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I donated blood today. Just before donation, I was given a finger stick test to determine my iron levels. They took a drop of my blood (via finger stick and small clear tube) and put one single drop of my blood into a test tube filled with a blue-colored liquid.
I could still see other drops of blood down at the bottom of the test tube - I'm guessing these were drops of other people's blood. Their drops of blood still looked like a drop, or small round orb of blood. Mine did not. My drop morphed into a perfect hollowed-out in the middle circle, or "O", and slowly floated all the way down to the bottom of the test tube, joining the other drops of blood. It stayed in the "O" shape as it settled on the bottom.
My Question: Why was my blood in the "O" shape, while the others looked more like a solid spherical/roundish teardrop shape?
The nurse said my iron was 17, which she said was very good (especially considering I'm having my period), and I was allowed to donate blood.
I wasn't sure where to ask this question, so hopefully someone here can help me with my question, or direct me to an appropriate place.
Vortex ring. Read especially the section on "formation." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex_ring
It just happened to become semi-solid before other changes could happen.
I donated blood today. Just before donation, I was given a finger stick test to determine my iron levels. They took a drop of my blood (via finger stick and small clear tube) and put one single drop of my blood into a test tube filled with a blue-colored liquid.
I could still see other drops of blood down at the bottom of the test tube - I'm guessing these were drops of other people's blood. Their drops of blood still looked like a drop, or small round orb of blood. Mine did not. My drop morphed into a perfect hollowed-out in the middle circle, or "O", and slowly floated all the way down to the bottom of the test tube, joining the other drops of blood. It stayed in the "O" shape as it settled on the bottom.
My Question: Why was my blood in the "O" shape, while the others looked more like a solid spherical/roundish teardrop shape?
The nurse said my iron was 17, which she said was very good (especially considering I'm having my period), and I was allowed to donate blood.
I wasn't sure where to ask this question, so hopefully someone here can help me with my question, or direct me to an appropriate place.
Thank you!
First thank you for donating blood! It does not grow on trees and is a much needed product that saves lives!
They were using the copper sulfate method....very old and outdated and not as accurate as the HemoCue method. The reason many donor centers use the copper sulfate method is because it's less costly. Blood Centers are not for profit and it is very costly to produce a unit of blood.
It works by using a solution of CuSO4 (copper sulfate) with a known specific gravity that corresponds to the minimum acceptable hemoglobin level necessary for safe blood donation. If the donors hemoglobin is at the minimum level, the specific gravity of the donors red cell is the same as the specific gravity of the CuSO4 solution. The drop of blood floats in the solution for approximately 15 seconds and then slowly sinks to the bottom. If the hemoglobin level is greater than the required level, the drop falls in the solution before the 15 seconds. However, if the level of hemoglobin is lower than required for donation, the drop of donor's blood does into fall within the required 15 seconds and may not fall at all.
Answer: Red Blood Cells are biconcave discs without a nucleus. When dropped in the solution they easily form these vortex rings due to their biconcave shape and no nucleus.
I plan on donating every 8 weeks from this point forward. Hubby and I are donating together and want to make our 100th donation on our 35th anniversary.
The nurse at the donation center said something like only 80% of the population is able to donate (for many different reasons), but of that 80% only like less than one-third actually donate. Hospitals in my area need 80 pints of blood a day, and we have 3 hospitals. That's a lot of blood! The nurse said they rarely ever meet the quota.
Trauma centers and Liver Lung and Heart Transplant centers use a ton of blood products.
You are helping to save lives when you donate.
I don't donate blood since I am type AB which makes me the Universal recipient (meaning I can be given any blood type as long as the Rh matches). Only about 3-4% of the population is type AB and only AB blood can be given to people who are AB...usually type AB blood expires before it can be used....most AB blood is thrown away before it can be used.
However type AB negative plasma is the Universal plasma for Rh neg folks and AB positive plasma is the Universal plasma for Rh positive folks.
It's thought that women who have born children contribute to TRALI through plasma donations therefore many blood centers will not use plasma from women to supply hospitals...instead their plasma is sold for research as well as to the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
So while AB blood is not as valuable of a donation (keep in mind we can receive any blood type)...however AB plasma or platelet donations are very valuable from male donors. It's best to do this via an apheresis donation in order to only extract out the plasma or platelets leaving your red cells in you.
Yes blood centers that supply big Trauma Hospitals or hospitals that perform Liver, Lung and Heart transplants are always in need of donors.
My husband is AB positive and he donates blood. Nothing has ever been said about throwing excess blood away - that's so bizarre. I'm going to ask next time we go in. Curious!?
We have never donated plasma or anything else (yet), just whole blood.
I found out I'm A positive. Is it strange that I'm really proud of my blood donor card they sent me in the mail?
Hi.. I was not able to donate blood as when they took the drop of blood after pricking my finger it settled first in the solution and then floated up and stayed at half level in the liquid..it was in a blood donation camp in my college.. I was told that I'm not eligible to donate without specifying the exact cause.. This has happened twice over a year.. Just curious to know why I can't donate?
I have this rare blood type AB-, but I am not allowed to donate in the US, not even plasma. I am considered high risk for variant Creutzfeld-Jacobs Disease (vCJD), thought to be the human form of Mad Cow Disease. I was also told that rare blood is hardly ever needed. I find it interesting that I am a registered donor in the EU.
Obviously it doesn't matter that I didn't had any direct contact with mad cows, at least not those on four legs.
I was also told that rare blood is hardly ever needed.
I think they meant rare ABO blood types are rarely needed...reason being is that AB+ and AB- can only be given to people with AB blood types. Approximately 3% of humans are AB+, and approximately 1% are AB-. The main thing to keep in mind is that people who have AB blood type, can receive any blood type. And that no other blood type can receive AB blood other then those who are AB+ or AB-. Since only approximate 4% of the human population is of the AB blood type (*this blood type can receive any blood type*) there is no need to keep AB blood on hand at a transfusion facility. Most of the blood donated by AB individuals ends up being discarded/never used. However their plasma and platelets are much needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elnina
I find it interesting that I am a registered donor in the EU.
The EU needs your plasma and platelets.
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