First Experience Donating Blood

[twocows]

You might not want to read this if you have an exceptionally weak stomach; there's talk of needles and such.

So I donated blood for the first time today because they had a donation thing set up on campus. It wasn't exactly the best experience ever; I wasn't really nervous, but a few things took me by surprise. First of all, I had to wait some half hour or so before they could get around to me. Luckily, I had some games with me to play, so that wasn't too much of a problem. Then there was the iron testing; nobody told me they poke you even before they hook you up to test your iron content, which I wasn't really expecting. So that sucked. Turns out I was in good shape to donate, so they got me hooked up after a few more minutes.

Now, I know most people look away when they stick you, but I get too nervous and jump once they stick me if I do that, so I have to look. Let me tell you: the needle they use to draw blood is just gigantic. I mean it's huge. I wouldn't even call it a needle; it's more like a hollowed out cable or something. It had to have been at least a half-inch in diameter, and probably about 4-6 inches long. That just creeped me out.

I made sure to follow all their fancy rules and eat a big meal before I came in. Turns out they encourage you to eat afterward, too. So now I have the worst stomachache I've had in about a month or two after being force-fed some Coke (I hate carbonated stuff), pizza, and cookies (foods that I don't particularly like, even when I'm not already full). Oh, and I'm supposed to drink a lot of water, which isn't that bad, just kind of annoying to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes.

Minus the stomachache, though, I actually feel better than when I went in. Everybody always says they get light headed afterward, but I felt fine, until they crammed food down my throat. I thought that was kind of weird, but I think it has something to do with the drop in blood pressure (mine's usually just above average, so now it's just below average).

I do encourage everyone to donate, though; all the feel-good stuff they tell you is actually true: you are saving lives by donating. I asked how many people went in to donate, and I was pretty surprised when they said only about 40 or so; we have about 23 thousand students enrolled, and I'd guess at least a few thousand walked by that place today. Kind of disappointing that only 40 went in, if you ask me.

[Charon]

Hmmm, I would go donate, but I'm too underweight to do such a thing (You have to be over 110 lbs, and I weigh anything from 95-105 O.O)

[Matrim]

I wanted to give blood for a while but i was under wieght as well. I don't look but the needle wouldn't bother me if i saw it, i think. But now i'm over 110 by a whopping 8 lbs. so i can give blood! Woo! And i have, twice. Both arms. Many people don't meet 5'9" 118 lbs 19 year olds. lol
yeah for O positive. lol its funny to think that like the last two times i gave blood i actually hadn't really ate before. and i was fine.

[twocows]

I wanted to give blood for a while but i was under wieght as well. I don't look but the needle wouldn't bother me if i saw it, i think. But now i'm over 110 by a whopping 8 lbs. so i can give blood! Woo! And i have, twice. Both arms. Many people don't meet 5'9" 118 lbs 19 year olds. lol
yeah for O positive. lol its funny to think that like the last two times i gave blood i actually hadn't really ate before. and i was fine.

Apparently you're supposed to eat beforehand. That's cool and all, but next time I won't eat quite as much beforehand. Way too much food. Oogh.

Weight requirement wasn't a problem for me; I last checked my weight about a year ago, and I was pushing 200 then. I haven't really changed much physically since then, so it's probably about the same; maybe a little less since I only get two meals per day here (meal plan gives me 14 a week, so if I eat too much, I'll run out later). Only reason I didn't give anything in high school was because of my unnatural hatred of all things pointy (read: needles are pure evil). Seriously, it's a good thing I'm not diabetic, because I'd never take my insulin and probably end up in the hospital (or worse).