Blood Donation Disaster

Have you ever had the feeling you were going to die at the blood bank? No, you say? Maybe you've passed out because you didn't have enough water in your body, but die? Isn't that a little dramatic? I mean nobody dies giving blood, huh. Well, maybe if you'd had the same girl trying to take your blood....Here's what happened.

I sat down in the chair and couldn't help but notice the lady next to me with her feet in the air and cold compress on her head. "How you doing Carla?" the blood girl asked her. She must have passed out, I thought. I will be fine. Of course I will be. The first time I did this, 4 months ago, I did great.

"A little pinch" said the blood girl. "OH MY... that was way more than a pinch!" It felt like she had just shoved a pencil up my arm! Think I'm being a big wanny? No I'm not. I've got the hole in my flesh to prove it. So things are getting better, I thought. Until blood girl removed the tape and tried to adjust the needle. "Everything okay?" I ask. "Oh, I think the needle is tapping on a valve." "what? A valve?" "Yeah, you know what that is, don't you?" she said looking at me like I was an idiot if I didn't. "A valve, well yeah (not really)" then she hits me with, "it's like a door and if the needle taps on the valve to many times, it may shut for good." "and that would be bad for me, right?" I said. With a smirky laugh she says "yeah, bad."

That's when I lost it. I got dizzy, nautious and tired. I imagined a blood clot forming in my arm and traveling to my heart. I became afraid that I would die right then and there. I saw a man running over to put a cold compress on my head and tip my chair so my feet would elevate. I remembered Carla. They told me to cough. I tried, but why do they want me to cough? It seemed like a strange request. "Get it out of me!!" I heard myself telling blood girl.

Soon I was back with the rest of the group. They have to by law, take the needle out when the donor says to. In the end, they were so close to getting a full pint. Not good enough. If they don't get the full pint, the blood doesn't get used. I left the place feeling like crap. I've had friends recently go through some tough surgeries. I know there is a huge need for blood. I have very healthy blood.

Discouraging setback. Next time I'll look for the older blood person who looks like they've drawn blood a thousand times. Not the young girl who gives little thought to what size needle she's ganna need. A person can give blood every 8 weeks.