The gift of blood

Photographer : larinalou@flickr

For many people, donating blood is no big deal. But if you’re a wuss like me, it’s a different story! 

A few weeks ago I set out with other troopers from Inspire to the Red Cross. We were chaperoned there in a little red and white bus. Our bus driver was very helpful; he gave us forms to fill, a bottle of water each, and advised us to drink up. He also entertained us with lame jokes, (“buckle up, you don’t want to give blood before you get there”) to which we all laughed politely!

Being a blood donor virgin, I was a little nervous and didn’t know what to expect. It’s a good thing we went as a group, other wise I might have chickened out! We first timers were given funky stickers (‘my first for life’), and I wore mine with pride.

The atmosphere at the Clinic reminded me of a hospital, but without the pain and suffering. Every thing was white and sterile and there were people in red and white uniforms flitting around. There were also a lot of people in business suits and it was encouraging to see that so many had taken time off work to donate.

I handed in my forms and was interviewed by a staff member to make sure I was in tip top shape to donate. She asked a lot of questions and pricked my finger to check that I wasn’t anemic. After that I was good to go!

I secretly freaked out a bit when I saw the machines (hope no one noticed). The people having their blood taken looked relaxed, so I told myself there was nothing to worry about. My veins decided to go into hiding though (they know me too well), and it took the nurse a while to find a nice, juicy one to stick the needle in. It stung briefly, but then it was fine. I was given a squishy ball to squeeze every five seconds (to speed up the blood flow) and was advised not to look at the blood if I wanted to remain conscious. Of course I looked, and guess what? It didn’t affect me at all. The blood bag rocking back and forth was actually kind of mesmerising and I was surprised to discover how rich the colour of blood is.

After eleven minutes I was done and ready to jump up and leave. I was desperate to pee, (sorry for sharing that) but the nurse made me wait an excruciating fifteen minutes before letting me go. She told me there’s something about donating blood that gives people that ‘busting’ feeling (must have been the litres of water I had guzzled down). Did you know that many people faint when going to the bathroom straight after donating? This is why it’s important to rest.

For all my talk of bravery, I did feel a little queasy and wasn’t in the mood for the free meal that was provided. I thought I knew best, but the kitchen lady wouldn’t hear of it! She was very stubborn and insisted that I put something in my mouth. The people working there were very helpful and I admit I felt better after taking her advice.
I felt a little light-headed for the rest of the afternoon, and catching the train home during peak hour was no fun! That night I slept like a baby and although my arm didn’t hurt, I had a pretty cool bruise for a few days.

I’m glad I finally decided to take the bull by the horns and challenge myself. It wasn’t an uncomfortable experience like I thought it would be and was even a little exciting! The fact that my blood can save someone’s life is a very powerful and amazing thought which makes me feel unreal. It just goes to show that little things do make a difference. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to try it, and look forward to donating again.