It’s in you to give….

For the first time I donated blood. I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time but the queasy feeling I get from needles and the sight of real blood (yes, as opposed to fake blood) made the excuses not to easy. Last night I phoned, made an appointment and today I did it.

Here’s what happened. After signing in I had my hemoglobin tested to see if I qualifed to the next step. I’m going to brag, my hemoglobin score was 161, normal is 125, so the person getting my blood is getting some iron-rich blood thanks to all the spinach I eat.

The next step was to answer this long questionnaire and then I got called to a private area where my blood pressure and temperature gets taken and I had to answer a lot of personal questions (see here). Once that’s done I was given this basket of blood taking gear.

Then I got to sit in the comfy chair and was then jabbed with a needle (kidding, it didn’t hurt considering the gauge) and then it happens…

Oh yeah, that red stuff in the tube is blood, they took out 1/10th of all my blood. I could barely look let alone take a pic of the entire thing. What raised the gross factor was feeling the warm blood flow through the tube that laid on my arm *shudder*

After I looked at the blood contraption I felt like this. (Kidding, accidental photo)

But, seriously, after donating I felt alright. I had some mango juice and fruit creme peak freans. Feeling energized from the sugar I went to buy some coffee beans and did a grocery shop after however once I got home I did feel a little bit nauseous but it was nothing that lying down didn’t fix.

After everything I would definitely donate blood again, sign me up for January!

Did you know that your blood from one donation can save up to three lives? And, that out of all eligible donors out there only 3% donate. For more information on donating (in Canada), please visit www.blood.ca