Type AB+

I'm the Universal Recipient....A friggin vampire....I can take everyone's blood and only another person with this rare type of blood or a person with AB- (an even rarer blood than mine) can take my blood.

When I knew I was having scheduled surgery, I saved my own blood for surgery. If I am in an accident or emergency, they will pull any available blood type from the blood bank that they have in excess supply.

I actually have been told by the blood bank they won't bother to collect mine unless there was an emergency happening real time because in general they have enough available supply and my type is rarely needed.



One caveat: Type AB+ people have what is known as the "Universal Plasma"....which if they are looking for plasma, makes my blood valuable. So I guess that is something that if there is a need for plasma I can come in handy.

Yes, AB+ is the universal receiver, but I've been told it's best to match blood types when possible. I'm constantly getting notifications that my blood type is needed

Lived in Europe in late 80's through early 90's when there was Mad Cow disease....

They can't test for it, so they just don't want it and risk the blood supply....

That’s odd.

It might also have to do with the length of time there. Maybe you were there shorter period of time?

Who knows...I only know when I was asked in questionaires, I was told because of that I was disqualified.

I am in my 52nd year of donating. For the first 30 or so it was once every 2 months. Now I give platelets every 28 days.
Type O-.

Used to give white cells until my donation place quit taking them.

Donating blood is something I am passionate about.
Started at age 18 in December of 1967 giving for a friend who was a hemophiliac. Back in those days he had to pay an exorbitant cost for blood or replace it. So he had all sorts of friends donating for him. They got my blood type and never let me go.

I was a regular donor and then in the 90’s they started asking about living in Europe for more than 3 months after 1980. Since I was in Germany for 3 years I said Yes. Nope can’t take my blood anymore. Mad cow. There’s no way they can test for it. I call regularly to see if the rules have changed.

I haven’t had any problems giving blood at all.

but the rules are different for gay people