Gave yesterday, my first day eligible since the last time. Went fine except for the guy laying head to head with me who wouldn’s shut up: “I don’t like needles, make sure you let me know when you’re going to stick me so I can turn my head, I tried to give last year but couldn’t, do you want me to clench my fist? How about now? Now? No, it didn’t hurt when they pierced my tongue, just a little pinch, they have to clamp your tongue and hold it out . . .” and on and on and on . . .
When they were done, the girl was putting the bandaid on and I started bleeding again. I could feel it running down my arm. Uck.
One of my work-studies came with me. She wouldn’t bleed. The guy moved the needle around in her vein and couldn’t get any blood to come out. He then said: “Sorry I bruised your arm. Would you like to give in the other arm?” She did not. She spent 15 minutes in the “canteen” with an ice pack on her arm.
I went yesterday and donated. Furthermore, I drug my husband along with me. He’s only donated once before – years and years ago – and hasn’t done it again because it “made [him] sick.”
I convinced him to go with me yesterday using:
Logic. “But, honey, when you gave all those years ago it was in the morning, and you know you never eat breakfast. And you never drink enough water. This time I’ll make you a nice supper first, and make sure you have plenty to drink that day. Anyway, it’ll be in the evening, so even if you do feel bad, you won’t have to go back to work or anything. You can just relax in your easy chair. OK?”
Appeals to his better nature. "Well, if you do feel sick, it won’t kill you, will it? And your blood could save someone’s life!
Insults to his ego. “Oh, honey, don’t be such a pussy!”
So, yesterday I sent him off to work in the morning with a large jug of water and instructions to drink all of it. At 6:00, I served him a lovely pot roast dinner. By 7:30 we were hooked up at the donation center.
And, he almost fainted! He looked really looked pale and his lips were almost white. They had to give him some juice while he was still draining and they gave him a whif of ammonia. I felt terrible. All of the volunteers were calling on me to be sure to give him “extra TLC” when we got home.
He felt fine after a short rest, 2 cups of juice and some cookies. On the drive home, he said, “You do know how ‘TLC’ is spelled don’t you?”
Me, very cautiously, “How?”
“It’s spelled ‘B J’.”
So, what with one thing and another, I’m taking credit for 2 donations this challenge.
The good news is, I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting him back for another donation in 6 weeks!
Don’t need to goad me into this. Not only am I a 2-gallon member, but I am also on the Bone Marrow registry. I’ve never been called to donate bone marrow, but would feel honored if I were. BTW, you can usually register for this at the same time you give blood, but you may have to ask about it. They just take another tube of blood while they’re draining you.
O+ Lisa,(Who’s very special because not only am I a universal donor, but I’m also CMV negative.)
My church has a quarterly blood drive, and I am signed up for January 8th. So I am not going to make your deadline, because if I donate now I won’t be able to then. I usually try to donate ever 6 weeks or so, once to the church’s drive, and once at the blood donation center.
This is such an easy thing to do, and is truly giving back to the community.
O- is the universal donor for whole blood (but is totally screwed when receiving, since O- can only receive O-. AB+ is the universal recipient for whole blood, but can only give to AB+.
IIRC, A+ is the universal donor for plasma (I’ll check this when I go in on Friday.
Thank you PunditLisa for the idea. I’ll check on the marrow donation locally. Last I knew, they were charging the testees an outrageous charge (something like $75) for the test.
