Is it harmful to be a blood donor?

[Z...]

I donated 3 times so far and always for specific recipient. Apparently its healthy to loose some blood every now and then.

 

[Ben]

My problem with donating blood is that it is part of a medical system that is corrupt and flawed. For that reason, my automatic reaction to the idea is to be cynical rather than trusting.

Do you mean that you are cynical about the actual use of this blood? I mean to say, my automatic reaction when I think of the need for blood supplies is after traumatic blood loss, car accidents and so forth, which is something that even a perfect medical system would have to cope with. Genetic disorders such as sickle cell anaemia also come to mind.

 

[Joe]

My problem with donating blood is that it is part of a medical system that is corrupt and flawed. For that reason, my automatic reaction to the idea is to be cynical rather than trusting.

Do you mean that you are cynical about the actual use of this blood? I mean to say, my automatic reaction when I think of the need for blood supplies is after traumatic blood loss, car accidents and so forth, which is something that even a perfect medical system would have to cope with. Genetic disorders such as sickle cell anaemia also come to mind.

I mean a general distrust of all systems run by governments and corporations, but especially when it comes to human health. Like Laura, I would give blood for a specific person or situation, but the idea of regularly donating blood because 'they' say it's a good idea sounds a bit suspicious to me. Sorry, but I haven't really fleshed out (no pun intended) my thinking on this yet. Maybe I'm still spooked by the reference in John Keel's book, 'The Mothman Prophecies' to a couple of people driving a mobile blood donation unit late one night (after a long day's collecting) when they saw a UFO keeping pace with them right above the van and then saw two large pincers come out each side of it as if to carry the blood van away! Apparently a truck coming in the opposite lane upset their plans.

 

[Kindle]

I recently donated blood for the first time 2 weeks ago and I was so excited all that day to have it done knowing someone out there was going to benefit from this life giving donation of blood.

Then the nurse asked if I would be ok to donate plasma as it is in high demand right now (in Australia).

My instincs felt uneasy about this. But I politely agreed to it anyway. When I walked out of there it still felt very uneasy. Not in a unsure or scared of the needles way. Just, negative.

As I was walking home I was thinking about Cassiopaea, the forum and what others would say, if I was doing the right thing, if it was really helping humans at all?! I actually had mental pictures of the Lizzies and Greys bathing in it. Drinking it through metal straws. Standing in the hospitals helping themselves to the fridges while nurses and doctors walked by as if all was normal.

I brushed it off as paranoia.

After reading what Jason (ocean59) posted about aliens bathing in plasma, I'm going to cancel that appointment to donate plasma now.

 

[Skyfarmr]

... Apparently its healthy to loose some blood every now and then.

Yes, for some it is, especially for folks with iron overload diseases such as hemochromotosis (haemochromatosis). Patients with this hereditary disease are often treated with phlebotomy (blood letting) or told to regularly donate blood, along with dietary restrictions, to manage their high iron levels.

There was an interesting story in the Wisconsin news awhile back about a guy who began selling/donating plasma many years ago, four times a year, to help pay for his Packer's season tickets . His father had died in his early fifties from heart complications of hemochromotosis. When this Packer fan, now in his 70's went to the doctor, the doctor informed him that donating plasma regularly for 30+ years most likely saved his life by preventing iron overload, because he tested positive for the hereditary disease his father died of.

In this case, donating blood had a fortunate outcome for the donor/seller as well as those who received it.

 

[Gimpy]

I will give blood (and have done so) when there is a call for it for a particular reason. I am also prepared to give it to family and friends if they are hospitalized and in need. That's as far as I want to go.

I gave blood until my health deteriorated to the point I was taking multiple medications. Once that happened I made sure to tell the folks who called me for blood drives to take me off the call lists. I'm still not clear enough to do so again, and wouldn't donate unless there's a 'for-sure' means of checking for such.

If I was off all medications, I'd donate for emergencies or relatives/friends, as usual.

 

[Gonzo]

I think about several people I know who were saved by blood transfusions,, including my ex-wife who, during delivery of our twin daughters, lost a lot of blood and started getting quite week. While she was recovering, the doctor told me if it weren't for the transfusions, she might not have survived the ordeal. If people didn't donate blood, there wouldn't have been any blood for her and I can't imagine the problems they would have encountered trying to run around and find a donor with the same type of blood.

While I might understand some people's fears and hesitations, I don't quite know what alternatives there are. I also realize that, as a Canadian, I might have a different perspective than members from other countries where blood banks are run for profit and exploit the poor as blood farms.

All blood in Canada is collected, processed, stored and distributed through Canada Blood Services, a Charitable, not-for-profit organization. Interestingly, it was created as a result of a blood contamination scandal when the former Canadian Red Cross Society failed to exercise due diligence in the 80s/90s in sufficiently testing for HIV and hepatitis, and several Canadians were infected.

