Kyle and I went to the blood donor clinic about a month ago to donate blood together. It was our first time and I didn't really know what to expect. After I was asked a bunch of personal questions, the nurse left the room and there were two stickers with barcodes on them. One was a "yes" barcode, and the other was a "no" barcode. If I was too embarrassed to answer any of the questions truthfully, I could choose the "no" barcode and put it on my file and nobody would know that I didn't think my blood should be used. What an awesome idea. Because I don't do anything risky ever, I was able to answer truthfully and pick the "yes" code.
The nurse decided that she liked the vein in my right arm best, and she brought out a needle with a cap thinger on the end covering the tip. I kept staring at it. It made me anxious and I didn't even think of whether I actually wanted to see it or not, I just kept staring. She noticed and said "Oh sweetie, you don't want to see it." I promptly looked away, feeling slightly discomforted. When she stuck it in it hurt a little, even though she said it wouldn't, but I expected that. Nurses always say it won't hurt just to calm you down. When I become a nurse I'm gonna be straight up about it.
The tube ran the length of my arm and when they started to pump the blood out, it felt warm against my arm. It felt kinda weird just cuz it's like, oh wow, that's my blood. I didn't feel anything throughout the blood draining so it went well. When it was done, Kyle and I went to the refreshment room. I had a coke and a small bag of stale chips. Almost right away I started feeling sick to my stomach. Then I started to feel really off. I tried to force more coke down my throat despite the fact that I felt like throwing it up, cuz I thought I just needed more sugar. It didn't help at all so I put my head on the table. I tried putting my head between my knees, but I was so weak I was scared that I would topple onto the floor.When I lifted my head up I was a little too fast and my head began to swim. I asked Kyle to get a nurse and he brought me like, 8. It was a little embarrassing because they were all acting fast like we were in an emergency room and I was bleeding profusly from an artery or something. They put me on a fully reclined chair and put cold cloth on my face and neck. I felt better almost instantly, and then there were only two nurses in the room, plus my boyfriend and a bunch of people eating snacks. I told the nurses how I had felt and what I did, and they said I did the right thing, and that I would have fainted. They told me that I was so white when they came in. I was wearing red lip gloss but my lips were white too.
So that was fun.
I will donate again once the 52 day waiting period is up, and I wanna see if I can bring some friends too.
The other day I got a letter in the mail with my Blood Donor card in it, and a letter telling me my blood type is O+, and that 39% of Canadians have this blood type. Also, it's a great type to have, because it is compatible with A+, B+ and AB+.
If anyone actually reads this, tell me what your blood type is.
Ash
No comments:
Post a Comment