| Nov. 30th, 2004 @ 10:19 pm Donated Blood. |
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Current Mood:  bitchy
Today I gave blood. Ow. If today was the first day I gave blood, I probably wouldn't do it again. Part of the problem at least was being dehydrated. Drink lots of water before you donate blood.
Last time I gave blood I was low in iron, so I was a little nervous about that. I hate the way they prick you for that. The first time I donated blood to someone other than my future self, which was the last time I actually donated, they had a better way. You know how they put the little tube against your finger to catch blood after pricking you. Well, last time, the person put the tube first. Then she eased the needle through that, and into my finger. I didn't even feel it. The whole pressing that thing against your finger until it breaks (or whatever it does) and the needle suddenly pricks is evil. I was jumpy just thinking about it, but I was brave, and went through.
I saw how they check for iron, or at least, how they checked this time. They put my blood (from my poor finger) into a blue liquid. If the blood falls all the way to the bottom without stopping, then it has enough iron. Yea, it did!
Then it was time to find a vein, and on me, those are hard to find. One searched my right arm, and couldn't find one. Another started searching my left arm, and searched, and searched. They use the cuff of a blood pressure device on the upper arm, and ask you to squeeze something with the hand. Then tap at your veins. They tapped, and tapped, and tapped, and tapped, and my arm started to feel tingling, and they tapped, and discussed whether a particular vein would be good, and tapped, and tapped, and my arm got very tingly, and they tapped, and said they should try that vein, and my arm was now hurting and tingly, and they tapped, and looked, and discussed, and finally decided to use that vein, and my arm was now most just hurting. Finally my arm was released, and then it felt better.
Then they did the same to my right arm, but now as much. They found a vein, but it was flat, and might collapse so it wasn't used. Then they went back to my left arm again, and she did the same thing to mark it with a marker.
Then she put in the needle, and either it hurt a little more than normal or I forgot how much it hurts. Normally a needle for taking blood hurts less than I expect, not more. I am glad she did it though, because no one else wanted to try.
The blood flow was slow, or slowed, I forgot which exactly, so she adjusted the needle. Now I can tell you, having a needle adjusted while it's in your arm doesn't feel too good. The adjustment slowed the blood, so she adjusted again, and that made the blood stop. So she adjusted again, and it went back to it's original pace, which was slow.
Now we come to the other problem, the weather. It's been cold lately, and it got colder, and colder...and colder.
(The guy next to me had it worse though. His vein collasped, and he was still willing to let them try his other arm. His poor arms.)
Later she adjusted it again, and that hurt worse than when she originally put the needle in. It increased the blood flow though. So I was there, my arm was hurting, and I was resisting the need to shiver.
Finally all the blood needed was gone, and the needle was taken out of my arm. Yea! Even that hurt. :( My arm still hurts. There is a slight bruise. I hate needles. |
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