Had to get a transfusion last January as a result of a GI bleed after a colonoscopy.

[Thor_MN]

Jan 13, the day of the big Powerball drawing, I won the wrong lottery and got to spend the might in the ICU. Fortunately, I have decent insurance through work and it only cost me $2500 out of pocket.

Any way, a transfusion bars one from donating blood for a year. I tend to have high hemoglobin so donating is good for me and I don't mind needles.

So today I got the email for the the quarterly blood drive... on January 12th...

[femmocrat]

1. Yikes.

Colonoscopies are scary enough already without this happening! Glad you are OK now.

[Thor_MN]

2. Like I said, I won the wrong lottery.

It was a rare thing. Colonoscopies are a valuable process and should not be feared.

They took out 5 polyps, apparently one was close to a blood vessel and it broke though after they finished. It was no big deal, the prep was far worse than the colonoscopy, and the aftermath was no a huge event either. No pain, I just knew that I was bleeding and needed to get back to the hospital. Depending on which ER doc, they said I lost about half my blood volume. Never was dizzy for a second and could walk around just fine.

I'm much more annoyed that the blood drive was scheduled one day before my year long ban is up.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

9. You might have an "out"

2016 was a leap year, so there was an extra day there. You might convince them the year is up

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. whoa. glad you are ok

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Have you tried to find another blood drive a bit later on?

You could ask the organizers of your normal quarterly drive. They would most likely know.

Glad you're OK!

[Thor_MN]

5. I'm sure I can find one, it's just the missing the one where they drive to my workplace.

"Missed by that much" Don Adams as Maxwell Smart.

[rurallib]

6. you know last year was a leap year so Jan. 12, 2017 is 365 days after

Jan. 13, 2016.

Ask the people that run the blood drive - bet they'll be willing to stick you.

[Thor_MN]

8. You are right!!!

Thank you!!!

This may seem like a small thing, but it is significant to me.

[rurallib]

12. being a blood donor is a big thing to me also

I donated platelets yesterday. This was the first donation of my 50th year of donating. I started in December of 1967

[Thor_MN]

13. Unfortunately, their computer doesn't believe in leap years...

So regardless that it will have been a full year on the day of the drive, I can't donate until Jan 13th, a year and a day from the day I got a transfusion. Sad thing is is that the indifference of the person that I talked to is making me want to say "screw it".

[rurallib]

14. I give regularly (monthly) at a hospital

perhaps there is a place nearby that takes donations daily. I give at the university hospital and their center is open weekdays and anytime for an emergency.
Maybe check out around to see if there isn't a hospital or a donor center near you where you could make it a monthly or bimonthly regular date.

( ours even wants to do me every 2 weeks now. Apparently that is the new standard)

[Fla Dem]

7. Try any way. They may think one day is insignificant.

[mythology]

10. If it's a Red Cross drive, no they won't think it's insignificant

I've tried to donate a day or two early and they wouldn't let me.

[Thor_MN]

11. Yup, not just Red Cross.

Their computers don't believe in Leap Years. They would rather lose out on a donation than to call 365 days a year.

I just tried to schedule an appointment and "Dave" said he believed me that 2016 was a leap year (Gee, Thanks, Dave) but that he couldn't do a thing because the computer wouldn't let him. He said that if I tried to do a walk up, I probably would not be able to either, because their computers would not allow it either.

Damn, this last year has sucked. And I don't see the coming years being any better.