Proud Blood Donor: My First Blood Donation Experience
I always thought I was weak enough to donate blood. But few months back, after checking for hemoglobin in me, I was shocked to know that I was healthy 'blood' wise. I was so happy!
A few days back, my best friend shared a photo of her of the bandage on her arms proudly showing us that she had donated blood. She's thin; and I wondered if she could do it, I must try it as well.
Yesterday while I was climbing stairs to go to my class, I saw posters of blood donation campaign along the corridors. I did not know that the campaign was coming so soon.
Today in the first lecture of 7:00, an NSS volunteer came in middle of the lecture and announced that the blood donation would be from 10:00 to 4:00. Though I hadn't had the best of breakfasts in the morning, I made it a point that I was donating today, may whatever happen.
I had had a cup of tea with four Marie biscuits in the morning. After that, in the first break, I had one and half cheese sandwiches, and one mixed fruit jam sandwich. However, I had drunk just 500 ml of water since morning, and I was a bit scared to donate.
After the first two lectures, in the break, at 10:00, I went to the Reading Hall, and stood in the line. I was happy to see the number of people interested to donate. When I reached, I wrote my details in the register, and went inside to check if I was eligible to donate.
I stood on the weighing machine and was contented to find how constant my weight remains--it is the same for more than five years now. Later, another volunteer pierced a needle into my left ring finger and collected a little amount of blood in a small, thin glass tube. She later put it inside a weird apparatus and told me that I was eligible to donate. At first, I was too scared. I felt as if my BP would fall down anytime.
Later, the volunteer made three circles on a glass slab with my blood, and put three different solutions to the circles. While doing so, she asked me what my blood group was. I answered, and she nodded saying I was right. After this, I went to a different girl and took a form from her. I filled the details like my name, address, blood group, weight, etc.
I went to another girl, and she asked me few details like whether I have a tattoo, whether I was on antibiotics, whether I was menstruating, etc. After answering, she sent me to another girl. The girl gave me three bags, and I asked her innocently if I had to donate three bags of blood. She said no, and said that the three bags were to segregate blood components, which they would do after me donating. She wrote my blood group on the three bags, and I went to the resting chair.
I lied down on the chair, and was really, really tensed. I looked for other girls, and even they looked tensed. I was relaxed then. The volunteer came, and gave me a yellow coloured sponge ball to hold. She asked me to squeeze the ball and release it, repeatedly. Then she checked my blood pressure, I suppose. Then she asked me to take a long breath, and pierced a thin tube that was attached to the three bags. The squeezing action was still going on, and after a while, I couldn't feel my hands, and couldn't even squeeze the ball--it was so difficult!
Then she asked me to take a long breath again, and then removed the tube. I had given 350 ml of blood. I was so happy. I was constantly reminding myself while my blood was going out of the body that how my brother had had an accident and how he needed blood. I also remembered a dear friend who had lost his life in an accident. All these things quietened me and I thought that few minutes of unconscious and a day with numb arm was worth of saving a life.
She put a cotton ball immediately, and asked me to stay on the chair. After two minutes, she put the small circular bandage and asked me to take refreshments. I went there, and within a minute, I fell unconscious. After giving me two glasses of Glucon-D, I regained my consciousness.
Then I had five Glucose biscuits, along with a small glass of tea. I had two idlis. Shortly, I fell unconscious again; and this time I was unconscious for more time. They gave me another glass of Glucon-D, and then gave me a tablet.
Luckily, my classmate, who was generous enough, waited for me during this whole process. She helped me a lot, and I am thankful for this.
Finally, the donation was done. While going, a girl handed me over my certificates and also a complementary writing pad and pen.
I went up to my class for lecture and felt proud to enter the class.
Have you donated blood? What's your story?
xoxo
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