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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Blood donation

355 replies

ImperialPleather · 13/06/2019 19:58

I’m so fed up of being told to donate blood? It’s happened 3 times in the past week I’ve been shamed for not giving blood.

I have no good reason to not give it other than I don’t want to but given I have bodily autonamy AIBU to think it’s no ones damn business?

It’s amazing some people give so well done to those who do!

OP posts:
Xmas2020 · 15/06/2019 16:56

Well i hope you or someone you love never need a blood transfusion, you never know what life throws at you. We have a huge shortage, we all should do our bit to help instead of being so dramatic and refusing.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/06/2019 17:21

What's the point in posters berating somebody for not donating? Not being on the donor register? Asking the same stupid question of 'Would you receive it?'? It's just heckling for the sake of it.

People who would/want to give blood, donate organs, etc. make plans to do it and carry those out, without fanfare or needing to discuss that with randoms.

The thread is goady in that it always invites a pile on of over-invested, emotional posters who use it as an excuse to post an attack. It's nothing to do with us/you or anybody else why people don't donate and 'shouting' at them won't change their stance no matter how influential or persuasive you think you are. Not with an OP like that one.

I think some posters live for goady on this board.

PCohle · 15/06/2019 17:28

When you say "over-invested, emotional posters", do you mean the great many posters who would be dead if they hadn't received blood transfusions? Or the posters who would have lost a child or a parent or a friend without the generosity of blood donors?

If anyone was goady it was the OP. It's not goady to call selfish behaviour selfish.

bumblenbean · 15/06/2019 17:28

I had a transfusion after my son was born and really wanted to donate myself in order to give back - was really disappointed to learn I can’t now I’ve had a transfusion.

I know I’m being really dense but I don’t really understand the cjd thing - surely all donated blood is tested so not only should the blood you’ve received have been tested, but the blood you then donate yourself should be too? And even if people were asymptomatic wouldn’t it still be in your blood? I feel really dense but want to understand the reasoning.

RamblingFar · 15/06/2019 17:31

I don't believe CJD is screenable? There's lots we still can't look for.

ChequersDog · 15/06/2019 17:31

So many people can’t donate and so many reasons are things people would like to keep private, that it’s rude to challenge anyone for not donating.

I do think if people are able to donate it’s a bit pathetic not to though. If my 2 year-old can have a GA and op without excessive whinging, you can put up with a needle and a biscuit.

ChequersDog · 15/06/2019 17:32

CJD can only be tested post-mortem, it involves looking at the brain.

Malyshek · 15/06/2019 17:33

How does anyone know whether or not you've donated anyhow ? Isn't that medical information, ergo, private ? Just don't tell people about whether or not you donate. Problem solved.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/06/2019 17:35

No, PCohle, I wasn't referencing those and to be frank, I would have thought that was obvious. The posters I'm talking of are the ones making ranty posts telling the OP (who obviously doesn't care about this) what a selfish person he/she is.

I agree that this is a goady thread. It crops up now and again. Same as the 'removing pubic hair' thread. Goady. On purpose, to get attention. There's no point giving the OP oxygen but we do. That's where I mean that people live for 'goady'. They absolutely do. Why pretend otherwise?

We're all posting on a thread to Bollocksville and obviously loving every minute of it. I feel very sorry for the posters who've shared personal stories because they won't have made a whit of difference to the OP. I hope at least it was cathartic for them.

MaybeitsMaybelline · 15/06/2019 17:37

At ours you get walkers crisps, Bugger the crap biscuits.
If it’s local to you, and you have no reason to do it, why wouldn’t you.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/06/2019 17:41

I've never eaten any of the snacks or drank any of the horrid squash/tea, just shot off like a rocket as soon as I could.

I did though love, love, love those new recliner chairs. Fabulous. Much better than the 'wallpaper tables' that were de rigeur until quite recently. :)

sueelleker · 15/06/2019 17:44

I did though love, love, love those new recliner chairs. Fabulous. Much better than the 'wallpaper tables' that were de rigeur until quite recently.
I agree, and it's cut back on the number of beds; now you just stay in one place.

iolaus · 15/06/2019 17:48

Only time I felt slightly guilty at not donating was when I was at the awards dinner - because the vast majority of people in the room (obviously the ones getting the awards had) donated - I think I was the only one at our table who didn't - and I'm not allowed to donate as had a transfusion myself - otherwise I would. (Husband was getting his 50 donation award - just hit his 75th)

Oldraver · 15/06/2019 17:50

CJD can only be tested post-mortem, it involves looking at the brain.

I had my tonsils tested...though I doubt it would be reeled out as a standard test

PCohle · 15/06/2019 18:24

I wasn't referencing those and to be frank, I would have thought that was obvious

Really? I think it's pretty disingenuous to refer to "emotional" posters on a thread about blood donation and expect not it come across as a dig at people who have every reason to find the subject emotional.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/06/2019 18:33

Well I've cleared that up in my previous post, PCohle so that shouldn't be an issue. It was in no way a dig at those posters. It is a raised eyebrow (at most) at the ranty posters who just want to attack.

It is nobody's business why they do or do not donate.

I couldn't agree with you more that it's a goady thread though. Another example would be the 'I'm having an affair and I don't care what anybody thinks' threads that pop up from time to time on the Relationships board. Everybody piles on to shout and rend their chests... at an OP who is laughing up their sleeve or getting off on the anguish. That's what this one is doing too. Somebody who genuinely just doesn't want to donate doesn't feel the need to tell everybody about it. This thread was designed to inflame and hurt. It's not covert either so anybody who carries on pandering to the twat is doing so accepting that.

I posted on the thread originally to ask about donating with MS; I can't. I went on the MS Trust website to check and it's true. There seem to be quite a few posters in the same boat so for me, this thread is just an information thread and the OP is superfluous and irrelevant to it.

bumblenbean · 15/06/2019 18:35

Thanks chequers and rambling it does make sense now I know that!

Petrolmuppet · 15/06/2019 18:41

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

PCohle · 15/06/2019 18:41

Well it's fairly relevant when you're criticising other people for being goady...

If your concern is genuinely that this is a goady thread then it seems odd that your telling off wasn't aimed at the OP but rather at posters who quite justifiably find the subject emotive.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/06/2019 18:43

What would be the point of 'telling off' the OP? None. I'm done explaining.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/06/2019 18:44

I have never given blood and never will as my needle phobia is so severe. I did ask about it once but was told not to even try as it would cause them too many problems if I fainted, as well as me needing someone else with me.

PCohle · 15/06/2019 18:51

What would be the point of 'telling off' the OP?

I don't know, about as much point as telling off "over-invested, emotional posters" for disagreeing with the OP?

IvyisGreen · 15/06/2019 18:53

The restrictions on who can donate have to be very stringent to prevent transmission of blood borne viruses (which has happened in the past). Some of these do not show antibodies in the blood for 3 months. That is why they have to be so strict with who can donate and when.

fairweathercyclist · 15/06/2019 18:56

Have to say that the platelets donation thing would scare me. Taking your blood out and putting it back in again. Like dialysis. I'd be too scared something would go wrong. Giving whole blood is fine, but there are limits for me. Not sure I would actually like to donate bone marrow either (I am on the register) as I understand it is horribly painful. I had assumed it was done under anaesthetic!

lhastingsmua · 15/06/2019 18:58

I have donated once. I would do it again but I literally can’t donate as my blood type (AB+) isn’t in demand at all understandably, so there are zero appointment slots available for me.

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