The CBS web site provides some interesting information on how the system works and what happens to the blood after donation, if anyone is interested:
- About the CBS _http://www.blood.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/page/About%20Us?OpenDocument&CloseMenu

- About donating blood _http://www.blood.ca/centreapps/internet/uw_v502_mainengine.nsf/CategoryTrail?OpenForm&Category=What%20Can%20I%20Donate?~Blood&Language=English

I would certainly donate if I could but am prevented due to medical conditions I have.

Gonzo


Edit: posted aciddentally before post was complete, edit to finish post

 

[Jacques]

While I might understand some people's fears and hesitations, I don't quite know what alternatives there are. I also realize that, as a Canadian, I might have a different perspective than members from other countries where blood banks are run for profit and exploit the poor as blood farms.

Indeed, in Canada, you are not paid for giving blood or any blood products. You do it freely.

All blood in Canada is collected, processed, stored and distributed through Canada Blood Services, a Charitable, not-for-profit organization. Interestingly, it was created as a result of a blood contamination scandal when the former Canadian Red Cross Society failed to exercise due diligence in the 80s/90s in sufficiently testing for HIV and hepatitis, and several Canadians were infected.

I would not say that all blood in Canada is collected through Canada blood services since in Québec, it is Héma-Québec that has that responsibility.

I would certainly donate if I could but am prevented due to medical conditions I have.

I do give plasma weekly.

 

[Gonzo]

All blood in Canada is collected, processed, stored and distributed through Canada Blood Services, a Charitable, not-for-profit organization. Interestingly, it was created as a result of a blood contamination scandal when the former Canadian Red Cross Society failed to exercise due diligence in the 80s/90s in sufficiently testing for HIV and hepatitis, and several Canadians were infected.

I would not say that all blood in Canada is collected through Canada blood services since in Québec, it is Héma-Québec that has that responsibility.

I would certainly donate if I could but am prevented due to medical conditions I have.

I do give plasma weekly.

Thanks for the correction. It's always interesting to see how many institutions Quebec created for itself instead of having to use those from the rest of the country, which tend to be Anglo oriented.

I should look back into plasma donation. While blood donating was not an option, plasma might not be as much of a concern. Originally, there was worry over certain proteins as well as the unknown cause of my autoimmune disorder and rheumatoid disease, so I will need to check in again. It's been a few years and, since both the Ultra Simple Diet and now the paleo diet have made so many positive changes in my system (not to mention EE).

Regards,
Gonzo

 

[ginebra]

I used to be a blood donor for many years until was rejected for my low iron levels. In the meantime, I joined in the forum and start reading that it
was not such a good thing to donate. I was happy thinking that I was helping someone else, it never ocurred to me to think where my blood was going to end.

 

[Gonzo]

I don't quite get how people are determining that donating blood is wrong. I've seen suppositions adding up to assumptions and perhaps concern over fueling corrupt profiteering endeavors on one side and on the other side evidence of its beneficial value.

Accepting the possibility that my filtering is preventing me from adequately seeing true detriments of blood donation that outweigh the benefit they afford those in need, did some actual facts come up that I missed in this thread that can be used to actually perform an objective evaluation? Without facts and solid rationale, it seems to me some people are throwing the baby out with the bath water.

While it is interesting, for example, to note that our blood remains somehow connected to us when it leaves our body (e.g. Blood samples registering energetic activity when the donor is exerting themself at another location), how do we derive the notion that having our blood in someone else is a bad thing? Would we stop communicating with others if we found that, every time the other person later thought about our conversation, it somehow affected an energetic response in us?

Some times we have to use flawed or even corrupt systems in order to survive and help others survive. It makes me think how the day may come when the mark of the beast is required to buy and sell and, no matter how much we disagree with it and want to avoid it, we will not be able to. We may find ourselves forced into having to use it so that ourselves and our families survive.

So, I freely admit I might be attached to the beneficial attributes of donating blood to the point that it somehow prevents me from seeing this issue objectively. In fact, I'm actually feeling frustrated that people I generally agree with are seeing something I obviously do not and I therefore welcome any facts that demonstrate the harm of donating blood.

Gonzo

 

[obyvatel]

I don't quite get how people are determining that donating blood is wrong. I've seen suppositions adding up to assumptions and perhaps concern over fueling corrupt profiteering endeavors on one side and on the other side evidence of its beneficial value.

Reading this thread I did not get the idea that donating blood is wrong. People have stated their preference and brought up some concerns. Personally, I have donated blood in the past and may do so again in the future depending on the specific circumstance.

