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Donating Blood
So tomorrow I'm donating blood for the first time. I'm pretty good with needles, so I'm not too nervous or anything. Anyone wanna tell me exactly what happens?
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when you go they will probably ask you if you have any blood abnormalities [unless you were already there] most likely you will have to wait in a room for a bit then they take you into a room and put a tight rubber band on a vein so it will enlarge. then they will clean off the area and inject you with the needle. depending on how much blood you are donating the container used will differ. its not too much of an unpleasant thing and it is over fast.
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the forms differ bank to bank, and place to place. the process itself is pretty much the same everywhere though. first, theyll check your blood preassure and temperature. if its in the healthy range, then they will do the iron test. they prick your finger, and get a little bit of blood from there, and check the iron content. if thats in the healthy range then they will take you to a bed. you lie down, they swab your arm and put in the needle and attach the bag. you wait while you drain a while. then they take it out, and put a bandage over your arm. you get what ever food they have available there. theyll have you sit and wait a while to make sure you are ok. i fainted the first time i gave blood, but not any time since then. youll feel a little weak for a while, but youll be fine after that. each time you give blood it gets easier.
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depends on the place majorly. if it's through school you won't be nearly as relaxed as if you go into a blood clinic.
assuming it's at school, you'll likely check in and fill out a whole lot of forms you'll only have to ever do once (basic information like birthday and social security number and home phone and address). from there you'll wait a while and panic like hell while you watch everyone else be first time donors.
eventually you'll get a survey with a whole lot of personal questions on it like, "have you had sexual relations with a man who has had sexual relations with another man?" or "have you had relations with anyone from africa?" and such. they're confidential and you'll probably be fine. if you answered no to all of them you'll get your iron levels checked and they'll take your pulse and blood pressure. checking your iron levels hurts the most. they prick a finger and take a teeny tiny amount of blood, but it's pretty much sucked through a narrow straw and it's nothing like normal pain.
if you pass those tests you'll finally be able to give blood. it takes about 8 minutes for me to give a pint of blood. that's when you'll do the squeeze ball and such. they'll remove the needle and have you hold your arm over your head for 30 seconds and bandage you. then you sit for a few minutes and eat cookies and orange juice (or PB&J) and go back to class.
if you're a healthy kid you won't faint. if you faint they will call (or have you call) for a ride home, usually, using the numbers you provided at the beginning. that's not really a big deal and I've never had it happen. if you go to a clinic then it'll be the same process but it'll be a lot faster and calmer.
finally, good for you for donating. milk sympathy from everyone you can that first day. everyone loves a blood donor.
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I think it's difference at some places, but when I went with my friend, they sat her down and asked her which arm she would prefer, then they wrap a latex thing around your arm to check to make sure they can work on that arm. Then they`ll ask you how much, then they`ll wipe alcohol over the vein in your arm & then take the blood.
Hope i helped, good luck =]
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