Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

To want blood for Christmas?

109 replies

lochnessmumster · 23/12/2010 19:16

This is my second AIBU of the night so maybe I am but...
My wee one was born with rhesus disease and needed a transfusion in utero then a further 2 transfusions once she was born.
To cut a long story short, if other people hadn't given blood, my baby girl wouldn't have survived.
I can't give blood myself now because of the antibodies left from the whole rhesus thing so i asked only the really close relatives not to buy me a prezzie this year but to give blood instead.
So far no one has done it, not even her Dad, and i don't think they will.
Am I asking too much?

OP posts:

BalloonSlayer · 24/12/2010 07:52

OP haven't read the whole thread, sorry, but can appreciate your feelings.

I am not sure I can give blood at the moment, still BF a 3 year old*, but I promise I shall find out whether I can and re-start as soon as possible.

So consider that your thread has made one person at least - me! - get their finger out and donate.

I used to go years ago because they came to where I worked, it's not so easy when you have to find out for yourself where and when you need to go. Maybe that's what stopping your family.

Actually I think the BF bit stops you being able to be a bone marrow donor not giving blood - will check

mamadiva · 24/12/2010 08:03

YANBU well maybe a tiny bitU.

I have given blood twice now (I am 24) and it was no where near as bad as I always thought i would be so I now go as much as I can. Last time I went though I took DS (4) with me and it scared the crap out of him because he thought they were going to put the needle in his arm! So I'm off to give again in January without himas DP won't even entertain the idea of giving blood as he does'nt have time... yet I can go on a Sunday and he does'nt work weekends

I have been telling everyone and anyone they should give blood and it's not that bad but few people listen! It all changed for me when I had DS, I would hope to recieve bloodorgans if neded for him so I signed myself up for both as soon as I could!

But in the end it is all down to choice and a lot of people will not give it the time of daya nd a lot of people are told no for barious reasons, my best friend was told no because his face was 'too pussey' due to his acne, next time he covered up a bit with make up and denied all knowledge of being gay LOL.

MsKLo · 24/12/2010 08:29

You have inspired me to do so
Are you on Facebook etc? Maybe you could set up a page about giving blood and why it is important?

Can I give blood whilst bf?

Get campaigning other ways x

Good luck

MsKLo · 24/12/2010 08:31

Balloonslayer let me know if I can whilst bf x

Slobbadan · 24/12/2010 08:33

If you are Rhesus neg and need the anti d during pregnancy dose it mean you can never give blood? Dont no if has already been asked as just skimmed.

girlscout · 24/12/2010 08:34

I can no longer give blood because its tainted,but my 17 year old dd is looking to give her first donation,your story is just another incentive. best wishes for christmas x

washingonawednesday · 24/12/2010 08:45

People should give blood and I believe it should be opt out rather than opt in to do it. When my grandmother was dying of cancer she said she felt like a vampire, because everytime she recieved blood she felt that much better.

I am pregnant now and if my baby ( and yours i suspect....) needed blood I would be frantic if none were availiable - so would you! If you would recieve it for you or a family member - you should give it!!!!!!

Sorry but I feel very strongly about this. My husband hates to give blood, finds it tedious and annoying, but he does it because he knows it is important to me.

I don't care if its hard to make an appt, in an inconvenient place, you 'don't like' needles (don't look!) or can't be bothered - just do it!!!!

Thank you - rant over (the usual caveats apply if you are I'll, pregnant, underweight, anemic, etc. To avoid a flaming!)

CuppaTeaJanice · 24/12/2010 11:16

What is the difference between male and female platelets?

Carikube · 24/12/2010 11:22

YANBU. I used to give blood (I'm AB neg so used to get begging letters telling me how rare I am and how they need me ) but after needing a transfusion after DD2 was born I am no longer able to donate. I know that blood saved my life and I'm proud that I was able to help other people in years gone by and the minute they change the rules about donating after blood transfusions (always a possibility some time in the future) I will be heading back to give some more...

WillbeanChariot · 24/12/2010 11:33

MsKLo Breastfeeding does not prevent you from donating AFAIK.

WhatsWrongWithYou · 24/12/2010 11:34

Thank you for this thread - just booked an appointment for the NY.

Undutchable · 24/12/2010 11:39

I can never give blood. They won't accept here as I've lived in the UK and they won't accept it in the UK as I've lived abroad for more than six months! Was ate disappointed about that. My blood's good, honest!

