I am sick of

[Ms. Toad]

26. I don't know, specifically,

but their site indicates they use 16-17 gauge needles.

The damage to my veins was just repeated use of large bore needles, over time. No particular trauma - I just scar. I can see the tracks on the outside (I can count 15 distinct scars on the right arm and at least 10 on the left. Bodies heal pretty well - but repeated injuries ot the same place - sometimes causes permanent damage.

I have no trouble with routine blood draws - but contrast for MRIs and CTs requires a larger bore needle - so that's when I feel the impact.

I'd love to donate more, but given the restrictions which limit me to one arm - and the frequent need for conrast - it isn't a good choice for me.

When I was young - I didn't even think about such things (most of my gallons were donated by the time I was in my early 30s. I was probably in my mid-late 40s when the Red Cross started commenting that they were encountering scarring