14er Climber = Blood Donor?

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Old Goat
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14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by Old Goat »

Besides the ones of you who banged knees and elbows and left a red trail for a while, are there some regular blood donors in this 14ers group?
"Yes." or "Why not?"
From my most recent trip the the University Blood Center (Cincinnati), I was reminded that we are prime candidates to help out at a higher level than the general public.
The tech checking me in took my pulse and blood pressure and asked "You are awake aren't you?" pulse 53, BP 111 over 73 "Yes, very awake. In fact, I'm really nervous about you finding a good vein."
"Well, your red count is off the charts again, so we'd like you to do another "double-red" today."
I don't have an expertise in phlebotomy. The odds are that a few of you know much more about this topic than I.
However, as I understand it, the advantage of them collecting double-red is that a person, more severely injured, needing more than one pint, can use your laboratory-expanded double-red as two pints. That patient will then have a much smaller (statistically) chance of rejection. I've been doing double-red and/or apheresis for 25 to 30 years. The apheresis part with them taking extra white cells for cancer recipients made sense. I wasn't so clear on the advantage of them doing double-red.
Well gang, the double-red takes 2-3 times longer to donate, but I see no reason why more climbers with massive red counts shouldn't offer to do double-red donations during their next visit.
Roll up your sleeves and get in line. :iluvu:
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somethingrandom
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by somethingrandom »

Old Goat wrote:Besides the ones of you who banged knees and elbows and left a red trail for a while, are there some regular blood donors in this 14ers group?
"Yes." or "Why not?"
From my most recent trip the the University Blood Center (Cincinnati), I was reminded that we are prime candidates to help out at a higher level than the general public.
The tech checking me in took my pulse and blood pressure and asked "You are awake aren't you?" pulse 53, BP 111 over 73 "Yes, very awake. In fact, I'm really nervous about you finding a good vein."
"Well, your red count is off the charts again, so we'd like you to do another "double-red" today."
I don't have an expertise in phlebotomy. The odds are that a few of you know much more about this topic than I.
However, as I understand it, the advantage of them collecting double-red is that a person, more severely injured, needing more than one pint, can use your laboratory-expanded double-red as two pints. That patient will then have a much smaller (statistically) chance of rejection. I've been doing double-red and/or apheresis for 25 to 30 years. The apheresis part with them taking extra white cells for cancer recipients made sense. I wasn't so clear on the advantage of them doing double-red.
Well gang, the double-red takes 2-3 times longer to donate, but I see no reason why more climbers with massive red counts shouldn't offer to do double-red donations during their next visit.
Roll up your sleeves and get in line. :iluvu:
My girlfriend and I are 14'ers hikers and avid blood donors and have been for years.

As for the statistics and facts of it, you got me... I am just happy to be a part of the 0.5% of people eligible who actually do it.
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centrifuge
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by centrifuge »

Old Goat wrote:Besides the ones of you who banged knees and elbows and left a red trail for a while, are there some regular blood donors in this 14ers group?
"Yes." or "Why not?"
From my most recent trip the the University Blood Center (Cincinnati), I was reminded that we are prime candidates to help out at a higher level than the general public.
The tech checking me in took my pulse and blood pressure and asked "You are awake aren't you?" pulse 53, BP 111 over 73 "Yes, very awake. In fact, I'm really nervous about you finding a good vein."
"Well, your red count is off the charts again, so we'd like you to do another "double-red" today."
I don't have an expertise in phlebotomy. The odds are that a few of you know much more about this topic than I.
However, as I understand it, the advantage of them collecting double-red is that a person, more severely injured, needing more than one pint, can use your laboratory-expanded double-red as two pints. That patient will then have a much smaller (statistically) chance of rejection. I've been doing double-red and/or apheresis for 25 to 30 years. The apheresis part with them taking extra white cells for cancer recipients made sense. I wasn't so clear on the advantage of them doing double-red.
Well gang, the double-red takes 2-3 times longer to donate, but I see no reason why more climbers with massive red counts shouldn't offer to do double-red donations during their next visit.
Roll up your sleeves and get in line. :iluvu:
if it wasn't for my tattoo habit that excludes me from donating I would in a heartbeat!
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by Old Goat »

Good point, cf.
Tattoos are now a significant issue contributing to the decline in eligible donors.
I had told my children that when I retired, I was going to get a ring of tattoos around my ankle (Senior Olympics medal, IronMan, sailing around Cape Horn, etc.). Because that would keep me from donating blood for some time, I have decided to construct an ankle bracelet out of leather and just have the images etched on that rather than my skin.
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by tmathews »

