American Red Cross Cobb Donor Center

It is so nice to do this at the donation center. I can go anytime, make an appointment on my the red cross app and they have a nice spot for me to sit and recover. The staff are always so friendly.

By the time we got here, we had already attempted to donate blood… twice. The first time, up in Chicago, they went through the entire questionnaire, finger poke, and reference materials that look like my dog ate them, only to tell us that we couldn’t donate because we had gone on our honeymoon to the Bahamas seven months before. You couldn’t have asked that first!!!
After many months of trying to convince my husband to go again, we came to this location. We came on a Saturday afternoon WITH appointments and they TURNED US AWAY. They said they were just too busy and too short staffed and yadda yadda yadda… Needless to say, getting my husband back in here was a miracle in itself.
So, we finally came one day after work. When we entered, we were greeted by a nice, somewhat frazzled receptionist. We had to read an informational pamphlet that look like it had gone through the washer and dryer and then proceeded in to get stolen by the leprechaun who lives in there.
Anyhow…I was taken into the consultation room first. I was asked numerous questions about my health and travel history. (I couldn’t help but giggle when he asked me if I wanted to be referred to as a female…) Finally he led me to a huge medical chair where… my husband was already giving blood…
WTF?!? What did the guy to do keep my in that little room longer than my husband when I went in first! After sitting there for another 5ish or so minutes while my husband was already draining, I finally got started. Three minutes later… BAM…I was done. Grand Champion of blood donating here! (Meanwhile my husband is staring at his bag wondering why its taken him 15+ minutes…)
Neither of us fainted. In fact we both had cookies and received free (Large, which I so am not… but he is…) long-​sleeve T-​Shirts.
All in all I wouldn’t mind going back to donate blood again, I just wish it was closer. Google says 17 mins… but in Atlanta time we all know that equals at least 45…

cool spot. go donate blood people!!!

I generally have an awesome experience here, and as of late, have. I do warn that if you make an appointment on the same day at 800-​GIVE-​LIFE, oftentimes this center does not get that information, so they may not have that time reserved. I have only encountered a couple of rude or impersonal people here, and I am not sure they are still there. One even was saying that since I was approaching 28, I better have a baby before it is too late, and what was I waiting for? Wow, not that it was any of his business, and I was already sensitive about that topic anyway, but needless to say, it made me uncomfortable.
Other than that, the facility is nice, and accommodates platelet and whole and double blood donors, and has a nice clean bathroom and TVs, as well as fully stocked snacks.

My local donor center (the one at Peachtree Dunwoody & Hammond) closed some time ago, so I was forced to find a new one. Unfortunately they’ve only saved a few «local» locations — Midtown, Alpharetta and Cobb. I decided to stop in this Cobb one since I had some time and was in the area.
This Cobb location is set in a strip mall next to some other shops and medical offices. Both the inside and outside are not quite as nice as the location in midtown, but really… who cares? It’s just a blood donor center. The interior has that sterile hospital smell which, strangely, makes me feel more comfortable… i.e. this place is official. My walk-​in at 4:30pm on a Wednesday was no issue; of course it can’t hurt to make an appointment. Checking in with the volunteer at the front desk was quick and easy. You get your packet of information, read it over and then you’re escorted by an employee to do the preliminary screen. This employee is typically the one that will be with you from start to finish.
My entire whole blood donation went smoothly for the most part. My employee had trouble reading my blood pressure in the pre-​screen, but a second employee was able to get an accurate reading. No big deal. The drawing of my blood was a very smooth process. As is custom at these donor centers, I was asked about 5 times during the ~15-​minute process if I was feeling okay. There are TVs mounted throughout the donor center. I don’t know what channel or program they’re usually tuned to, but we’re in the middle of Olympics season so I got to watch rowing. No issues with the donation. Felt comfortable the whole time.
The post-​donation food was okay, but the options were a little limited. From the fridge, you have the choice of water or Ocean Spray fruit juice. On the counter, you’re limited to just a few Keebler snacks: cinnamon graham crackers, some sort of fudge cookie bar, some fudge drizzled cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I don’t know when this happened, but I guess Keebler signed some sort of deal with the Red Cross? There were Keebler signs everywhere. Some more choices would have been nice, but oh well. They’re free post-​donation snacks; I’m not really complaining.
My time at this donor center was a pleasant experience, and I’ll be back as soon as I can give again (assuming they don’t close it on me in the meantime).

I stumble past this place as I am leaving Wild Wing almost every week. Considering I didn’t go to church on Easter Sunday and instead broke in my new rabbit toy and was singing my own praises while taking the Lords name in vain, I figured blood donation would take away the guilt.
I arrive at the center and was greeted by a Red Cross worker, filled out some paperwork and within 2 minutes I was laying on a table with a tube in my arm. I don’t know if I started tripping when the tube was put in but I was having an amazing out of body experience. With each blink, I felt like I was weightless, floating above my body. I must have looked pale considering one of the nurses came over and told me to stop looking at the bag being filled with my blood. I looked around the room, started to feel dizzy and oddly giggly, a classic Liz move.
The donation was over as fast as it started and I was given a cute band-​aid and told there was a table with juice and cookies in the corner. I took a deep breath upon standing up and that is the last thing I remember. I opened my eyes, realized I was lying on the ground and I was surrounded by a priest and 2 nurses wearing all white. Was I dead? Is this heaven?
In the end, I ended up eating half a box of animal crackers and one too many tiny thimbles of orange juice but within 30 minutes I was on my way. The guilt was gone! I made my donation, passed out, was revived by a priest and made it home safely that evening to my rabbit. I can’t wait to donate again!

I have never given blood before, but one of my coworkers convinced me to go and SAVE LIVES! :) Plus, January is National Blood Donor month. The experience was okay — everyone was very friendly, especially upon knowing that it was my first time. The process was pleasant, except for the part where the needle had to be readjusted. I guess that’s why my arm is still bruised a week (and a day) later. :(I’ll probably become a regular, since it wasn’t so bad, and I need to get over the fear of needles someday!

I used to be a regular platelet donor, until the folks at the Midtown Donor Center treated me like a crappy vessel for platelets one too many times.
So today was my first day back in quite a while. What a wonderful experience! Maybe it was because I told the lady who called to remind me about how I couldn’t stand the Monroe Center, but EVERYONE was so friendly. And the lady in the chair next to me said that everyone there was very friendly and always knew her. In the two hours that I was there, I observed that the staff knew most everyone who came through the door and made sure to greet them warmly. So that was enough to make me feel better than Midtown.
I donated platelets and red cells, and the machine was a single needle, which allowed me to move my other arm and read my magazine. I can’t honestly say whether this is unique to this donor center — maybe they’ve gotten the more of the single needle machines at Midtown as well, but the fact that the majority of their machines require just one arm, and that they take less time is a very good thing. It only took me 55 minutes for a single platelet and single red cell. That would have taken at least 75 minutes before!
Of course the nutter butters and the juice are always a plus. I’m definitely looking forward to those and the friendly faces when I go back in 3 weeks!