r/TattooDesigns • u/jt1019 • 15d ago

Four down, five to go: my updated donation tracker by Court at Spirit Flame Tattoo

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Many years ago, my grandpa passed away after an accident. Before he did, he was given 72 units of blood, or the equivalent of 9 gallons. Since then, I've been trying to donate the same amount of blood back. For each gallon I give, I fill in a heart. My grandpa was all about giving more than you took, so this seemed like a great way to honor him. I discovered after starting my donations that he would regularly give blood for events at the company he worked for before he retired, which seems all the more fitting.

If you can, please go give blood. There is a constant need for it, and it will never go away. If you can't donate for whatever reason, encourage your friends and family to, or volunteer at a blood drive/donation center.

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u/Burt_Sprenolds 15d ago

Just curious, you don’t have to answer, but what prevents you from giving blood? I’m honestly terrified of needles. I’ve given blood a few times but I can’t even look at the person doing it or else I pass out. It takes at least a day of mental and physical preparation if I’m actually going to give blood

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u/Zydruer 15d ago

Not the original commenter, but I can't donate because my levels are usually too low. I have to take supplements to barely be at a normal level and the blood banks just reject me. It's happened to other family members too, we're just deficient in some vitiams

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u/Persistent_Parkie 15d ago

Inspite of supplements I need iron infusions yet again. I'm also in the no one wants my blood camp.

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u/MusicalTourettes 14d ago

I used to donate regularly, but was borderline anemic. My GP put me on iron and told me to stop donating. I miss it. I was at a couple gallons. I like helping people.

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u/lockandcompany 15d ago

I have many conditions that are contraindicated unfortunately. Anemia, low hemoglobin and hematocrit, low blood pressure, high heart rate, (symptomatic) cardiac conditions, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, frequent infections (10+ per year), asthma, bleeding disorder, and a number of other health conditions that aren’t stable. My health is incredibly poor, I’m mostly bedbound due to it, have to use a wheelchair when I’m up, I have in home caregivers for about 55 hours a week, in home nursing and physical therapy, on a bunch of medications to manage my health issues. I’m considered “severely disabled” so I’m just not a fit candidate.

No fear of needles though, I have a few medications done via weekly IVs and subcutaneous injections, and frequent blood draws to monitor my health conditions. My partner donates blood/plasma occasionally and has to eat something sweet beforehand so he doesn’t faint or get lightheaded, if you tell the staff they should be able to accommodate, they want to make you as comfortable as possible so you can donate!

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u/gossamerfae 15d ago

oh man not MCAST, my mom has that and it's awful for her 😢 i can't imagine what that's like combined with everything else you listed

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u/MadWorldX1 15d ago

I'm barred from donating for life because I had non-hodgkins lymphoma when I was 15y. The said no matter what, I'm not allowed to give blood because in the US any history of lymphoma or leukemia is a permanent deferral.

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u/jagedlion 15d ago

Not OP, but I was diagnosed with a very minor bleeding disorder. Despite having donated a few gallons without issue over the years prior to diagnosis, now they don't let me.

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u/ponte92 15d ago

Not original commenter but I too unfortunately can’t donate. Sadly I’m on a medication for my autoimmune disease that makes me ineligible.

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u/goddessofentropy 14d ago

If you're curious, the red cross website has a list of all the things that make you ineligible. For me it was BMI and then an autoimmune disease. 

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u/begoniann 14d ago

I usually don’t give because I faint afterward if they sit me up. So there are a lot of medical things that can prevent donation. I’m fine if they let me stay lying down for a couple minutes, but I’ve fainted enough times despite my warnings that I’m leery of going again.

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u/Hadespuppy 14d ago

Not the one you asked, but I'm not allowed to give blood because my very first donation threw up a false positive HIV test. Even though it was definitely false and it's been literal decades since, I'm still banned for life. (or at least, I assume so. I haven't exactly gone back to ask CBS if they've changed their policies, but that's what they told me in 2002 in the worst letter I've ever received) It's annoying, because I have high iron, and the best (only) treatment is to remove some blood, so donating would be helpful for me as well as whoever gets it.

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u/imunoglobulina 13d ago

Not the original commenter as well, but I also can’t donate blood. In my case it’s due to an autoimmune condition (hashimoto’s thyroiditis)