Maybe I was the milkman's baby...

[waterspyder]

It was always a running joke anytime I did anything wierd, my dad would say I was the milkman's baby.

I just found out my blood type: O+.

My parents are both A+.

If you didn't know how blood types are determined, this would definitely look suspicious.

Comments

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

Any kids I have could never be O-anything, since I'm AB+. My mom is also AB+, my dad is B-, so while he could be either BB or BO, it remains that I got the B from him and the A from my mom, so no O for me.

[http://users.livejournal.com/greensleeves_/]

AB is a pretty rare blood type. I'm AB+ too. Go and donate blood, they need you, and because CBS has decided that testing my perfectly fine blood is too much trouble, I can't donate anymore. Still on the bone marrow registry, though. :D

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

Yes, AB is rare, but it is also universal recipient, which means that it can use any other blood if necessary. We're the vampire blood type ;)

I donated once in high school, but passed out afterwards. Not sure if I want to do that again. My iron levels probably aren't up to their standards either.

I also won't donate to CBS until they change their discriminatory policies. If/when they do, I'll consider it again.

[kookiemaster.livejournal.com]

You're probably stronger now. Even when I'm under the 110 pounds weight limit to donate and nothing bad happens. They will let you know if you don't have enough iron before you donate at all. Just drink a few glasses of water beforehand ... otherwise it goes really slowly.

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

My body size hasn't changed at all since high school (which was just five years ago). Heck, it hasn't changed since I was about 13, with the exception of my boobs growing three sizes a few years ago due to hormonal birth control (which I don't take anymore).

The reason I don't think my iron levels are up to par is that I'm vegetarian, and I've read about many perfectly healthy vegetarians (I could do to have a healthier diet, but I'm working on it) being turned down for low iron levels, so...

[kookiemaster.livejournal.com]

That's odd, I'm mostly vegetarian and it has never been a problem. All you need to do is eat enough legumes and tofu really.

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

True enough, but some people in the medical profession can have a tendency to be "OMG! How can you be healthy if you're a vegetarian?!?!!" and completely overreact and not consider what the specific details of the matter are. But regardless of my iron levels, I wouldn't donate right now anyways, due to the objections mentioned above.

[http://users.livejournal.com/greensleeves_/]

What sort of policies are you talking about?

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

How they forbid men-who-have(or have had)-sex-with-men (since 1977) from donating blood, even if they have been completely safe with their sex. Sure, gay men may have a higher rate of HIV, but they should be basing their decisions based on risky behaviours, rather than one blanket criteria of "if you're a man who has had sex with a man even once since 1977 you're inelgible to donate".

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

Probably the one where gay men can't donate. This includes men who have had a single same-sex encounter 30 years ago and practised safer sex and has since tested negative for anything.
I on the other hand, having had sex with gay men, can still donate. WTF?

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

Why is testing your blood too much trouble?

The bonus with being AB+ is both of you are universal recipients... I can give you my blood, but you can't give me yours.

[http://users.livejournal.com/greensleeves_/]

They got some sort of false positive on a test of my blood for some sort of antibody that was the pre-cursor of leukemia. I can't remember the name and I lost the letter. They said I didn't have it, and it wasn't anything to worry about, but it essentially made my blood worthless because it will take too much time to test in the future.

Now, I hate needles, and I managed to force myself to donate (and completed donation successfully, filling the bag up without causing trouble, passing out or panicking) three times. I would have kept going forever, probably, and this is the thanks I get? Bah.

Of course I know the reasoning behind what they are doing is sound. After the tainted blood scandal it is better to err on the side of extreme caution.

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

It still seems hypocritical when you consider how they are also seemingly in need of blood products, and yet, people who are willing to donate are often rejected.