respectfully,
David

**Frank McGrath** · 26th August 07, 08:18 AM

I give blood as often as I can, just for the coolies in the canteen. Our church is now working with the American Red Cross and we have a regular blood drive. I assist in the canteen, just to be of help. I tell people that if they can't give blood for some reason, just sign up to help. You are still performing a service to those who can give. I have no idea how many pints I have given. I just think it is a resposibility as a citizen of the world. To those who give, Thanks. To those who can no longer give. Thanks. To those who don't. GIVE! My high blood pressure flares up at times and they won't let me give. So I fold the ever present T Shirts for the donors. We must do what we can. And the last time I gave, I gave kilted. And got the modesty sheet, too.

**acstoon** · 26th August 07, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Frank McGrath

I just think it is a resposibility as a citizen of the world. To those who give, Thanks. To those who can no longer give. Thanks. To those who don't. GIVE!

Amen to that, brother!
When you donate blood (or assist at the donor site)...

You will just feel good about yourself. Period.

Do it.

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 26th August 07, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by kiltedsawyer

Giving blood is also a great way to combat a condition whose name I cannot remember, (Hypo or Hyper something,)...
David

Originally Posted by kiltedsawyer

Okay, it just came to me in the shower,(funny how that seems to happen,) it's hemochromatosis, (or some variation of that spelling,) sorry I don't have time to post a link, I'm late for church. Search the web for it, I'm sure you'll find it.
Again, Respectfully,
David

Also, polycythemia vera (a very rare condition where there is overproduction of red blood cells) is improved by regular blood letting. It cracks me up though, that two such rare conditions are the basis for a reliance on bleeding as a therapy for nearly everything for a very long period of time.

This thread has reminded me that I have not given blood in about 10 years and I really need to get back into the habit. I used to give every 2 months like clockwork. Think I'll go look up the nearest center I can donate at regularly.

Be well,

**Riverkilt** · 26th August 07, 09:42 AM

Weird. I've seen modesty sheets used for ladies in skirts at blood donation centers, but never been offered one when kilted....I must somehow project my probable response to such an offer...

You guys reminded me too, I'm routine O+ blood type, which they like, but I also have some sort of type of blood that lacks something that I can't recall the name of, but bottom line it makes my blood the kind they wanna use on premature babies and for folks who've had so many transfusions they develop some sort of resistance to blood that has the things I don't.

Every now and then when I donate they tag my blood with bright yellow rare donor tags or something like that. Guess its when they need some of that stuff.

Ron

**BruceK** · 26th August 07, 12:35 PM

I've been donating Double Red for the past couple of years. Takes longer each time but I can only go four times a year. The last time I went I wore a kilt and struck up a conversation with a lady also waiting to donate. Got the name and phone number of a piper that gives lessons.

Serendipity!