http://www.idkfa.com/v3 idkfa: syndicated http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2269 Leeches usually help a lot against prostate cancer. Although I could understand your revulsion, it's not a needle after all. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Mercy General Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:54:28 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2269 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2268 Isn't this like that one movie.... with the guy who has the widow's husband's heart? And there's crying? You just want to cry, Josh. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Mercy General Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:49:40 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2268 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2165 I don't remember the exact biological mechanism, but I'm sure you could find the explanation somewhere. I just know there is a statistical correlation that has been found, and a biological explanation to back it up. One of my medically inclined friends explained it to me briefly, but I don't remember any details. CapitolZebra@idkfa.com (CapitolZebra) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:07:43 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2165 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2164 Oh definitely. Wouldn't be an easy sell, particularly to a non-profit. I'm guessing there's also a visibility problem into whose blood gets used and whose doesn't. They probably just bulk transport the blood to the hospital, and the hospital has no need to report back to the blood bank exactly which donations are used. All the blood bank would know is if they delivered the blood, not whether it was actually used. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:03:15 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2164 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2163 I think if you were to propose this to the blood bank you'd also have to have the plan on how to accomplish it as well, as that sounds like some overhead. I think it would be a good PR stunt, but the only way I can picture this working would be something along the lines of the refrigerators that email you when you're out of a product instead email the person whose blood got removed. Governator@idkfa.com (Governator) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:57:26 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2163 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2162 I'm not saying it's a mystery how those things get into my blood. That they can't get out is strange. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:47:44 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2162 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2161 Bizarre carcinogens? Like apricot hef? and spicy chicken sandwiches? kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:41:06 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2161 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2160 I could care less how my blood is used. That it's going into a hospital and has the chance of being used to help someone is good enough for me. I prefer to not be thanked, as while it was my time and blood that I donated, I wasn't the person saving a life, it was the doctors, nurses, and supporting staff that were doing so. I just provided some of their materials. I would also have absolutely zero interesting in meeting the person my blood went to. I have a hard enough time talking to the people at Qdoba, no less somebody who made use of my excess body fluids. My proposition was for the blood bank's process. Their business is to collect supply, and attempt to maintain a constant output to their customers. With a little bit of data analysis and an email server, they could pretty easily connect people with their blood donation to establish in people's minds "Yes, my blood got used. What I did had a positive effect." rather than "Oh well, my blood probably got freezer burned. At least I got a cookie in return for feeling dizzy the rest of the day." kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:36:44 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2160 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2159 Helps prevent prostate cancer? How does... how does that even work? I know it's just a statistical probability you're mentioning, but I don't understand the mechanism at work there. Now I'm wondering if there are bizarre carcinogens wandering my bloodstream whose only outlet is bloodletting. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:25:59 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2159 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2157 You would actually be surprised how quickly donated blood typically gets used. Most hospitals are constantly short on blood supply, so blood typically doesn't sit around long enough to "go bad." Though, admittedly, do not know if there actually is an expiration date for blood. But yours is probably very appreciated by thankful people who needed it. To add to your list of benefits to donating blood, it is also very good for guys because it prevents prostate cancer and helps overall prostate health. Yeah, I know, I just mentioned your prostate on idkfa. CapitolZebra@idkfa.com (CapitolZebra) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:08:34 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2157 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2155 That's kind of creepy. Do you want to know what it's used for? Say there was a car accident where someone was horribly injured and needed 5 pints of blood STAT! Do you want to know that 2 of the pints were yours? And the name of the person you saved? So they can send you a thank letter? And what if they didn't send you flowers or something, would you demand your blood back? These are tough questions, are you prepared to give and receive? I think the better option over giving blood would be to give a kidney or liver, something that you know who is getting it. When Susan Butcher a few years ago had cancer and she needed a donor I went in to get my marrow tested. That would have been cool to say I saved her life, but someone else got that honor. Maybe that's how they should go about it, as most people are like that, they just want a little recognition. So you sign a piece of paper at the hospital allow them to use your name to get you organs or blood and maybe do a meet and greet with potential donors. I'd probably sign that. Governator@idkfa.com (Governator) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:46:41 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2155 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2154 I was thinking. So, the Blood Bank. They come to my workplace with the blood bus probably every other month. I usually sign up to have my blood drawn because a) it's sort of fun, b) free cookies and juice, and c) nothing is new on Reddit. I did it initially because neither I nor my parents could remember my blood type (O+). The first time was a bunch of scary forms and people asking me if I'd had sex with any men recently. Now I have a card, and the whole process takes about 15 minutes (they still ask about the men, though). My thought is: they have to test the blood, and for liability purposes, they have to be able to source the blood back to its donor (in the event that the donor lied about any communicable diseases, etc.). This means complex systems in place associating bags of blood and a database of users. I don't care so much that they have my information, it's necessary, and I volunteered it. What would be cool, however, is if they had a system in place to, say, email you whenever your blood was used. I'm fairly sure there's an "expiration date" on donated blood, and in all likelihood, my blood expires before it ever gets used in a hospital (there's nothing special about my blood type). It would be fun, though, to know if it was used, if for nothing else than to solidify the association in people's minds that donating blood has an effect, and every time you donate, you might get a short email saying that your blood was used. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Mercy General Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:18:37 -0900 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=2154&msg_id=2154