Is how much I've donated in the past 5 years! The lady at the blood bank told me I've helped save up 54 lives! My mind is still blown. I can't believe I've helped over 50 people with just 18 pints of donated blood. I'm aiming to reach my father's total, which is 6 gallons. I try to donate every 2 1/2 - 3 months. So I'm hoping I will be at 2 1/2 gallons by the end of the year. Problem is, I really want another tattoo (I'm getting the Tardis on my ankle) and if I get one, I won't be able to donate for a year. So I'm thinking about waiting till I reach the 3 gallon mark.

Anyone else a blood donor? How much have you donated? You can save up to 3 people with just 1 pint. I'm also a registered organ and bone marrow donor. So far, I'm not a match to anyone looking for bone marrow.

And for those who donate, you know sometimes how the process can be somewhat entertaining. Feel free to share any stories. My funny story involves under cooked scrambled eggs and me puking my guts out at the end of the donation and yelling, "you're still using my blood right? You better!"

I used to donate at school every time I saw the mobile unit. Unfortunately I'm in my 2nd year of not being able to donate. I was in Haiti in January 2013 so that disqualified me for a year, and then I got a tattoo this January so I won't be able to until next year :(

That's too bad. You'll be able to donate again soon with the way this year is flying.

I've had to get blood drawn so many times for tests, needles stopped bothering me. I've always wanted to donated blood because helping people is nice, but unfortunately I'm not allowed to. <_<

I donated twice ever.

The first time, I threw up orange juice everywhere. I was in the nurse's office (this was when I was still in high school) for the rest of the day. Eventually, one of the blood drive nurse's came up stairs, weighed me, told me I was 20lbs under the weight limit, and said I was never allowed to donate blood again. >.>

This past summer, I donated again, for the first time in a 5 years? We made it 3/4s of the way filling the bag, and I almost passed out. They had to stop taking my blood, and I was like "You better still use it, after all that crap!"

So yea, I hate donating blood, but I'm O+ so I do it anyway. :)

I wish I could donate blood, if I could, I'd do it as often as I was allowed to.

Unfortunately, autoimmune problems have tainted my blood and it's unsuitable for donation. :c

It's a real shame, because I'd love to be able to help! I also get routine bloodwork done so needles and etc don't phase me at all.

i would also totally love to donate blood if i was able! i'm under the weight requirement by about 10 pounds i believe, which is a total bummer. i'd love to give someone the blood they need to sustain their life, as neither needles nor drawing blood bothers me.

it's great that you've donated so much, though! if i remember correctly, my (deceased) paternal grandfather donated almost 20 gallons of blood late in his life. u w u

I'll never forget the first time I donated. I made it all the way through and was siting in the canteen and threw up. The bad thing was there was a super cute guy sitting at the table next to mine.

But at least you still try. I don't mind donating. I just hate the needle.

That's too bad. One of my good friends has Lupus and she really wishes she could be a donor but they won't let her.

I'm about twenty pounds underweight too, and there's no chance I'll ever make that up lol. I'd do it if I could, though. Blood and needles don't bother me.

I would do it since I'm fairly okay with blood and needles. Sadly, I have autoimmune mojo and a risk of lupus so .. I can't donate at all :(

Sorry to hear that. One of my good friends has lupus and it breaks her heart knowing she can't donate.

My boyfriend and his mother donate blood a lot.. Unfortunately I'm too underweight to donate any blood. I didn't know that was possible until one of my friends had said she couldn't donate blood because of that reason.

I haven't done that not good with needles. I'd most likely pass out

I don't like to donate blood anymore. I had a really bad experience one time and it's scared me off of doing it anymore. Part of the bad experience involved the fact that the only thing they had to eat after donation was chili. CHILI. With meat in it. And they tried to insist I eat it. I'M VEGETARIAN YOU STUPID FUCKS. I was extremely displeased with how they handled the situation. No orange juice, no cookies, nope, just fucking meat-filled chili. Whoever thought that was a good idea needs to be strangled with their own intestines. I was sick the rest of the day because I didn't get to eat anything for 20 minutes after I donated (how long it took for my parents to drive me home). So I'm kind of distrustful of the whole situation now. I did, however, help out at a blood drive that my gym was sponsoring. I just checked people in and pointed them towards the right place to go.

Chili? That's so weird and kind of random. I go to a blood bank and there are several tables with baskets of cookies, crackers, and potato chips and a huge fridge stocked with soda and juice. Yeah, I don't blame you there.

That's awesome! (And I was totally expecting something wayyy more bloodcurdling than this after the title, aha.) I really want to donate blood at some point, but right now I'm about 20 pounds too light to meet the standard requirements. /sigh/ Hopefully eventually I'll get to.

wow congrats thats really cool!

i only donated like once because donating blood was in my bucket list. i freak out around needles but sucked it up when there was a blood drive during my final year in uni. i was freaking out when they brought the needle & the nurses hesitated & told me to try next time because they were afraid i might pull it out while panicking. in the end i just closed my eyes & it wasnt really that bad lol. i might try it again next time

I haven't donated in a year or two, have gotten tattoos so that put a hold on it. I've donated between 5-10 times.

Thanks! I was expecting people to take the title the wrong way, which is why I added the "nothing morbid" part. I'm sure you'll be able to donate one day.

Thanks! It's so amazing to know that I've helped so many people. I have little things I do as the needle is taken out and as I'm being stuck. I usually donate out of my left arm because the veins are better. I look away and when the phlebotomist tells me they are about to insert the needle, I squeeze the arm rest with my right hand and I kick out my right foot. It looks crazy and I get a lot of weird looks but it really helps. It keeps me from moving my left arm. Then I usually find something to focus on for the few minutes. The blood bank I go to has tvs, so I'll usually watch whatever is on or I people watch.

I really want more tattoos. I'll probably get them next winter but I'm not sure.

I wish I could donate blood but my veins are so bad and needles make me panic so much thanks to some bad events in my past that I unfortunately can't unless I want to cause chaos...