Blood Values

[[email protected]]

The day before yesterday I did my yearly visit to the vampires. I
usually try to go for June 11th since that is the anniversary of my
fabulous all expenses paid six night seven day trip to shock trauma
intensive care but as I'm planning on getting a tattoo on Sunday I
decided to go in ahead of schedule.

I missed last year's donation so this is my first time since I started
becoming actively seriously athletic that I've donated blood.

Yesterday when I went riding I had no energy. I wasn't tired or sore
or hurting or anything like that. In fact, at the end of the ride I
felt almost as fresh as I had at the beginning of the ride. But, from
the very beginning as I struggled to barely manage to draft the riding
buddy I'm usually waiting for I couldn't get up to speed. I'm used to
him dropping me on climbs. That's normal. No matter how much I keep
improving anyone with any strength at all has continued to drop me on
climbs because I've continued to be at least 20kg heavier than their
skinny Asian butts. Being dropped on a gentle incline when I've got a
tailwind, however ... that hasn't happened since I learned to pace a
year and a half ago.

On a normal race bike day I'll do the long loop at an average
27-28kph.
On a normal road bike day I'll do the long loop at an average
25-26kph.
On a feeling grungy tired road bike day I'll do the long loop at maybe
23-24kph.
Yesterday I did the short loop at an average 20.6kph.

How long will it take to get back to normal?

-M

[Fred]

wrote:
> The day before yesterday I did my yearly visit to the vampires. I
> usually try to go for June 11th since that is the anniversary of my
> fabulous all expenses paid six night seven day trip to shock trauma
> intensive care but as I'm planning on getting a tattoo on Sunday I
> decided to go in ahead of schedule.
>
> I missed last year's donation so this is my first time since I started
> becoming actively seriously athletic that I've donated blood.
>
> Yesterday when I went riding I had no energy. I wasn't tired or sore
> or hurting or anything like that. In fact, at the end of the ride I
> felt almost as fresh as I had at the beginning of the ride. But, from
> the very beginning as I struggled to barely manage to draft the riding
> buddy I'm usually waiting for I couldn't get up to speed. I'm used to
> him dropping me on climbs. That's normal. No matter how much I keep
> improving anyone with any strength at all has continued to drop me on
> climbs because I've continued to be at least 20kg heavier than their
> skinny Asian butts. Being dropped on a gentle incline when I've got a
> tailwind, however ... that hasn't happened since I learned to pace a
> year and a half ago.
>
> On a normal race bike day I'll do the long loop at an average
> 27-28kph.
> On a normal road bike day I'll do the long loop at an average
> 25-26kph.
> On a feeling grungy tired road bike day I'll do the long loop at maybe
> 23-24kph.
> Yesterday I did the short loop at an average 20.6kph.
>
> How long will it take to get back to normal?
>
> -M
>
That really depends on the person (and a variety of other factors).

I find that as I've gotten older, it takes me about 7 to 10 days to
really get back to "normal" (there are plenty who'd argue that I never
get to "normal").

When I was much younger (say 30), no effect at all - best squash game I
ever played was 2 hours after I donated. I think that would kill me today.

I donate every 8 weeks. I usually plan a light week of training for the
week following the donation. And a hard week prior.

Do keep donating. Unless Asians are a whole lot different than
westerners, you're probably one of the few, the proud, the holey.

Live Long and Bleed Fast

Jeff

[Claire Petersky]

"fred" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:

>> I missed last year's donation so this is my first time since I started
>> becoming actively seriously athletic that I've donated blood.

I'm a regular donor, but I simply don't donate blood during the big riding
season. My last donation was in April, and I won't take it up again until
October.

>> How long will it take to get back to normal?

> I find that as I've gotten older, it takes me about 7 to 10 days to really
> get back to "normal"

Yeah, at least three days, and a week sounds more like it for me.

> Do keep donating. Unless Asians are a whole lot different than
> westerners, you're probably one of the few, the proud, the holey.

I don't know about China, but when I lived in Japan, they were almost
completely dependent on the US for their blood supply. They had a lot of
taboos about donating blood. One of them was that it was considered immodest
for any fluid (including blood) to be seen flowing out of the body. So when
you'd donate, you'd stick your arm into a hole, and the blood technician
would work behind a barrier.

