# So upset I feel dirty and humiliated



## Ottercops123 (Nov 6, 2012)

Hi ladies,

I have been very lucky to have donor eggs in the past although no positive results.

Basically I am terrified of needles and decided to give blood " to give something back" knowing I'm rhesus negative and in demand!! I answers all questions on line honestly ( they as about fertility ) and got my appointment for tonight I sat outside for an hour building up the courage to go in , on arrival I get taken though more questions again I don't hide anything at all and told they are running behind approx 45 min - ok so I sit petrified ( I'm pathetic I know) I am then called to a chair away ( arms length) to anyone sitting around and again go through all the questions and answer everything honestly - a nurse then comes and again goes through the questions this time there's a problem ( by now I'm a wreak with nerves) so shouts over asking for a computer other nurse brings a computer she then says do you know anything about egg donor - whooh please that's very private information I said she then looks through policy and because i have been a receipt if donor eggs I can donate blood ok !! However this thing of a nurse proceeded to tell me in a non quiet voice that I can't donation because I'm contaminated but to excepting donor eggs as there's a protential of man cow tissues !!! I was very shocked and upset she then said I'm sorry your contaminated you can't donate ever... The room went quiet and I just burst into tears .... I felt so dirty I came home and have cried for the last few hours ... How degrading and insensitive .

On top of this I have never been told there is a chance of mad cows disease being transferred.

Sorry for the rant I'm just so upset that after filling everything out the information has not been filtered and to be told I'm contaminated like this isn't hard enough 😢


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## Ottercops123 (Nov 6, 2012)

Should say can't donate blood


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## Ottercops123 (Nov 6, 2012)

Sorry read my post back lots of small errors I'm just still upset I'm sure you ladies know what I'm saying x


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## Dee55 (May 3, 2013)

Wow Trudy what an experience, sending you lots of hugs      

I have to admit I think you handled the situation better then I would have! I think I would have given the nurse a piece of my mind. How dare she treat you like that

No one has a right to upset anyone or humiliate them in any way.    

You were trying to do good and to me that's amazing!    

Please stop crying xxx


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## mierran (Apr 24, 2009)

Hi,

please don't worry re mad cow disease. The problem is while they screen donors for everything they can they don't know if there is something they can't screen for that could be transmitted so are covering themselves, esp after all the things with eg haemophiliacs getting hiv from contaminated blood in the 1980s

you are more likely to have picked up mad cow disease as a student eating a kebab than from accepting donor eggs.

I know it sucks that they won't let you donate. You are just trying to do your bit. They also won't let you donate if you have had a blood transfusion so I was out before I ever became a recipient of de. And that doesn't even mention the meds etc .

Take some time to give yourself some tlc. If you want to do soemthing why not look at volunteering for a few hours? Contact age uk and befriend someone : take some dogs at dogs trust for a walk : be a big sister to someone who is struggling.  

You are not dirty or contaminated any more than a road traffic accident or a baby with rhesus disease who needs a blood transfusion. And as someone who has had 2 blood transfusions from at least 5 donors , plus 2 pregnancies from 2 different egg donors, lets just say I'm not planning on loosing any sleep over variant cjd -the proper name for mad cow disease. Tho I'm sure many would tell you I'm a mad cow already  

Big hugs.

x x


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## bundles (Jul 16, 2011)

Trudy   I am so sorry you had to face this blatant ignorance from a supposed healthcare professional. Her conduct is inexcusable. I personally would have taken her name and made an official complaint. Whatever happened to patient confidentiality. Tbh, even without her name, but quoting time & date, I would still complain. Honey you did nothing wrong. I have always found them to be alarmist. When asked if I'd been in contact with Hepatitis B I said yes. They freaked ! Well, what did they expect me to say, I worked in a large hospital laboratory. 
Big hugs
xx


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## Ottercops123 (Nov 6, 2012)

Thank you ladies , it was just the words your contaminated due to excepting donor eggs that really hurt me , I've had a poo night sleep getting upset and angry .
I will be phoning PALs today's to put a complaint in xx


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

That's just awful hun and absolutely not the experience that you should have in doing something really selfless such as giving blood. 

This definitely needs to be fed back to the donation service because there are issues around donor confidentiality and revealing of very personal information in a public manner as well as some very basic bedside manner and education of the staff.  

Poor you, you tried to do a really wonderful thing.  Don't be put off or feel dregraded by silly ignorance xxx


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## scribbles (Jun 23, 2013)

Sorry about your experience, it must have been very upsetting for you. 

I didn't want to read and run as I used to work for a blood service and I just wanted to say that if your experience was less than dignified or you feel like your confidentiality was breached in anyway, please make a complaint to the blood service. All questions should be asked in an enclosed area that is not within earshot of anyone except you and the blood collection assistant or nurse. Complaining may not change the result but it's unacceptable practise to breach confidentiality and treating people who discover that they can't give blood with no sensitivity or dignity.

I'm sorry you had that experience, especially after everything you've been through.


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## Ottercops123 (Nov 6, 2012)

Hi scribbles thank you for the information I have logged a complaint leaning more on the word " contaminated " and how it made me feel hopefully they will look at their preachers and add an extra box then it would save heart ache x


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