codyg1985’s Think Tank

Yesterday I went to a American Red Cross blood drive. As a member of Tau Beta Pi, I was to either donate blood or sit in front and have people sign in to donate blood. I found out yesterday the real reason why there is a blood shortage and why the American Red Cross is always in need of blood: they are too freaking picky!

I was going to go in and donate my blood. Sounds simple. Well, there is this folder that you read when you go in that tells everything about donating blood, including the many reasons why the American Red Cross will not let you donate blood. If you have set foot inside Africa, then you may as well leave. If you have had pituitary gland problems and you have to take medicine for that, then you get the boot as well. Underweight, then you could be anemic and, well, yeah, you suffer the same fate. Any sexual contact raises a yellow flag, and if that sexual contact happens to be anything outof the ordinary, and by that I mean oral, anal, or with anyone that resides in a country other than the United States or Canada, then that raises the infamous red flag.

Well, back to my story. After you read the blue folder, a Red Cross nurse will get you and sit you down at a station where she will measure your pulse, temperature and blood pressure. She will then take a sample of your blood and test it for the right iron content. Afterwards, you fill out a questionnaire that goes over every detail that is listed in that blue folder you just finished reading.

At this point, everything looked peachy for me. However, since I have been diabetic since I was four years old (diagnosed in 1989), I took insulin made from cows for a few years. Uh oh, that means that the insulin may have come from the United Kingdom. Guess what? That also means that it may have been tainted with mad cow disease. Well, we can’t have that in donated blood. Even though if the insulin would have had mad cow in it there is a reasonable chance I would be dead by now, the Red Cross could not accept my blood because I had taken insulin made from cows a long time ago that may have had trace amounts of Mad Cow Disease that could have killed me. I was handed an indefinite deferral letter that outlined why I could not ever donate blood. Oh, and I got a t-shirt.

I sat at the table in front of the blood drive for the remainder of the event and watched as people signed up and went in. Some donated their blood. Others came out a few minutes later for various reasons. Someone’s blood sugar was too low. Someone else was sneezing (which could very well be due to all the pollen in the air). Yet another person did not weigh enough. Countless others that would be willing to donate are simply afraid of needles. There were plenty of people that were willing to donate their blood, but in the end the Red Cross would probably only accept the blood of about half the people that were willing to donate.

Disclaimer: I realize how strict the American Red Cross must be with donated blood. This blood goes to people that are in need of a miracle, and tainted blood would only make their situation worse. This is merely an account of my experience at a blood drive, and some observations while at the blood drive. In no way do I intend any harm to anyone involved.