Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Blood

Following Dad's heart attack scare I decided it was time to do something sociably responsible and give blood.

I went along to the community centre and before I knew what was happening I was lying on a mobile stretcher with 100 other socially responsible folk, staring at a luridly coloured climbing wall and being bled by a human leach called Mandy.

Mandy had to keep asking if I was all right. Obviously I said yes, but in reality I was rather regretting my spur of the moment decision. The problem was my squeamish-ness. I didn't mind the needle, or seeing the blood gushing down the tube, or any of that. No, I was getting squeamish at having to squeeze the little plastic tube they put in your fingers, and at the feeling of the tape that secured the tube to my forearm.

Unfortunately the physical symptom of my squeamishness was getting numb fingers, which made it impossible for me to squeeze the tube thing. Consequently my blood came out really slowly, prolonging my ordeal. So slowly in fact, 2 elderly women came, donated, and went in the next mobile stretcher to me. Each left with the well-meant suggestion: 'just squeeze the tube, it makes it go faster', thus setting off my squeamishness in a viscous circle of blood donor catch 22.

I think I lost more fluid through my squeamish-induced sweating than in the actual blood.

The one up-side of the whole experience (apart from the warm inner glow of the knowledge that I am a responsible citizen of course) were the high quality biscuits that were offered on successful completion of the transaction.

I will do it again, but not with relish.

1 Comments:

Blogger OboeJane said...

Well done you! That's fantastic.

I think the first time is often pretty slow. On my first time they stopped me when I'd only done about 75% of the normal amount, but now I'm speedy gonzales.

You may also find you have one "good arm" that donates better than the other.

Do they do Tuc Sandwich Biscuits at your sessions? They are the best!!

12:23 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

Free Web Counters