# Too Fat To Donate Blood . . .



## BBWGwen (Oct 6, 2005)

So I had an appointment to give blood today (I just got home) from the American Red Cross location across the street, where I have been giving blood on a regular basis.

After going through all of the one on one questions, iron test, blood pressure, and waiting, I get told to verify my weight from a different nurse. I tell her, again confirming what is written down. She says, "Unfortunately we cannot let you donate today. We have recently been enforcing the weight restriction on the recliner chairs in the donation area. They have a limit of 350 lbs and I wouldn't want to see anything happen to you."

Now I'm not far over the mark, and I have given blood there several times without incident, but because the chair "squeaked" while having a large man in the chair they feared getting sued by the one fat ass that it breaks down on. So now my goal is to not just lose some weight for my health, future kids, and to fit into some nice clothes, but to also give blood? I mean come on! Provide a chair that can hold my lard ass long enough to donate my blood to some poor soul who needs it.

I'm sorry but I just find this shocking, and for obvious reasons a little embarrassing having to leave the center not because I have AIDS but because I'm too fat. 

~Gwen


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## MissToodles (Oct 6, 2005)

Most chairs are prorated at lower weights. They can usually accomdate an extra hundred pounds easily. There is a great need for blood donations and you would think they would be apt to have a wide variety of seating. Write, call and complain!


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## BBWGwen (Oct 6, 2005)

I think I just might do that MissToodles, especially since I have given there numerous times and I've never made the chair squeak. 



MissToodles said:


> Most chairs are prorated at lower weights. They can usually accomdate an extra hundred pounds easily. There is a great need for blood donations and you would think they would be apt to have a wide variety of seating. Write, call and complain!


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## eljay (Oct 6, 2005)

That is insane! What have things come to that the medical prof's can't do their job because they can see the lawyers circling overhead?!

What happens if you suggest you'll just sit on the floor whilst they take blood?


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## Velvet (Oct 6, 2005)

How ludicris!
With all the people affected by Katrina etc. you would think the priority wouldn't be protection from being sued, but giving to those who need it most.  
I donate blood regularly here in Paris, and while I'm fairly certain my ass is the biggest ever to hit their tight chairs, they send me notes to remind me to come give! Guess the reprecussions of a sue-ing society are in full force there. Shame.
Whatever you do don't let them see Ivy's recent 'Chair broke' pix,lol XO
Velvet





BBWGwen said:


> So I had an appointment to give blood today (I just got home) from the American Red Cross location across the street, where I have been giving blood on a regular basis.
> 
> After going through all of the one on one questions, iron test, blood pressure, and waiting, I get told to verify my weight from a different nurse. I tell her, again confirming what is written down. She says, "Unfortunately we cannot let you donate today. We have recently been enforcing the weight restriction on the recliner chairs in the donation area. They have a limit of 350 lbs and I wouldn't want to see anything happen to you."
> 
> ...


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## waitingforsuperman (Oct 6, 2005)

sounds like a job for the naafa.

seriously, if we had a loser pays system here, we wouldn't be having this problem.


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## BBWGwen (Oct 6, 2005)

Agreed Eljay. I would think that if they are enforcing a weight limit on their donation chairs then they need to in turn provide a couple of chairs that can accomodate someone over 350. Makes sense to me.



eljay said:


> That is insane! What have things come to that the medical prof's can't do their job because they can see the lawyers circling overhead?!
> 
> What happens if you suggest you'll just sit on the floor whilst they take blood?


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## BBWGwen (Oct 6, 2005)

Agreed Velvet they need donations now more than ever after Katrina so it really burned me up that I got discriminated against because of a stupid weight limit on their chairs. They call me like hungry blood vultures as soon as that date rolls around to donate again, and now I have something to reply with that'll really leave 'em speechless.

I think that if they saw Ivy's pictures they'd close their doors to anyone over 200 lbs.  



Velvet said:


> How ludicris!
> With all the people affected by Katrina etc. you would think the priority wouldn't be protection from being sued, but giving to those who need it most.
> I donate blood regularly here in Paris, and while I'm fairly certain my ass is the biggest ever to hit their tight chairs, they send me notes to remind me to come give! Guess the reprecussions of a sue-ing society are in full force there. Shame.
> Whatever you do don't let them see Ivy's recent 'Chair broke' pix,lol XO
> Velvet


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## BBWGwen (Oct 6, 2005)

Yep, I could definitely see this as something for NAAFA.



waitingforsuperman said:


> sounds like a job for the naafa.
> 
> seriously, if we had a loser pays system here, we wouldn't be having this problem.


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## missaf (Oct 6, 2005)

That's insane. They beg for blood then turn you down. You're a seasoned giver, and they won't let you give. I'd definitely complain for all those other people who have been turned away.

My folate levels and iron aren't steady enough to give anymore, I wish I could tho


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## ChickletsBBW (Oct 6, 2005)

oh my goodness.. that is the most rediculous thing I've ever heard... I can't believe they told you that. Frankly they should be thankful to anyone that comes in to donate, overweight or not. There are a lot of places around here that will pay you 20 bucks to donate but they can't guarantee where your blood is going or if it will be used for research. So if you went to the Red Cross and they turned you down.. shame shame shame on them. 
That was descrimination in my opinion.


