Bloodletting

[Linda2]

Let me be honest with you folks--I was really nervous about donating blood to myself. I've always been the person to whom the bloodletter says "Whoops!" and then digs around for a few minutes--therefore I've always been too scared to donate blood--it took my own selfish self interest to get me to do it. Theresa at the Red Cross was slick!! She got it right in--barely hurt at all. It took ten minutes and that was that--no dizziness, no light-headedness, no problem. Someone here advised drinking a lot of fluids the day before as well as the day of the draw, and that person was right because I was certainly able to give the whole pint easily. If the surgery goes as well as this first blood draw, I will do fine.

 

[JenniferG]

That's fantastic. Nothing like your own juice I say.

 

[Josephine]

If you're the type they always have trouble finding veins in, here's a few tips

- about 1-1½ hours before the event, do some activities such as

- go up and down the stairs (if you can)
- swing your arms in a windmill as hard as you can for about 2-3 mins. It acts like a kind of centrifuge and brings the blood into you forearms, thus opening up the veins!
​

- get a hot pad - a wheat bag is good, take it with you and keep in on your arm while you are waiting
- drink plenty of water or fluids during the hour or two just before the appointment

 

[Linda2]

Those are great ideas, Jo--I just remembered the water thing--started guzzling it down two days before, as well as the day of. I am so impressed with how well it went. I will do the same thing next week when I have to go again--and I will use your tips as well. Thanks.

 

[Nursepair]

Great ideas Jo, I will get my hubby to try that, they always have trouble with his veins. I donated blood since I was 18, but then some years ago Canada decided to follow the Americans idea of refusing English blood due to Mad Cows disease. (Mind you I think my family think I have it sometimes...LOL) I was also on the Platelet (Apharesis?) donation programme which has also been stopped for me. I felt really rejected and get mad when I see the Please Donate ads here!! I am O neg too so it was widely used. However I can still continue on the Bone Marrow programme? Does that make sense Jo? Not sure about the organ donation thing though, but I still carry a card.

Linda, now you know it's not a big deal perhaps you will consuider donating in the future?

 

[Linda2]

You must have read my mind! If the next one goes even half as smoothly as the first, I will be donating on a regular basis.

 

[Josephine]

Great ideas Jo, I will get my hubby to try that, they always have trouble with his veins. I donated blood since I was 18, but then some years ago Canada decided to follow the Americans idea of refusing English blood due to Mad Cows disease. (Mind you I think my family think I have it sometimes...LOL) I was also on the Platelet (Apharesis?) donation programme which has also been stopped for me. I felt really rejected and get mad when I see the Please Donate ads here!! I am O neg too so it was widely used. However I can still continue on the Bone Marrow programme? Does that make sense Jo? Not sure about the organ donation thing though, but I still carry a card.

Linda, now you know it's not a big deal perhaps you will consuider donating in the future?

Not really. Never did quite get to grip with things like that.

 

[AlaskanTKR]

Congrats on your first draw! My first one went excellent as well. I got all psyched for my second one and was totally excited that my crit was actually higher at the end of the week. All started well, but ... anyway. The tech was super but it didn't go as well - I started to worry - but I called my dr. and they said as long as I got the 1st one all is good and I shouldn't worry about getting the second one (I just got back from a family vacation) since it would be too close Hope your second goes as well as your first - if not don't worry - just talk to the dr.
Drink lots of water and I even had a few of those protien bars in the days prior to the draw!

 

[Nursepair]

Good for you Linda.

 

[Linda2]

Just returned from bloodletting #2. It also went very smoothly. The hematocrit was a bit lower than last week, but I don't find that very surprising. I will be donating blood for others in the future (after I recover from the LTKR)

 

[JenniferG]

We'll just call ya Drip.