Throughout my life I have known many people who faithfully give blood. My friend Nancy has been donating blood regularly for as long and I've known her (and that is a long long long time). She tried to convince me to donate blood on many occasions and I just couldn't do it. I have this fear of needles that goes deep and it has kept me from doing many a thing. I won't even watch when they draw my blood at the doctor's office. I never went to get that tattoo because I'm afraid of needles. I'd never given blood because I just couldn't do it. Good thing I changed my majors from Pre-Med to History in college because it wouldn't do for a doctor to pass out while trying to start and IV right?!
After years of watching Nancy give blood and helping to host blood drives at the rescue squad I finally got the courage up to give blood. I think it was more after a long night of staffing and no sleep she convinced me to give blood. So we went to give blood and they tested me with a finger prick and the test said my iron levels were too low. They did it again and still too low. They did it again (I guess they really wanted me blood) through a different test and I just barely passed by the hair of my chinny chin chin. So I mentally prepared to have this large needle drove into my arm to such out all my blood (just kidding but seriously that is what my mind thought the process would be like). After a slightly painful stick I sat there and just chatted away about our evening on the ambulance and the plans for the day (which included a long nap once I got home). Blood was collected, OJ was given and cookies too. Time passed and it was ok for me to go, I got up and sat right back down. Whew the room was spinning and my legs were really weak. Time for me to lay down and get my BP taken. I don't recall the numbers but yes it was low. After probably 15 min of laying there I was allowed to sit up, drink a coke and go. Ha ha just kidding - woozie again. Must be due to the lack of sleep right? Right! More coke, more relaxing and then I was allowed to go. I was better but teased about giving blood and being a wimp.
About 2 years later we were having a blood donation at work and I signed up for my time slot. I got plenty of sleep the night before, ate my red meat and ate a good breakfast. I confidently sat in the chair. Had the finger prick and again I was just barely cleared to give blood based on my iron levels. I sat there, big girl faced the needle stick. Chatted away with the people giving blood. Got my coke and cookies and went to go back to my desk. Only 30 min had passed and all was good. . . that was until I stood up. Got weak in the legs, the room started spinning and 2 nurses (yep I got 2 of them) came straight to my chair. Laid me down and said relax. I got another coke and a cool wet towel (man I must have given them a real fright). I know I have pale skin (say thank you to my Irish heritage) but I can really get white when I don't feel well and it scares a few people. So I must have gotten really white for them to jump into action like that. Anyway, I ended up spending an hour with them trying to recover. The nurse asked me if this had ever happened before so I recounted the first time I gave blood. She then said, are you anemic? I said the doctor said I am slightly anemic during the regular days and during "that special time" I am very much anemic. Well the nurse said that you very much for your donation today but don't ever give blood again. You will DFO (Done Fall Out) every time and your blood isn't worth all that.
So if you can, please donate blood today. Many people need it and some of us can't give it. Oh and if you are a first time donator you usually get a cool T-shirt.
Also how cool is this. I was just on the American Red Cross website and they have teamed up with Keebler to donate cookies based on blood dontations. Keebler® expects to donate around six million cookies a year. That’s six million delicious reasons to donate blood. And one simple way you can make a difference
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