To expect balloons, cake, a standing ovation and cheering at the very least?

[ZombiesAteYourCervix]

I am off to give blood shortly. It will be my 25th.

Will there be a celebration waiting for me?

No, but do they still provide tea and biscuits?

That might be as good as it gets.

wow, I'm impressed, I've only just started giving, done it twice. I think you can justifiably help yourself to an extra biscuit!

They have excellent snacks normally. Tuc biscuits and custard cremes.

I'm expecting rather more though.

Well done! Go you!

We usually have piles of bags of crisps... I assume that's because the salt will help raise blood pressure a bit? It's the only time I ever have a packet of crisps so quite a major treat for me in a pathetic kind of way!

A bouquet of flowers would be nice too.

Do you think I'll need to make a speech?

You'll get a nice sticker in your little book though

what little book? I have no little book How do I get a little book and stickers?

They used to give little silver or gold pelican badges, at every significant donation (x number of total pints donated). Do they not do this any more?

I got a lapel badge for 10 pints. You must surely get something for 25??

Well done though, here's some flowers

If they don't ask you to give a speech why not just stand up and give one anyway? At least half the room won't have much choice about sitting (lying) there and listening :o

You will nibble foie gras to the sound of trumpets whilst being fanned by naked, oiled men with palm fronds.

I think you get a pin type badge, I got something - can't remember for sure. They haven't done the little book for years!

Psamm - That is sounding mighty fine and a fitting tribute to my fabulousness.

'm orff. I'm quite excited.

I will be gutted if they turn me down or if there is no celebration

YABU.

Because what I thought was birthday related drama is actually about giving blood

And I am needle phobic

And now upset

And I need a piece of cake to get over it

you are not invited to my birthday party

you get different colour cards now

and hope you all on the
bone marrow register as well
www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow/qa/index.asp#whatis

HUrrah! I am back. I got a neat little pin badge and a stifercat too.

I got rejected by the Bone Marrow people - too old and fat

and I got a nice cup of tea and one of those delicious nut/yogurt bar thingys.

Very nice, I'm actually looking forward to my next appointment, not until Nov 29th. We're a very generous lot in Surrey. The Naice man on the Blood donor helpline said it's always really hard to get appointments in my neck of the woods as everyone's always at it!

Giving blood that is.

Just thought I'd clear that up.

As you were.

Yes, (she bragged), I've been there. I got a bronze heart brooch for 10 donations, a silver brooch for 25 and a gold one for 50. There was also a presentation for about twenty people who'd reached a 50+ milestone and I was presented with a certificate, a photograph and a gold brooch. I thought that reaching 50 dinations was a target won so I was pleased that I'd done it. Others being presented though had done 75 or even more. The trouble is that these days, if you take tablets or have a 'condition' of some sort, your blood will not be taken.

In South Africa where I did it a couple of years ago and probably other countries, it doesn't matter what tablets you take. You can give blood because they are desperate for it.

Well done fantastic.

Do I get a badge for being diagnosed with a chronic condition I didn't know I had until I tried to donate blood. I'm now black listed!!

Congratulations!
They don't want mine.

It's rather demoralising when you try to donate and are refused. I found that after I aimed for 75 donations but was taking tablets. I didn't start to do it to get brooches (when I started, I didn't know that the brooches/badges existed. I did it to help my grandfather who was ill. Not that he got my blood but it was just a contribution.

I was at a hospital when my father was ill after cancer surgery and needed a transfusion urgently. I stepped forward immediately at his bedside with my donation card and it was declined because the blood 'had to be tested' so they had to use what was in their bank. (No it wasn't an EU rule).

I failed the copper sulphate test last time I went. Then they tried to take some blood to test further but couldn't get a single drop.