--
Warm Regards,


Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

[thejen12]

On Jun 6, 7:08 pm, "
> wrote:
> The day before yesterday I did my yearly visit to the vampires. I
> usually try to go for June 11th since that is the anniversary of my
> fabulous all expenses paid six night seven day trip to shock trauma
> intensive care but as I'm planning on getting a tattoo on Sunday I
> decided to go in ahead of schedule.
>
> I missed last year's donation so this is my first time since I started
> becoming actively seriously athletic that I've donated blood.
>
> Yesterday when I went riding I had no energy. I wasn't tired or sore
> or hurting or anything like that. In fact, at the end of the ride I
> felt almost as fresh as I had at the beginning of the ride. But, from
> the very beginning as I struggled to barely manage to draft the riding
> buddy I'm usually waiting for I couldn't get up to speed. I'm used to
> him dropping me on climbs. That's normal. No matter how much I keep
> improving anyone with any strength at all has continued to drop me on
> climbs because I've continued to be at least 20kg heavier than their
> skinny Asian butts. Being dropped on a gentle incline when I've got a
> tailwind, however ... that hasn't happened since I learned to pace a
> year and a half ago.
>
> On a normal race bike day I'll do the long loop at an average
> 27-28kph.
> On a normal road bike day I'll do the long loop at an average
> 25-26kph.
> On a feeling grungy tired road bike day I'll do the long loop at maybe
> 23-24kph.
> Yesterday I did the short loop at an average 20.6kph.
>
> How long will it take to get back to normal?
>
> -M

For me it takes 2-3 days to get close to normal, a couple more to feel
normal. Last time I gave, someone there said that, although it takes
8 weeks to actually get your numbers back to normal, about 80% of that
comes back in the first 3 days. If I were to ride the day after
giving whole blood, my experience would be about the same as yours
was. Take today off and try again tomorrw, I'll bet it will go a
whole lot better

Jenn

[Mike Kruger]

Claire Petersky wrote:
>
> I don't know about China, but when I lived in Japan, they were almost
> completely dependent on the US for their blood supply.

I'm not up to date on this, but a WSJ article 10+ years ago suggested this
was also true of other countries. I remember Switzerland being specifically
cited as a large importer. In fact, that's how AIDS entered Switzerland,
although it would probably have gotten there eventually. Exporting blood
was a big moneymaker for the American Red Cross.

[[email protected]]

Dear Mountain Flower:
wrote:
> The day before yesterday I did my yearly visit to the vampires. I
> usually try to go for June 11th since that is the anniversary of my
> fabulous all expenses paid six night seven day trip to shock trauma
> intensive care but as I'm planning on getting a tattoo on Sunday I
> decided to go in ahead of schedule.
SNIP
My local blood bank (we've got the locals and we've got the carpet-
bagging, corrupt American red Cross around here, yeah, I'm still mad
about Dodie Rotherham and the Pine Fin donations, but that's nothing,
my mom's sill livid about the Loma Prieta Earthquake donations!) liked
my whole blood donations, but lately they've been asking just for the
platelets. It's only two needle sticks (one lanceting for iiron
content because they already know my type), but the second needle
stays in for an hour or so as the apheris machine sucks it out,
separrates and sends back the plasma and red cells. Once I gave plasma
instead, but they'd prefer platelets. No great loss -- they can freeze-
dry the plasma.

After donating platelets I'm not exactly 100%, but way better than the
nasty and weak rider I become after donating whole blood (shouting
"coward" at wrong-way sidewalk-riding Segway scooterers and yelling
zer0-profanity insults to the editor of the local paper when I pass
its office building). At least, after donating I CAN cycle back home
-- it's downhill from the blood bank office, and I'm careful to wait
an hour or so in "Recovery" and hydrate away like crazy instead of the
usual 15 minute recommendation.

I usually donate about four times a year. This year I think I'm up to
six or so -- they can yank platelets every two weeks, it seems.

rleone

[Cathy Kearns]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> I usually donate about four times a year. This year I think I'm up to
> six or so -- they can yank platelets every two weeks, it seems.

