Goal 11 (Donate blood) – Done
May 3rd, 2008
Month completed: April 2008
I always thought I was a positive guy. Now I know I am – literally.
My blood donor card just arrived in the mail yesterday, along with a thankyou letter for donating blood, which I did a couple of weeks ago for the first time.
The blood type written on my donor card? A Positive.
So yes, I literally am ‘a positive’ guy.
Corny enough? I think probably.
I have always had a love hate relationship with needles (I love to hate them) so have never put on a brave face and donated blood, even though I know how much benefit there is in doing it (you potentially save three people every time you donate, plus you get free cookies afterwards).
So until I donated a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea of my blood type. Now I do.
The whole experience was actually better than I thought. The worst part was the finger prick I received to make sure I had enough iron in my blood. I was told that it hurts because there are many nerve endings in the fingers. It stopped stinging after a couple of days.
Only when the needle came out was there a slight problem. I think the nurse who took the needle out did it a little quick, as I was left with a big bruise that is still with me now, two weeks on. Nothing worth doing ever came easy I guess.
The key question is – would I do it again?
Yes, definitely. Only a selected group of people can donate blood (the screening questions they ask prior to donating are lengthy and full on – not often does a complete stranger ask you if you have had sex with a prostitute recently!), so I feel an obligation to do my bit.
You should to, unless perhaps you have been down to Grey Street in St Kilda recently.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Well done Heath. You get used to it. I’ve completed almost 40 donations in the last 5 years, mainly plasma and platelets, and the finger prick pain only lasts a few hours now. The big needle (or should I say ‘hose’) hardly makes me flinch possibly because of the destruction of the nerve endings in that area. Oh, and I’m not a big wuss.
I have to disagree with you saying “only a selected [sic] group of people can donate blood”. Yes, the questionnaire is extensive but most people will comply, without a doubt. The reason most people don’t give blood is because they are either lazy or scared. “I haven’t got time” is a bollocks excuse. Whole blood takes about 6 hours per YEAR (you can only donate every 12 weeks, plasma/platelets – 2-4 weeks) to donate. Hell, I scratch my canastas for more than 6 hours per year…
About 3% of Australians donate blood and there is a massive shortage. If that figure gets to 4%, they’ll be chucking the stuff out (a nice problem to have). Come on people! Do you know 1 person from your 100 friends that would do it???
Good luck Heath.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:09 am
I have done 52 donations & I would often get a bruise. I found that I was moving my arm too much while the needle was in as I tried to read magazines while on the couch. This was especially so in the old days when a local anesthetic was used before the hose and I did not feel any pain from the movement. Donating is important so please continue if you can. I have told others about the article (Herald Sun 18/060 and they are impressed as I am. I am trying to convince my 19 yo son Karl to make a list but he is not interested. Good luck with the rest of the list, Noel.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Hey Heath, good on you for donating mate.
As a former UK resident I can not donate in Aus (having made more then 50 donations back in Blighty!) so I commend you for making the first donation; may it be the first of many.
I hope that many of your mates take note and follow your sterling example.
Regards