So last year, I donated to the Red Cross, and made the mistake of giving them my number.

Normally, this hasn't been a problem, but there was a point where they wouldn't stop calling me (some months ago). I asked them to put me on a do not call list, and they agreed. The calls seemed to have stopped, so I thought that was settled.

Recently, they started calling incessently again. I finally decided to answer the call, asked them to stop calling me, and they claim they would but then started to give me a pitch on how they're 'desperate' for donations, etc. etc. I have no doubt that they can always use more donations, and I feel somewhat bad I'm not donating every other week like they'd wish, but they were obviously not respecting my wish to not be called. So I lied and, in the middle of their spiel, said "I have AIDS. I'm sorry. Goodbye." I then promptly hung up.

If they call again after this, I really don't know what to do about it. Also, if I ever want to donate blood to them again, I'm not sure I can now (unless they accept that I lied to them, in which case I may be stuck in my original situation).

Anyone else had these problems? Am I a horrible person for doing what I did?

Learn to call in bomb threat noob

I'm pretty sure that would have MORE attention on me, probably from the police.

Find a different place to donate blood then, there's plenty of places. Besides, I doubt it'd ever come up. When you go in they'd ask you anyway, and you just say no. Also, I'm fairly sure they test the blood regardless, so it wouldn't matter.

Well, seeing as they were committing harassment, and lying isn't a crime, I'd say there's absolutely nothing wrong with what you did. In fact, I'd have kept the person on a bit longer and been more sincere about it, just to make sure they got the message

They kept calling me for a while too, usually early on saturday mornings. Finally I just said "Look, I donate a lot already. You dont need to call me every weekend."

I fully approve.

Also, I tried to give blood once, they said my veins are too thin (apparently) and they can't pump blood out of me.

No wonder I always hated giving blood from the vein for checkups in those 1 or 2 cases that I had ever been seriously ill. The nurses always had to stab me 4 to 6 times, in different places. Sometimes in both arms.

The nurse at the blood giving thing were I went "voluntarily" gave up after wiggling the needle for a while.

In her defense, she did stab me only just this once. I got 2 bottles of water and a cookie.

Naturally, I drank the water and grabbed the cookie during the blood testing part.

I don't donate much myself for similar reasons (at least in part), though I apparently have somewhat low blood pressure too, so it takes them longer.

i dont think im even allowd to donate blood... ive been to africa in the last 5 years and i have lots of tattoos.

They call me every few months when they're having a blood drive on campus. I usually go, although sometimes I'm too busy. They love me because I have O+ blood (which is I think very common, and in my opinion is the best type to have. I'll have to calculate that sometime...) and perfect veins. I also am usually pretty fast, unless I got too busy to stay hydrated.

They do call me a lot, but I they don't really pester, and I appreciate it because I am usually oblivious and wouldn't know, think about it, or go if they didn't call me every time. It's kind of like having a personal secretary. I wish they'd call me every time I had something important to do.

I really hope that doesn't go on a list somewhere.

My blood pressure and sugar levels are too low for me to even bother.

He really shouldn't be donating blood if he has AIDS.

Easier to say you got a tattoo or left the country?

If they're phoning him at home he's obviously in the country.

If you venture to certain strange lands you're not supposed to give blood until they're sure you didn't contract the shenanigan virus.

I'm pretty sure that the Red Cross tests all their blood before using it for transfusions. I remember reading something about how they won't keep people with blood-borne diseases from donating. I think one of the main reasons for this, in addition to allowing people with diseases to doing something symbolic in support of those who need transfusions, was preventing situations where a person who has a disease isn't forced to stand out awkwardly when all their friends (who don't know about the disease) donate and they chose not to. I could be wrong about that, though.

I too have started getting phone calls from the Red Cross... it goes through phases. I'll get no calls for a month, and then suddenly I start getting 3 or 4 calls a week. It's gotten to the point that I recognize their number, and don't answer. I do give blood though, so I refuse to feel bad about not answering the phone when they call.

I can't tell if you're joking or if you just didn't read the thread :p

It's common in the United States but both A and B are dominant, and more common globally. O+ isn't that great. If you were O-, they would be stalking you with giant needles.

I was in the emergency room once because I sliced my hand open, and I ended up donating a bunch of blood when some nurse came around begging for anyone who was O-. O- people can only take transfusions of O-, so I probably saved someone's life.

I know O+ isn't quite as good for donating, but I meant "best" overall, as in, I can donate to help a lot of people, but also I am not completely screwed if I need blood. Hence "best". I would be curious to calculate this based on proportions of blood types and donate/recieve ability.

B POS *****ES

Right in the middle of commonality.

Since you know, it matters. It's a good idea to get your blood type tattooed on your so they know what kind to use, for real.

"my PTSD doesn't go deep at all."

-Spook

I'm on pretty much a lifetime ban from donating blood, having lived in England and Ireland for a few months between 1980 and 1999. I just hope I don't actually have Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Spongiform encephalopathy is no way to go out.

That's great for those of us who hate needles. ****.

The only downside is you may have just gotten yourself added to a list at the CDC and Dept of Public Health for your efforts. I don't know the exact details or if the Red Cross does, but I know that Planned Parenthood always has a disclaimer about that when I go in for my annual tests.

Edit: I've tried to give blood a couple times and both times I almost blacked out and/or puked. Even the little vials for cholesterol tests are a bit stressful. (And yes I do eat before, and all the other things I"m supposed to,) It's not that I'm scared of needles, it's just that I'm intensely protective about my precious bodily fluids.

Those needles don't hurt. Feels more like someone is pinching you.

Yeah, that doesn't bother me. It's the fact that they're pinching under my skin aaaaaaaa I've gone and freaked myself out, thanks.

My work here is done.

It doesn't.

Because B-ing POS is in my blood.

Not HIV but full-blown AIDS?

I'm O+, and donate when I can. I think I've got one in about three weeks, but the most I ever get is a text message. I guess the NBS can't afford phonecalls.

I think my sister is A+, though.

If you ever have a change of heart, they test for AIDS and see that you were making it up, donate blood and are then harassed again, just tell them you spent some time in Scotland during the early 90's, you know, during the mad cow scare. People will be less phobic about your mouthwash if it's that rather than AIDS.

I tried donating blood once. I have O+ and thought I would be doing the world a favor. But I had a headache on that day and they were afraid I had West Nile Virus. It was unfounded, so they didn't get my blood and I didn't get my cookies.

my senior year of high school i donated and i kept getting phone calls on my house number and my cell number. it was getting to the point where it was almost every other day id get a call from them even though i asked to be put on the do not call list twice. every time they'd call my house my dad would tell me "Dracula was calling". my dad got fed up with it and got in an argument over the phone with someone who was calling me and he told them to stop calling because i was a minor and he was not giving me permission to donate even though i was 18 when i donated in the first place. i know the red cross can be really helpful but they kinda bully into having you help. its pretty annoying.

Just tell em, next time you want to give blood, you cured yourself of AIDS by eating lots of vitamin C. Trust me, I'm a doctor in training .

So I can NEVER give blood?

If the UK were picky about donations from people who lived in the UK during the BSE outbreak... well I don't think the Blood Service would have much business. You probably can't donate blood overseas, though. I used to donate blood back in the UK, but am not allowed out here in Australia due to the BSE thang.

Isn't mad cow disease spread by eating brains and not blood anyway?