Thursday, Apr. 21, 2005 - 12:21 a.m.
There was a blood drive at work today. So I momentarily abandoned my work and joined the short line, mostly women, waiting to donate. It was the first time I can remember that I've given blood. Most of my needle experiences have to do with medical tests.
It's an interesting process. Or maybe I'm just more curious about details than most people.
When I got there the first thing a lady asked me was if I'd eaten. I told her I'd had a granola bar and some apple juice (because I'm not much of a breakfast person and it was only 10) and she insisted that I eat a bagel and have some orange juice. So, I did while I filled out the paperwork.
To donate blood you have to be able to verify who you are. I guess they can't just be handing out random strangers' blood to people. You also have to answer all sorts of questions, most of which make sense if you really think about it. Interestingly, I learned that I probably wouldn't have been able to give blood before this point, because this is 3 years since I was in Germany. And there is a question asking if you've left the country (or Canada) in the past 3 years.
They stab your finger and check your hemoglobin before even bothering. I don't know what my hemoglobin score was though, the nurse didn't tell me. She did tell me my blood pressure and heart rate, but I don't remember it now.
So, after deeming me fit and verifying my existence, she sent me to the actual bloodletting.
I must mention, everyone was incredibly nice. You can tell with things like this that people are really doing it because they want to do something good.
So I sat down and prepared for the needle. I hate needles. It always hurts going in, stings initially and aches later. But, good cause and all.
So, my arm was rubbed over with what I believe was iodine. Orange and metalic smelling. I was given a squeezy thing to grip and rubber was tied around my arm.
While this was going on, a guy came over and put a sticker on my shoulder. "Hug me. I gave blood today." And gave me a gift - an insolated lunch bag. I can't believe they actually have to bribe people to do this.
And after the needle was in, I could look at my arm again. They taped the tube in place and told me to alternately squeeze and release my hand every 10 seconds. The bag catching my blood was sitting on a machine that rocked it back and forth every few seconds (to keep it from clotting I was told - because, of course, I asked).
Blood really is very dark in color. It's deep crimson. I thought about this, sitting in the chair, watching the bag next to me fill (much quicker than the lady's next to me for some reason). You are donating a piece of your body, to help someone else. It's a good feeling, even though it aches a little still, hours later, at my elbow. All in all it took maybe half an hour. What's half an hour for something that does me no harm and could help someone else?
Then they tie off the tube and attach a little doohickie to it, so that they can fill a few viles, from which they will test the blood for diseases as well as cholesterol level (free service acquired when you donate blood - I'll also get a card telling me my blood type, which will benefit my faulty memory). After taking five viles, she put the guaze at the needle and pulled it out. And instructed me to hold my arm up in the air.
I watched as she took the bag, full of my blood and with the tube still attached and put the tube on something that fused the end shut. All of it number labeled to coordinate to my paperwork. And so quickly done.
I was told to drink twice as much water as I usually do and not to remove the bandage she wrapped around my arm for 6 hours. And, of course, given even more orange juice and food.