I haven't donated blood in a long time, but I'm an organ donor. Hopefully, SAR will be able to recover my body in enough time for my organs to be viable....
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bigtrout
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by bigtrout »

I try to donate every eight weeks. Been donating for years. Bonfils has lots of cool stuff for donors - I have caps, scarves, water bottles, windshield scrapers, more t-shirts than I can wear (I'm still waiting for a non-cotton shirt I can wear running and climbing), and other stuff. You shouldn't donate to get cool stuff; donate because it helps people who need blood. So, skip the tattoos and piercings, and donate some blood. It's a simple thing to do for those who need it.
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lizzard
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by lizzard »

After having an emergency transfusion of 3 units this past weekend, I have to say please, PLEASE if you are even remotely able to donate.... DO SO!! You never know when you'll be saving someone's life.

Climb on, donors! :wink:
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by tmathews »

lizzard wrote:After having an emergency transfusion of 3 units this past weekend, I have to say please, PLEASE if you are even remotely able to donate.... DO SO!! You never know when you'll be saving someone's life.

Climb on, donors! :wink:
I'm going to donate more from now on. Back in 1983, my mother gave me a blood transfusion. It was the one thing that she gave me without prejudice. I was hit by a car, thrown 63 feet while landing on my head, and was in a coma for eleven days. Because 1983 was right around the time that AIDS came into the spotlight, she only wanted blood to be transfused from her. I want to be able to offer a source of blood/plasma to others. It will honor her memory.
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by mattpayne11 »

tmathews wrote:
lizzard wrote:After having an emergency transfusion of 3 units this past weekend, I have to say please, PLEASE if you are even remotely able to donate.... DO SO!! You never know when you'll be saving someone's life.

Climb on, donors! :wink:
I'm going to donate more from now on. Back in 1983, my mother gave me a blood transfusion. It was the one thing that she gave me without prejudice. I was hit by a car, thrown 63 feet while landing on my head, and was in a coma for eleven days. Because 1983 was right around the time that AIDS came into the spotlight, she only wanted blood to be transfused from her. I want to be able to offer a source of blood/plasma to others. It will honor her memory.
That's a cool story Terry, I never heard you tell it before.
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by tmathews »

mattpayne11 wrote:That's a cool story Terry, I never heard you tell it before.
I don't talk about it a lot....
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by denvermikey »

Fellow 14er who donates. I used to just do it on a rare occasion. Maybe at the Broncos blood drive, or if one of the mobile vehicles came to my work. Last year after attending the 9Health Fair, my blood test came back with a huge spike in my iron levels. Went to my doctor who took more extensive tests, still came back abnormal. Determined that I most likely have hemochromatosis. It is a genetic disorder that makes my body absorb way too much iron from my everyday diet. Most of the time it does not manifest until almost 40 so that's why it was previously undetected. Very fortunate that it was found early. If left untreated, the iron levels become toxic and can seriously damage internal organs including but not limited to the heart and liver. Doc told me that there was good and bad news. Bad news - there is no known cure, good news - treatment is quite simple, I am now a lifetime blood donor :D . Donating every 60 days keeps my iron levels in check. Now that I am a regular, I just wish it had not taken this discovery to get me on the bandwagon :oops: . I just don't know what I'll do when I visit the countries on the 1 year no-donor list, like Costa Rica. Guess we'll cross that bridge later.
I think almost everyone knows someone (if not themselves) who has needed blood. It's a simple 90 minute process that is very helpful.
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Re: 14er Climber = Blood Donor?

Post by waller19 »

centrifuge wrote: if it wasn't for my tattoo habit that excludes me from donating I would in a heartbeat!
Actually, I'm a blood donor and I have to keep waiting the designated periods after getting my tattoos (usually 12mo).. however, When The American Red Cross (AMC) called me asking me to donate again and I told them "I'd love to BUT I just got a new tattoo last month" they transferred my call to an eligibility specialist. As it turns out, if you get a tattoo in certain states you do NOT have ANY deferment time after a tattoo. Colorado is a state that regulates it's tattoo shops very well (biohazard certifications, mandated single-use ink & needles, etc) and there is NO deferment time after tattoos done in CO. Call the ARC to double check.

They said they just say the "12 month deferment" because there are actually states that dont regulate shops and that still re-use ink & needles. Just call and double check but CO is a no deferment for tattoos. Sooo, get to bleedin. \:D/
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