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## BBWGwen (Oct 6, 2005)

I'm getting the info for my local ACLU chapter and they'll be getting a letter from me, because they not only discriminated against me but they violated my civil rights. A "big" no no.


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## Santaclear (Oct 6, 2005)

I'll take your blood, Miss Gwen.


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## ValentineBBW (Oct 6, 2005)

BBWGwen said:


> So I had an appointment to give blood today (I just got home) from the American Red Cross location across the street, where I have been giving blood on a regular basis.
> 
> After going through all of the one on one questions, iron test, blood pressure, and waiting, I get told to verify my weight from a different nurse. I tell her, again confirming what is written down. She says, "Unfortunately we cannot let you donate today. We have recently been enforcing the weight restriction on the recliner chairs in the donation area. They have a limit of 350 lbs and I wouldn't want to see anything happen to you."
> 
> ...


It's not just you and your area. My brother (who is a BHM) was told the same thing on more than one occasion of trying to donate blood. How said healthy blood is turned away because they are too cheap (and closed minded) to offer seating that meets needs of someone other than a little old lady!!


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## Miss Vickie (Oct 6, 2005)

Unreal. You'd think, with the chronic blood shortages we have, that they'd happily make whatever accommodations they can in order to facilitate getting more healthy donors in the door.


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## fatlane (Oct 6, 2005)

Maybe you should just lie about your weight... if they look at you funny, tell them you're just wearing bulky clothing. That way, you won't have to wait for the suit to settle before you donate again.


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## Moonchild (Oct 6, 2005)

All this because of a chair? How difficult can it possibly be to accomodate a bigger person? Surely it's worth the cause that the blood would be going to. I can kinda-sorta understand their fear of lawsuits, since people sue at the drop of a hat, but if they have this weight restriction rule it's clearly happened before.


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## EvilPrincess (Oct 6, 2005)

Argh I just hate that they turned you away. I am almost 100lbs over the weightload for the donor chairs but I have not been turned away. They don't even ask my weight when I go..... Here comes the but.. ... I run a very large office with task chairs that are limited at 250 lbs. I have seen what happens when one gives under a big person. I would hate to see someone disabled due to poor planning on the blood bank's part. Good luck with the ACLU!


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## Wilson Barbers (Oct 6, 2005)

When I went to give blood one Saturday a.m. recently, the skinny little coed in the cot next to me passed out in the middle of giving blood. "She told me she'd eaten breakfast," the nurse confided to me afterwards, "but I don't think she was telling the truth."

Red Cross blood drive planning isn't just poor on the matter of seating, from my experience. The day we most recently went, my wife was turned away because she is allergic to iodine, which is what they usually use when they stick your arm witht he catheter needle. There is a non-iodine they can use, but they don't always keep it on hand - even though asking if the donor is allergic to iodine is part of the screening interview you undergo before giving blood. You'd think they'd have some on-site, but we were told we needed to call ahead to insure that the alternative was available. (We've never had this problem before, but this was the first time we were giving blood away from the actual local Red Cross building.) Kinda nuts, if you ask me . . .


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## swamptoad (Oct 7, 2005)

If you go to donate blood regularly I think that is super awesome. You are doing something voluntarily that has a lot of merit! If you go and get turned down because of your weight...and someone walks up and speaks to you regarding your weight and about the rules being changed...*makes me ponder*.... You know the place already (including the equipment and chairs) ....We know that rules sometimes have limitations that are made for what seems like very stupid reasons. Sometimes rules are made to be broken and people have to learn to overlook such bogus rules. But the health care professional who spoke with you probably was worried that he/she might lose their job if they didn't follow the rules. Its ridiculous when you have a bigger issue *The world needs more blood* which is a higher priority over the other issue *The chairs weight-limit for blood donation so as to not have a law-suit* ---or whatever other reason/reasons they have for that rule.

Looks like a sociological bias, prejudice, and discrimination issue to me.


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## Elfcat (Oct 14, 2005)

I lied UPWARDS about my weight in high school to donate. I guess they worry about skinny people suffering from too much blood loss, but it never put a dent in my mental state. At least not that I know of.....


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## Wayne_Zitkus (Oct 14, 2005)

I donated blood for the first time in a few years this week. But the woman who was doing my intake application was acting as if she really didn't think it was a good idea for me to donate. You see, I came in wearing my back brace (for herniated discs), a thumb brace on my left hand (arthritis), and an elastic sleeve over my right elbow (for cubital tunnel syndrome). I guess she figured that I needed the blood more than they did.....


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## Observer (Oct 15, 2005)

I know a person who had a stroke several years ago. Despite loss of use of one arm he is mentally functional and regularly works 14 hours a day running a corporation. He is also drives and is active in his Church and local service club. So much for being disabled. But they won't permit him to donate blood.

Another individual I know is precluded from donating because he visited a European country for six weeks that had a case of Mad Cow disease.

Asked why they couldn't donate, both these individuals were told it wasn't up to the local blood bank and even a letter from a physician wouldn't help. Its all Federal regulations and everyone has to comply


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