Donating Blood

[JazzysMom]

I just remember this from when I was a child & thought I would post the ????. Have any of you or your family members donated blood should the person with CF in your familY (or anyone for that matter from the family/friends) need it? When I was young I had a bad case of hemoptysis & they talked about giving me a transfusion. My mother refused to let them take blood from their blood bank. She wanted someone from my family to donate. We though we might have a problem with that since non of my siblings have the same Mom/Dad. They have one or the other since both of my parents were married before & I am the only child from their union. It turned out I didnt need the transfusioin & since then have found people (including my husband) who is the same blood type & are healthy enough to donate should the need arise. Just curious!

 

[miesl]

I would do it in an instant! Fortunately, I'm type O+ (I'm pretty sure he's a + as well).

My father (and some others in the family) donated blood for my grandfather when he had one of his heart surgeries. I don't think it's that uncommon.

 

[EmilysMom]

I'm not even sure if this is even part of your question, but the American Red Cross won't take blood from CFers. We have a blood drive every year in memory of my brother, Peter, and Emily tries to give every year and they always tell her no. It's not because her blood is bad or anything....the answer they always give is "they don't want to deplete her system when she needs everything to fight the CF". Good answer I guess, but she would really like to give blood that one time a year in her Uncle Peter's memory.

 

[cfmomma]

Ughh, the same thing happened to me when I tried to donate blood. I don't have CF but I do have Crohn's and they gave me the same reason "they didn't want to deplete my supply". My veins are paper-thin and hard to get to so I probably would'nt be able to give anyway, but I felt so rejected.

 

[HollyCatheryn]

That's weird. I've donated blood before. I tried a few times and wasn't allowed, but it was because my weight was too low. When I DID donate, no one mentioned any problems, they did the usual check and I qualified. Once when I was really sick and needed a couple of transfusions, a few friends with O- blood donated for me (I'm O+ and no one in my family can donate for me).

 

[anonymous]

Type O is the universal blood type. Someone with O negative can give blood to anyone.
O+ can give to anyone except O-.

 

[miesl]

<blockquote>Quote
<hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Anonymous</b></i>
Type O is the universal blood type. Someone with O negative can give blood to anyone.

O+ can give to anyone except O-.<hr></blockquote>
That's not true.

Here's a nice list.

A+ can get blood from A+, A-, O+, O-
B+ can get blood from B+, B-, O+, O-
AB+ can get blood from AB+, AB-, A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-
O+ can get blood from O+, O-
A- can get blood from A-, O-
B- can get blood from B-, O-
AB- can get blood from AB-, A-, B-, O-
O- can get blood from O-

AB+ is the universal receiver (can get blood from all types)
O- is the universal donor (can give blood to all types)

A and B are codominant traits, and O is the recessive trait. (Example, A can have AA or AO and still express A. OO is the only way to have O type blood). Rh factor, + is dominant (++ and +- give + Rh factor).

A has A-type antigens and B-type antibodies. Therefore it cannot receive blood with B-type antigens else the B-type antibodies will react to it. The reverse is true for B type blood.

AB has both antigens and none of the antibodies. Therefore it can get any type of blood.

O has no antigens and both antibodies, therefore it cannot get blood that has A or B.

Rh. Someone with + blood has the Rh factor, someone with - doesn't. An Rh- person getting Rh+ blood will develop Rh+ antibodies. (This is bad)