Blood ! (sorry long)

[Guest guest]

Lesley M wrote:

A couple of weeks ago, I was glad

I'd been

delaying as after waiting half an hour to be seen before giving blood I

was

reminded you can't give blood for a year after having any piercing.

I gave blood about 3 months ago and got a letter about 3 weeks ago saying

that I was being removed from the list as there'd been a problem with my

donation! This letter had in the first line of it " there is no need to

worry about your health " or something similar in bold lettering. I phoned

up the blood service and they just said a false positive had come up on the

first screening test that they do, ie for HIV, Hepatitis B etc.! I was

stunned! No possibility that I have of any of those conditions - it was the

Hepatitis B that showed up. Very sensitive screening test apparently, and

lots of people get sent this letter. Only problem is, can't donate for 6

months (to wait for the antibodies/problem to clear), will get a special

appointment for a sample of blood to be taken (around 7 or 8 months time!).

Told by the doctor that they may have even changed to a different brand of

screening test by then so that doesn't guarantee that something in my blood

doesn't trigger off the next brand! I know they need to be careful with

people's blood, but they do seem to be making it more and more difficult for

people to donate (all the paperwork at the beginning, queue 1 for lady at

computer to confirm details, queue 2 for finger pricking and queue 3 for

actual donation). What really annoyed me was that I'd actually got an

appointment (they are operating an appointment system now) and still had to

wait 20 minutes past the appointment time!

Sorry, this has turned into a rant. But to be honest, I've been donating

for over 10 years and I'm glad to be taking an enforced years' rest (due to

the piercing!). Maybe I'll feel a little differently in 6 months' time when

the appointment for sampling comes through...

Lesley M added:

Here's the challenge - will Lesley Moor get her ears pierced before

conference???? Tell you what, I'll get them done as soon as I get my

letter

from BPG saying I've qualified. Oh-Oh, done it publicly, can't chicken

out now

;-{

We'll be waiting to hear that you've received that letter. Pity that you

don't live closer, as I'm so close to opening my own home-based salon and

will be offering ear piercing... ; - )

Kim Pike

Area F Rep - Region 5, Trainee PNDL, Exp. Reg. and Librarian -

Wallingford/Didcot

SAHM to (24.05.1996) and (27.11.1997)

Holistic Therapist... and in my spare time DW to Colin (11.04.1963!)