Change in Plans

A change in plans. Instead of spending the day outdoors, I called the United Blood Services for their hours of operation. With a Carrie-less day, it was the perfect opportunity to go and get those 2 units of blood drawn and banked for surgery.

I thought I would have to make two trips but after checking my 'crit, they were able to draw both units. Interview over, all paperwork completed and I was escorted to a recliner to wait for the lab lady to start. She ties off my upper arm with a blood pressure cuff and inflates it. Spotting a vein, she zeroes in with a 17gauge needle that looked like a garden hose. Ok, I'm a coward. Needles are not my friend.

Oh, you might say "but you're a nurse". My answer to that is "I'll do the sticking. I like it better when I'm the sticker and not the stickee". I grimace, gasp and tense up. Then I feel like a fool. It's barely noticeable when the needle goes in. It's my imagination that hurts the most. All that anticipation is wasted on something barely felt.

I watch as the blood is drawn out and into the tubing and disappears into the centrifuge. It's spun down in the centrifuge and separated from the platelets and plasma. The platelet/plasma bag begins to fill with an off white liquid. My platelets/plasma is being saved. Soon the cuff deflates and I know it's time to start receiving the plasma and platelets back. One down, one to go. The whole process is repeated again. I can taste a chemical taste in the back of my throat.

I've sat and watched at least 2 other donors take their seats and get hooked up to donate a unit of blood. I watch as they finish and get up and leave. I feel a whine coming on. The first donor gets up and leaves and another arrives. I'm still sitting there watching. Finally I said "Why is she done already", and as I say this I realize I sound like someone sitting at Denny's and noticing that customers arriving after you have been seated and are getting their order of food before you.

I'm not only getting more units pulled; I'm also donating packed red blood cells only. I am getting back the plasma and platelets. Silly me! I know this but the whine was out before I could stop my mouth it's wayward unruly irrational whine.

All in all, it wasn't that much time. It had to be done and now it is. One more step closer. One more step to the time when I'll be able to take many steps without the use of my walking stick.

Maybe Dwyers tomorrow!