I took up cycling to keep up with my husband. He started me on the back of
our tandem, and now I'm climbing, and can almost keep up on my own.

But I'm posting here to thank all of you who are giving blood and platelets.
My husband is at Stanford right now, in the Blood Marrow Transplant unit
fighting Lymphoma. He gets blood or platelets every few days, and is slowly
getting better. He is looking forward to the day where he will again be out
on his bike. But he couldn't do it without you all. Thank you.

[Nexus7]

On Jun 6, 9:08 pm, "
> wrote:
> improving anyone with any strength at all has continued to drop me on
> climbs because I've continued to be at least 20kg heavier than their

Drop another liter or two at the vampires'?

[Fred]

Cathy Kearns wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>> I usually donate about four times a year. This year I think I'm up to
>> six or so -- they can yank platelets every two weeks, it seems.
>
> I took up cycling to keep up with my husband. He started me on the back of
> our tandem, and now I'm climbing, and can almost keep up on my own.
>
> But I'm posting here to thank all of you who are giving blood and platelets.
> My husband is at Stanford right now, in the Blood Marrow Transplant unit
> fighting Lymphoma. He gets blood or platelets every few days, and is slowly
> getting better. He is looking forward to the day where he will again be out
> on his bike. But he couldn't do it without you all. Thank you.
>
>
I started donating regularly after my niece was diagnosed with cancer.
Being a guy, I wanted to "do something". Not much you can do about
cancer. She needed transfusions - the chemo sent her white count way
too low. Of course, I couldn't donate for her (wrong blood type and
wrong city). The only way I could see of "thanking" the folks who did
donate was to donate in kind. Been doing that ever since.

If you are eligible, please donate. Odds are someone you love will need
a transfusion some day.

Regards to all.

[[email protected]]

On Jun 11, 9:15 am, fred > wrote:
> Cathy Kearns wrote:
> > > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >> I usually donate about four times a year. This year I think I'm up to
> >> six or so -- they can yank platelets every two weeks, it seems.
>
> > I took up cycling to keep up with my husband. He started me on the back of
> > our tandem, and now I'm climbing, and can almost keep up on my own.
>
> > But I'm posting here to thank all of you who are giving blood and platelets.
> > My husband is at Stanford right now, in the Blood Marrow Transplant unit
> > fighting Lymphoma. He gets blood or platelets every few days, and is slowly
> > getting better. He is looking forward to the day where he will again be out
> > on his bike. But he couldn't do it without you all. Thank you.
>
> I started donating regularly after my niece was diagnosed with cancer.
> Being a guy, I wanted to "do something". Not much you can do about
> cancer. She needed transfusions - the chemo sent her white count way
> too low. Of course, I couldn't donate for her (wrong blood type and
> wrong city). The only way I could see of "thanking" the folks who did
> donate was to donate in kind. Been doing that ever since.
>
> If you are eligible, please donate. Odds are someone you love will need
> a transfusion some day.

I do it because, although they ultimately decided not to give me a
transfusion, my hospital room in the shock trauma ICU (and you know
it's real bad when you spend a week in shock trauma) had two bags of
whole blood in the refrigerator (along with a wide variety of snacks
brought by my family) just in case I suddenly needed it RIGHT NOW.

I know from 9/11 (when so many people donated that there was, for
once, extra and time enough to do tests on all the extra blood) that
although I have blood type A, there is some other fidgety blood
characteristic that I have which makes my blood highly desirable.
Enough so that the Red Cross was regularly calling and pressuring me
for a while (as in every week). But the local (to me in the US) blood
center at the time was such a pain in the ass about scheduling a visit
despite my special blood that I just said to hell with it and went
back to my previous pattern of randomly donating whenever a blood
mobile happened to be around and I remembered.

Now I'm off the US donor list. It irritates the hell out of me.
Notwithstanding the fact that I do regularly go out into the local
countryside, the way in which the map has been drawn indicating 6
months suspension for a visit to a "malarial risk area" means that I
can live in this city and still be on the US donor list BUT the road
to the airport passes through the defined risk area and the act of
leaving the city by any method other than star trek transporter knocks
me off the US list.

-M