A not so exciting life: Donating Blood

On Wednesday, July 17, I was scheduled to donate blood through the Red Cross event at my work. I have never donated blood before. I tried to donate blood last year and was turned away because of my tattoo (if you get tattooed in certain states it's a 12 month waiting period, compared to six months in most states). So, this time around I didn't have any new piercings or tattoos so I should be good! After answering the billion highly inappropriate question questions, they prick your finger to test your iron levels. She first tested my middle finger on my right had and it was .1 away from passing, so she offered to test my middle finger on my left arm and it was three points above (weird). So I was allowed to give blood!

I get in the chair and the lady asks me which arm, remember I have never done this before, so I saw my right arm because when I go to the doctor and they take blood that is the arm the guy takes it from. He also says I have really good veins so I was pretty confident that I was going to rock at donating blood...Yeah epic fail.

So, the lady stuck my arm and that hurt a little and then she twisted the needle ouch! But the needle is in, let's do it! About 10ish minutes later another person comes over and starts to take the needles out...but first she realizes that the arm cuff is still on my arm and I told her my arm felt really cold and tingly...yeah, lack of blood flow does that. Okay, needle out - hold pressure. As I was holding pressure on the wound, I felt something warm and moist under my arm and so I lifted my arm and it was covered in blood! There was an intern next to me and she looked over and said she gasped so then a person come over and apparently I was bleeding everywhere. I wish I could have seen the floor, but I did see them clean up my blood using a few paper towels. So, after all of that I was told that my blood was starting to clot and they couldn't get all the blood they needed for the vials - because they didn't tell me I had to keep squeezing the stress ball - my first time people! Give directions! So another person told me that they couldn't use my blood unless they got the vials of blood...great, so another needle poke in my left arm.

Two hours later I walked out with 4 needles pokes.

A few hours later I took off the bandage and I was not expecting to see a bruise!

Wow! look at this bruise the next day, Thursday, July 18. I was not expecting this impressive bruise and the distinct needle whole...totally looks like I did heroin the wrong way - joking! haha!