New Adventures in Blood Donation
I’m going to go try to donate blood today, given that we’ve been bombarded with messages about postponing elective surgeries due to a shortage. Wish me luck – if you recall, my the last donation resulted in my using the phrase “blood fountain,” and much mopping and changing of clothes. The time before that, a nurse passed out, fell out of her chair, and vomited everywhere at the canteen table. That went well with my oatmeal cream pie.
See current blood level status for Nashville online, and check for donation opportunities nationwide at givelive.org.
Update: Gah. I want one normal blood donation experience for Christmas, okay? I don’t think I got a good stick – it hurt much more than usual, and once stuck, I was bleeding quite slowly, whereas I usually fill a bag in 4-6 minutes. In anticipation of having to remove the needle because I was too slow, they never taped it down, and came by to wiggle it periodically. $#@*#. I can handle any number of gross and medical things, but watching and feeling someone wiggle a needle that is *in my arm* is low on my tolerability list. They finally gave up and took the needle out, and won’t even be able to use the blood I did pump. Apparently they have to have a certain amount to use it, but it was too much to let me go back this afternoon and fill the bag. Nice.
Pic 1: Nice Bruise, or, It Will Be Purple Tomorrow
Pic 2: Tomorrow
I’ve only tried to donate blood once, and that was exactly what happened – it was only afterward that I thought to mention my Raynaud’s (sp?), and they were like, “Oh – don’t come back.”
I actually sort of like the bruise occasionally. I wear it like a badge of honor. Unless I have a job interview…
Junkie!
C – I did get a few weird stares at work!
I donate at least once a month, and ive been doing it for the past 7 years,, ive only bruised 2 or 3 times.. this explains it http://www.blood.co.uk/visually_impaired/vi_bruising.html