HaveToWearHeels · 24/12/2010 11:47

Excellant thread OP, UANBU. I am on my 36 pint and have been giving since I was 18, and actually when I can't give (when pregnant) I felt extremely guilty. There is no excuse not to. You don't have to see the needle if you don't want to (just don't look) you only feel a slight scratch and thats it really.
Come on getting booking those appointments for the New Year.

BubbleBobble · 24/12/2010 12:31

I'm no longer able to donate either, which I'm really sad about. I had to have a few transfusions after having my DS. I'm A rh- as well, which just compounds the guilt!

expatinscotland · 24/12/2010 13:12

The ones who usually squawk the loudest about how everyone should give blood are never the ones who actually donate themselves. They always have a reason why they can't, but it's for everyone else to do.

'I don't care if its hard to make an appt, in an inconvenient place, you 'don't like' needles (don't look!) or can't be bothered - just do it!!!!'

You may not care, but others do. If you can't get childcare you can't exactly lay there and give it and let your children to their own devices.

glastocat · 24/12/2010 13:27

They won't take my blood here in Ireland as I used to live in the UK. That must rule out most of the population.

SocialButterfly · 24/12/2010 13:32

Both my babies had rhesus disease and had to have blood transfusions before they were born and after. Giving blood is very worthwhile and does literally save lives. Both my parents give blood but my DH doesnt even though it saved both his girls lives. He doesn't like needles so YANBU to want people to but you cant make them ime.

wintersnuffle · 24/12/2010 13:44

I was told before I had anti d that it doesn't effect whether you can give blood in future. Currently 37 weeks pregnant but if all goes well (and I don't end up having any transfusions or anything) I will be giving as soon as I can.

midori1999 · 24/12/2010 13:52

I have only managed to give blood once in the past due to a phobia of needles, but now I am over that so would happily give blood once not pregnant, although will need to check if I can still donate as I have a blood disorder.

My daughter had four blood transfusions in her short life (9 days) when in NICU. We asked then about donating blood, particularly as babies need 'newer' blood than adults can have, although they do try and only give them blood from one donor. We asked at the NICU and they didn't know anything about where to donate blood in the hospital or anything.

Thankyou for posting this thread, I will remind my DH to see about giving blood. (He does usually donate quite regularly)

MumInBeds · 24/12/2010 14:09

YANBU to be upset that people who have said they will give haven't although if they've not said they will then it is a bit different.

I give as often as I can although 5 pregnancies, heavy cycles and surgery have caused various interruptions. I think I have managed 14 donations since I was 18 years old which isn't great but hopefully I will be 4 monthly from now on.

During my first surrogate pregnancy the mum did offer to give blood 'on my behalf' over the pregnancy and postnatal but for reasons I'm not sure of she didn't get around to it - I found that disappointing too.

Bless his heart my dad is a platelet donor and was down there donating on Wednesday in festive red and beard as you-know-who to do some local (and pos national) publicity.

I wanted to give platelets too but they aren't accepting women at the moment, I'm not too clear why but it is something to do with female hormones causing problems to some recipients.

lazylula · 24/12/2010 14:16

I made the decision a few months ago to give blood once I have had this little one. I was under the impression I couldn't due to a minor liver condition but I will definitely find out for certain after May. That sadi, I think your idea is lovely but I do think it is a very personal decision xxx

PrettyCandlesAndTinselToo · 24/12/2010 14:29

My dad cannot donate because he had malaria about 50y ago. So on the occasions that he has had to have pre-planned surgery he stockpiled his own blood by giving donations that were stored but not put into the general blood supplies. Then, if he needed blood during or after surgery, he was given his own blood.

As he said, "I may not be able to donate, but I can free up the available blood."

I used to donate before having children. I would just go to a drop-in centre during my lunchbreak. But it's true that it is much harder to donate with young children. Next year my youngest starts school, and I will start donating regularly again.

expatinscotland · 24/12/2010 14:51

They turn down people because they are gay?

WTF.

Straight people get HIV, too.

CuppaTeaJanice · 24/12/2010 15:12

expat they turn you down for a number of vaugue links to gay male sexual activity, if their acceptance form is anything to go by. Eg. if you've had sex with a man who has given another man oral sex once with a condom.

Please could someone explain why they won't accept donors who have received transfusions in the last few years. I understand if it was pre-1980s, when the blood wasn't tested as vigorously, but surely the blood received, say, three years ago would have undergone the same tests that are performed today, so would be 'as safe' as blood from someone who has never had a transfusion?

racmac · 24/12/2010 15:48

I an quite a rare blood group and have often thought about giving blood but they have always struggled to get blood from me - it really hurts when they have stabbed me 4 or 5 times and then they draw half a vial of blood

Flip

1 2 3 4 5