Everyone already knows that blood is needed.

For those of us that have been prevented from doing so as we were in contact or fed with contaminated meat during the mad cow issues in Europe for the 2 year block of bad meat in early eighties, the FDA and Health Department has opened the door for us to now donate.
Whether permanent or temporary, if so inclined donate now.

Great idea, search for a Puget Sound Blood Center or Bloodworks for a location near you. Or some hospitals have collection centers onsite. I don't think you will have a snack bar afterwards with cookies and drinks, but definitely a good cause.

Anyone who can donate, please do! People are still relying on blood and donations have trickled to a halt.

MANY restrictions have been lifted or shortened - including time since getting a tattoo or piercing, travel to a malaria country, time since sex with a gay man and more.

As someone who has relied upon donated blood more than once, I can tell you it is a critical need and often life saving or life altering for the better for many patients. I saw immediate improvement after getting blood.

Please, if you're able - donate!

If you are in the south end, look up Cascade Regional Blood Services, I donate every two months, my next donation is in a week or two, they usually call me

The wife and I donated at the cascade regional office in Puyallup on Tues, and they had snacks. Prepackaged granola bars, cookies, etc, and the usual chocolate milk, juice, and even a Keurig for coffee. Plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the facility.

All mobile blood drives have been cancelled, the buses can't provide social distancing of course.
Appointments are required, no walk-ins. They can't process as many patients in a given square footage due to social distancing.

On a side note..... while waiting for the phleb-tech to get me started the song "Unsteady" played on their inhouse music. I joked about that being the wrong song when they're sticking people with needles. Sure enough, she missed the vein (went all the way through it), couldn't fix it, and had to call someone else to reposition it. I have big 'ol garden hoses for veins too. I can't believe I jinxed it, and she was pretty embarrassed.
"Cause I'm a little unsteady"......

I need to get back in the habit of donating

I took a break from regular blood donations and did a white blood cell donation through 'Be the Match' last year. If any of you have an opportunity to get on that registry I would urge you to do so. It's a long shot but could be life and death for someone else. I've been called twice for a bone marrow donation. Neither worked out. They didn't tell me much but I think the first time they found a better match. The second time something happened with the patient and they couldn't go through with it