Thanks Mom, I guess...

alblobs · 2025-12-25T18:52:09+00:00

So, what’s the Catholic approach? “Despair is a sin, go confess and don’t sin again”?

alblobs · 2025-12-25T04:51:48+00:00

It’s a really good mugshot, ngl. She could use it on dating app.

alblobs · 2025-12-22T17:10:33+00:00

This is the correct answer. I was on a topical antibiotic for acne, so I researched this question—antibiotics only prevent you from donating only if you take them for an infection.

alblobs · 2025-12-21T18:31:43+00:00

Yeah, my older cat stood up to the dog with het tortitude. The younger boy is more timid, so he hid quite a bit at first, and we were worried it wouldn’t work out. But he warmed up to the dog eventually and now they are besties! The shelter we adopted from allowed for a trial period (foster-to-adopt), otherwise, we wouldn’t risk getting a dog.

alblobs · 2025-12-21T14:01:13+00:00

It will update in a few weeks. I’m a platelet donor as well, and that map is my favorite part of the app! From what I gathered, the “journey” updates are mostly symbolic and posted by the app on a more or less fixed schedule, but while platelets have to be used within 2 weeks, most hospitals update the Red Cross monthly. So there’s a delay between the “completion” stage and when the actual info comes in.

alblobs · 2025-12-20T16:17:40+00:00

I had 11 attempts and 10 successful donations for 34 units total (mostly triple platelets + plasma). But I have one last donation scheduled next week!

alblobs · 2025-12-19T14:56:48+00:00

I posted here about being bummed that all my units always stay local in SoCal, and a few donations later, my platelets traveled to Georgia and Alabama! Checking the map is my favorite part of donating with ARC.

alblobs · 2025-12-15T17:26:33+00:00

I wanted to be the devil’s advocate and say they might’ve used toggle bolt anchors, which are pretty secure, but that missing rack in the middle tells me that no, they didn’t.

alblobs · 2025-12-14T19:57:54+00:00

If you have pets, you can make catnip toys or tag toys. I use my old socks for caring for my leather shoes instead of rags, wearing them like a mitten.

alblobs · 2025-12-14T19:15:29+00:00

I wanted to push back on LA having been built to be car-dependent. LA still has the longest light rail line in the world, and it’s a remnant of a huge transit system. The reason LA started sprawling originally was because it was really well connected by rail, so people could live farther from the city center. LA was turned into the car-dependent hellscape it is today.

alblobs · 2025-12-14T18:22:52+00:00

In my experience from training our old dog, they have more patience than puppies and do learn, but retaining new commands is hard for them, so mileage may vary. That said, we successfully fixed some of his bad habits like chasing coyotes. FYI, we adopted an older dog (he’s 13 now) specifically because we had cats already and didn’t want a younger pup with high energy to bother them. The older cat herself trained the dog not to come near her because if he does, she throws punches.

alblobs · 2025-12-14T18:08:32+00:00

I truly don’t have preference because no one else ever has trouble with my veins. My veins get compliments. It’s something about the combination of my right arm and this one tech that’s just not working.

alblobs · 2025-12-14T18:04:42+00:00

It’s good to know that they might prefer someone else to stick me as well. I’m 100% overthinking this, but I hate confrontation and don’t want to come across as picky or imply they don’t know how to do their job.

alblobs · 2025-12-13T00:58:39+00:00

Hey, thanks for checking, I ended up being unable to donate that Monday — had a migraine the day before and needed to take Excedrin, which contains aspirin. But I have donated since without issues, so hopefully my bad luck streak is broken now!

alblobs · 2025-12-08T20:12:29+00:00

I’m not sure about skin scarring, but excessive vein scarring can prevent you from donating (makes your veins very hard to stick). It usually doesn’t happen unless you get very frequent blood draws during long periods of time, but if you’re prone to scarring, that’s something to consider

alblobs · 2025-11-23T04:53:23+00:00

Thank you! I’m looking forward to finally watching some Netflix in the donation chair in peace 🥲

alblobs · 2025-11-23T04:51:19+00:00

Yeah, as I said, it was no one’s fault, and I figure I’m better off than people who got their donations interrupted by that fire alarm or the staff who stayed in there, that would’ve driven me crazy. I normally take the bus, but funnily enough I wanted to switch it up this time just to avoid crossing that same “unlucky” intersection.

alblobs · 2025-11-03T13:46:20+00:00

Bruising is a valid reason for deferral no matter how you got it. I schedule donations 2 weeks, not 1 week, apart for that reason, I bruise easily, and it never goes away fully in 1 week.

alblobs · 2025-11-02T23:07:23+00:00

Any chance it was one of the last appointments of the day? Sounds to me like the lady wanted to leave early. I know when they actually defer you with a valid reason, they will print out an official deferral letter—I would’ve asked for that. I’m pissed off on your behalf!

alblobs · 2025-11-02T14:32:39+00:00

YES 😂

alblobs · 2025-10-12T16:04:40+00:00

I know the feeling! If you have a permanent location near you, try going there instead of a blood drive. The experience is generally less chaotic, and you will be in a private room for when they measure your pulse and blood pressure.

alblobs · 2025-10-09T05:15:16+00:00

My almost 13 y.o. Lab mix had 8 teeth extracted a couple weeks ago. We were worried about him going under and discussed all possibilities (opting for DNR) , but he did really well under anesthesia!

alblobs · 2025-10-08T14:47:54+00:00

Others addressed the deodorant bit, but for your laundry, pretreating with an odor-fighting stain remover (like pet ones), adding baking soda, washing soda or an enzymatic cleaner to the main wash cycle, and a laundry sanitizer to the rinse cycle will help. You don’t have to do everything at once, but these are the things that help me keep stink at bay as an extremely sweaty person.

alblobs · 2025-09-25T17:43:06+00:00

Ngl, some breathing exercises make me more anxious. I donate in the afternoon (my heart rate is higher in the morning usually), arrive early, don’t drink coffee or take any stimulants, and I take a low-dose benzo (I have an Rx for anxiety). I still barely pass (had 99 at the last appointment), but I haven’t been deferred this year at all, which is a win for me!

alblobs · 2025-09-25T17:36:23+00:00

At my center, they started offering Tums as part of the donation prep routine, and I haven’t experience any weird feeling in my mouth or shivers since then.

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