On My Way to Ten Gallons at One Blood.
 

Donated platelets again-- probably a double amount-- not sure though. I know it takes about 120-130 minutes.

Watched Appaloosa again. Will miss this writer's works on these two lawmen. Maybe, some one has taken up the characters though.

Order of Cole & Hitch Books - OrderOfBooks.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B._Parker

They did offer me a few different options for swag which I really appreciated as I miss their rewards program of offering various choices for gift cards.

Share Your Power - Donate Blood

They did count the double bags-- or however that works-- as two pints yesterday. I know that some people only give a single bag while giving platelets and that only counts as one pint.

I should be onto 10 gallons quickly if my health, nerves, and blood pressure cooperate. Thank God, I studied Philosophy for five to six years at the University of Nevada, Reno with a little additional legal philosophy thrown in at the University of Minnesota Law School. It helps to be able to detach yourself a bit by focusing on the bigger picture. My 224 613 Project does give me worries but doing things for other people like donating platelets help calm me down.

I will donate again next Friday. Lately I have only been able to donate doubles because my Iron count is too high. I'll have to donate a pint of whole blood again pretty soon to drop the count a little.

I have to take supplements to get my iron up even though hemochromatosis runs in my family. Diagnosis - Hemochromatosis - Mayo Clinic

I have had to come back another time a few times because my iron was too low. Below 12.4? 12.5?

I can get it up around 15-16 from the pills but it means longer times in the donating chair.

In between donations, I try to cut down on the supplements to bring my iron down a bit. I suppose I should also buy some vitamins without the iron in them.

Blanca told me that donating platelets just normally raises your iron. So, 2-3 times a year, I just give whole blood. I wait until it gets over 15. Last donation it was 14.8 so it's probably getting close.

this blood donation is great for Christians who want to give up something for Lent

That sounds like a good plan.

Or Jews, Muslims, etc. for being good people. Blood Donations According to Halacha - Torah Musings

I'm a Muslim & I give blood / Young Planners

Thank you for giving.
I use a lot of it.

You are welcome. I should reach ten gallons next week if my health and stamina hold out.

Curious about how long you have been doing this to reach such a milestone of giving. Many people have benefited from your generosity.

I started in 1985 in Belmont, CA. Donated in Minneapolis, MN around 1988 again but really did not start donating in earnest until doing it in the Tampa Bay, FL area in 1997. Then moved to the Villages in 2005 and started donating fairly regularly soon after that around 2007. I am new to doing platelets. I have only been doing that for a few years. You can really donate quite a few gallons with the 24 platelet donations per year which seems to be allowed. And you often donate 2 pints at each session if your iron level and other factors allow it.

I do have a selfish reason of being attracted by the various rewards which they gave in Tampa-- usually passes to movies or free DVD rentals.

They have had different reward programs in the Villages' area as well.

Even now I am still attracted by the rewards but realize how much giving platelets helps people.

I got 2 emails yesterday from Oneblood stating that whole bod is desperately in demand. They were asking me to please donate. I told them I donate every 2 weeks, that's all I can do. I then told them, "I told you that when you stopped the rewards program, donors would stop coming in". Maybe they will think it over. Last week when I was there in a 2 1/2 hour period, I only saw 2 whole blood donors.

I hope they rethink their rewards program. It is OK for platelet donors using a 5 gallon mark but would be so much better if they just brought back the old reward program as well. They could do away with the cheap blankets, cups, and the like. I still loved the t-shirts.

They should be blood donor oriented with the rewards rather than trying to save funds doing away with the rewards program. I have no information though on the relative costs of one vs. another. I was just guessing about why they changed things?

I was just checking on-line as to how much Medicare pays for blood. They do not pay anything for blood because blood is only accepted by donation only. They pay only processing costs. Nobody can buy your blood. So, a small $10 reward added to the cost of the blood processing is trivial for an unlimited blood supply.

I had been getting $20 gift cards every so often as well as the $10 ones.

I donated platelets again yesterday and only one other donor there during the whole 2 1/2 hour process. Another platelet donor was coming in as I was leaving. One guy just didn't show for his appointment, didn't call either.

Oh, no rewards again this week.

That must have been you then as you told Joanie to have a nice whatever as you said you might not see her again.

I was coming in at 12:14 PM and heard the discussion about the guy who makes appointments online but does not show up.

Yesterday, I reached the 10 gallon level and also got a nice St. Patrick's themed green T-shirt with "Give a Pint of Hope, Donate Blood " on it which they seem to be pitching at some of the Beef O'Bradys nearer to Orlando.

Have not received my code yet for the 10 gallon level so I do not know what kind of rewards they have.

That was me. If I had known it was you, I would have said HI. I hit the 8 3/4 gal point. I'm gonna miss Joanie, she is so nice.

Did not talk to Joanie that much over the years. Talk a lot to Blanca, Charli, and Mary. Used to visit with Linda too but there were a few years there when I was just going to Blood Mobiles.

I have one more platelet donation this month and then I will take a month or so off in order to be able to donate whole blood to knock my iron level down a bit. Also like doing the Blood Mobiles once in a while as they often give out Villages' movie theater tickets.

I donated yesterday doing a platelet run. Two units so that puts me at 10 1/4 gallons. They were rather busy as they were giving out the $10 gift rewards for your choice of various gift cards.

Yesterday, I finally received my invitation to shop in their new Rewards Program for the 5 Gallon levels. This was for my 10 gallon level donation a few weeks ago.

The prizes though are nothing special at the 10 gallon level. I had the option of choosing a One Blood shirt, a crystal diamond like One Blood souvenir, or a 16 ounce One Blood hot-and-cold retaining glass. The glass appealed to me the most of the three but I have seen them offering this glass at One Blood in Spanish Plaines Shopping Center for just any donation.
https://www.oneblood.org/promotions-rewards/

My iron was 14.9 so I decided to continue with the platelets as it is below 15.

And I could not donate whole blood until 5/30/2016 after yesterday's platelet donation.

I have noticed that since they got that new gadget to measure your iron counts, that mine are lower than before. I asked Charli if they did the conventional tests on themselves and compared the results to the new gadget. She said every one they did showed a lower iron count on the new gadget.

I gave a double again today with no problems and yes, they were packed with whole blood donors.

That's good. I listened to Charli take the iron counts for a woman donor. She did the right thumb and got a 11.9 or around there and then the left thumb and it showed a 12.9 or somewhere around there.

I give platelets next week but have run out of Harry Potter movies to watch as they only have the first two in their collection and I will probably have seen all of these Harry Potter movies by that time.

I am trying to get better with the many Harry Potter Fun Trivia Quizzes - World's Largest Trivia and Quiz Site! Quizzes.

That does not help me with all the Harry Potter book Quizzes though. Fun Trivia Quizzes - World's Largest Trivia and Quiz Site!