I have been an apheresis blood donor for many years. There are many benefits for this-first, it's a good thing to do when you are healthy enough and have big blood vessels the phlebotomists love! Also I get points towards goodies (no more blood bank t-shirts however) and a basic wellness check each time I give. I get immediate feedback on my hemoglobin count, blood pressure, pulse rate and temperature, and a few days later a total cholesterol score. This is also tracked on the blood bank website once I sign in, so I can track my total cholesterol over time for free.
Another benefit is getting a visual reminder of the quality of my diet. The platelets and plasma are separated by the machine and sent to IV bags while the remainder of my blood fluids are returned when the machine cycles from draw to return (Are two-armed machines even used anymore? Not by my blood bank thankfully!). As the products accumulate any extra lipids/fats congeal in the bottom of the bag and the color of the product becomes apparent. The closer your bag is to honey-colored, the "better" your diet has been. Saturated and hydrogenated fats show up in the plasma and platelets as a cloudy appearance, and more congeals out and drops to the bottom of the bag. Since I have had a good diet the past few weeks but a few cheat meals lately,today's looked really good.
Plus I got to help at least three patients in need of platelets and plasma. This marks 31 gallons of blood I have donated since the fall of 1984. While I could be proud that averages over a gallon a year if I'm going to join the 100 gallon donor club I need to pick it up a bit, or keep donating to 118!
Please think about donating blood if you can, and keep that diet clean!