[quote author=Gonzo]
While it is interesting, for example, to note that our blood remains somehow connected to us when it leaves our body (e.g. Blood samples registering energetic activity when the donor is exerting themself at another location), how do we derive the notion that having our blood in someone else is a bad thing? Would we stop communicating with others if we found that, every time the other person later thought about our conversation, it somehow affected an energetic response in us?
[/quote]

Blood has been traditionally regarded as having properties which science is just beginning to look into. Here is a quote from ISOTM
[quote author=ISOTM]
"You remember what I said about the 'astral body'? Let us go over it briefly. People who have an 'astral body' can communicate with one another at a distance without having recourse to ordinary physical means. But for such communication to be possible they must establish some 'connection' between them. For this purpose when going to different places or different countries people sometimes take with them something belonging to another, especially things that have been in contact with his body and are permeated with his emanations, and so on. In the same way, in order to maintain a connection with a dead person, his friends used to keep objects which had belonged to him. These things leave, as it were, a trace behind them, something like invisible wires or threads which remain stretched out through space. These threads connect a given object with the person, living or in certain cases dead, to whom the object belonged. Men have known this from the remotest antiquity and have made various uses of this knowledge.

"Traces of it may be found among the customs of many peoples. You know, for instance, that several nations have the custom of blood-brotherhood. Two men, or several men, mix their blood together in the same cup and then drink from this cup. After that they are regarded as brothers by blood. But the origin of this custom lies deeper. In its origin it was a magical ceremony for establishing a connection between 'astral bodies.' Blood has special qualities. And certain peoples, for instance the Jews, ascribed a special significance of magical properties to blood. Now, you see, if a connection between 'astral bodies' had been established, then again according to the beliefs of certain nations it is not broken by death.
[/quote]

It seems Gurdjieff was on the mark about blood's action at a distance, based on the little science has learnt so far. The implications of such energetic connections have not been worked out to any great detail as far as I am aware. So in such a situation if someone wants be conservative about blood donations, it would seem quite logical.

[quote author=Gonzo]
So, I freely admit I might be attached to the beneficial attributes of donating blood to the point that it somehow prevents me from seeing this issue objectively. In fact, I'm actually feeling frustrated that people I generally agree with are seeing something I obviously do not and I therefore welcome any facts that demonstrate the harm of donating blood.
[/quote]

In general, whenever the PTB strongly encourages people to act in certain ways, there is usually a hidden motive that does not have best interests of the people at heart. Keeping the obvious profiteering activities connected to the blood "industry" aside, if there indeed is some validity to the connection between hyperdimensional reality and human blood (as in blood being food for Grays), it may not be easy to find a smoking gun in the form of hard facts - like for instance missing blood.

None of the above detracts from the fact that people often do need blood in an emergency and certain level of storage of blood by medical system may be needed to service such needs. As in other areas of life, the specific context and the amount of relevant data pertaining to the context would determine which action is beneficial.

My 2cents fwiw

 

[Gonzo]

While I don't disagree, Obyvatel, I find myself conflicted.

It seemed to me that, beyond this merely being a preference, decisions are being made by some to not donate, which, of course, is entirely within their perogative. However, while one might have a prefernce, one might choose to ignore it for a higher purpose. To be absolute and to say never, now that is something different and was what I was picking up on in some of the posts.

I am, however, examining why it concerned me enough to write, and wonder if there is an authoritarian follower aspect at play, which is interfering in my receiving information that could help me better understand the other side of this equation.

It certainly would be interesting to be able to assess to total volume required on average, to sustain emetency needs and then see if current levels far exceed those levels.

After I wrote my comments, an interesting thought entered my mind. Would we donate blood regularly if we knew it was to be consumed by a predator, a vampire race, for example, to keep them sufficiently fed, thereby avoinding them attacking us?

Thanks,
Gonzo

 

[Buddy]

Hi Gonzo. FWIW, your confliction may not be about 'giving blood' per se. Maybe a conflict could be the thought structure, itself, which is likely transparent to you ATM, but still may stimulate feelings.

Can you see any places in your posts where you may be imposing a commutative mathematical equivalent on the thoughts of others and maybe on yourself? Are you, yourself, seeing the issue in terms of Either one (donating blood regularly, ritualistically, with no further thought) OR the other (donating blood not at all)? Am I on the wrong track? If so, please don't hesitate to point it out. Personally, I do give blood on some occasions, but it's been quite awhile.

On another note, that vampire reference sounds familiar. I wonder if it was a movie plot at one time? This thread certainly gives more to think about, OSIT.


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Edit: phrasing for clarity of meaning.

 

[obyvatel]

I am, however, examining why it concerned me enough to write, and wonder if there is an authoritarian follower aspect at play, which is interfering in my receiving information that could help me better understand the other side of this equation.

The medical industry associated with blood banks as well as the govt and media have built up an image of a donor as a selfless altruistic individual - a good samaritan. You can ask yourself if you are identified in any manner with such an image.