I went and I donated blood today. A little time out of the schedule wasn't too bad. My good deed for today.

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Excellent! It is important that here is always a good supply. There is no way to know when they might all of a sudden need tanker trucks full of it. Hats off to you!

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I have a+ blood, a little more on call in our area. So it helps them out. They were gentile this time on me

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Look into the super donor programs. One line in, another out. They steal the most precious bits in between the two ports, then send 'em out to the folks most in need.

Got up to uber-mega-gallon status before the meds I had to take for my AS kicked me off the eligible donor list. Combination of changes to their list and my meds make me eligible again.... which means I get daily calls if I go 1 day past when I can give again without scheduling my next draining

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1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife

I'm at 10 gallons + 1 pint. They have the machine that removes, seperates, (whatever it is), returns, removes, etc. (one visit counts as two donations). I am O neg, and they wont use that machine on me, they want the whole pound. (pint!). My 1st was in basic training (USAF) in the '60's, we got a day off for our donation, piece o' cake. -corne-

I had thought for years I was unable to donate within the general population (one of those obscure things in the guidelines), but when I made a directed donation for my mom they ran me through the third degree and it turned out I could donate. I've been donating fairly regularly ever since, but my doctor has advised me to reduce the frequency because it's caused quite a bit of scarring on my arms, which he says could lead to problems as I get older (possible reduction in blood flow, difficulty in health professionals starting an IV in preferred veins, etc.). I tried the double-red route, but had some ill effects afterward, so I'm back to the whole blood donation.

So while I still donate, the frequency has dropped. The coolest thing about it is that when you give whole blood, most of the time that ends up helping several people, as they spin the blood out to its components and give the components where they are needed.

Wish I could, but I was in the UK during the beef scare, as well as having had Lyme Disease. The latter doesn't actually disqualify, but I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable since it supposedly stays in your system even after treatment.

Good for you, J! It feels good to help out.

BTW-keep an eye on your mailbox.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

My son donates several times a year. He does this on his own. He is a good kid.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

One of "All In The Family" greatest episodes: Archie Gives Blood.

All In The Family - Archie Gives Blood. 2-2 - YouTube

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

The way I have that sucker concreted in, it ain't goin anywhere

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

A hearty "good on ya" to everyone who donates whole blood or blood products.

I did the apheresis process ("in which the blood of a donor or patient is passed through an apparatus that separates out one particular constituent and returns the remainder to the circulation") to donate platelets at my local Red Cross regularly for more than 15 years. Went every two weeks for a long while and made more than 200 donations to date. Don't know what that equates to in gallons because some were doubles and some weren't. 200 single pint donations would equate to 25 gallons.

I haven't done it for a few years because I was experienceing extreme cramping in my donor arm and, believe it or not, I've seemed to become more sensitive to the pain of the needle sticks. (You would think the area would become de-sensitized.) But I'm feeling guilty lately. I should go back.

When compared to whole blood donations, the positives (no pun intended) are 1) that you feel absolutely none of the weakness you typically feel following a whole blood transfusion and 2) you are helping many people (like cancer patients) that need platelet transfusions to stay alive.

The negatives are 1) they use two needles (double ouch!) and 2) it takes about two hours.

They usually insert one needle in the normal whole blood donation point (inside of one elbow) and completely immobilize that arm. They have options where to insert the return needle. The simplest is the inside of the other elbow, but that means your other arm is also immobilized. Don't know why, but that always made my nose itch. So they can insert the return needle into a vein in your other wrist, on the back of your hand, or (I believe) even in one of your legs. I almost always had it in the wrist. They can wrap it up with Coban and you can move that arm enough to read, etc.

They can utilize any blood type. I am an AB negative which is the rarest blood type (1 out of 200 people) and they still called me regularly to donate.

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Behind every great man is a great woman. Behind every great woman is a great behind.

I meant for a package delivery, but that's good to know!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I know, but I couldn't resist pullin yer leg a little

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed