I try to give blood every now and again, but am turned down about 1/2 of the time due to low iron.
Today – victory!
They have a new machine that takes a drop of blood and gives a digital readout of your iron level in less than a minute. In the past they would take two or three capillary tubes worth, put a drop in the copper sulfate, and see if it sank, or usually for me – floated. If it floated they would spin the other tubes for a bit, and take some sort of reading and then tell you to take a hike if you were under a 38.
I can never tell what the difference is when I make it and when I don’t. Must have had some good meals over the weekend.
Raincharm's Weblog 
June 24, 2008 at 5:32 pm |
Last week I gave blood and witnessed the new iron measurement procedure. It appears to be cleaner and provides as quick a response. My June donation was pint number 95. Only one time did the glob of blood drop slowly and raise the eyebrows of the nurse. She tried a second time and let me give a pint. There has been a great deal of change since my first donation when few questions were asked. In 2008 the questions are quite intrusive; clean livin’ is the life for me…
June 25, 2008 at 6:32 am |
When I first gave I was at MSU. One of the questions they asked was, “do you weigh more than 110?” They still ask this. Only then I would lie and say yes. I put silver dollars in my pockets to fool the scale they kept around. They never blink at my answers anymore.