As I Live and Learn
 

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Monthly Blood Party: July

Apheresis Donor July (2007) Pin Blood Party Date: July 14th

My Appointment: 10:45 am

Other Participants:
D.V. - Moral Support



This month's incentive:
Free laundry and the traditional lunch at P.F. Changs!

Recap:
J.P. (formerly J.D.) called late to let me know she was Sick. :/ Bad stomach stuff, which had caused her to sleep in by about 2 hours (very unusual for her). Hopefully she'll feel better soon! D.V. called to let me know he was running late, but thankfully he arrived minutes before we had to leave for the appointment. Though that did mean we had to stop back at my place after donating before eating to get laundry in.

Got to the donation center. No problems getting in or anything. I almost did have a problem being allowed to donation though. I take iron fortified one-a-day women's vitamin pills each morning for the week before I donate because I typically have a low iron level, and I did so this week too. But despite that my iron reading came in at 38 instead of my standard 40 under those circumstances. The minimum iron level allowed to donate is 38, right on the edge! I've been turned away before for too low iron, very happy it didn't happen this time.

The only odd thing that really occurred was I sat back in the chair waiting for about 20 minutes while my nurse did the paperwork and labeling that needs to happen. Usually the nurse does all that after putting in the needle and starting the blood donation. Huh. The donation itself was pretty standard for me, I set off the machine a couple times, though not until later in the donation. But I completed it. One plasma and one platelet.

The man next to me was donating 3 platelets, I didn't know that was allowed! I thought 2 was the max. Makes me a little sad to not be able to give as much, though I did give a plasma also.

I noticed on my year-long chart that someone has written on the top "One plasma One platelet only". Which explains why the last few times that's all they've taken. I guess the two times I had bigger issues triggered someone to pass on the message to not try to take any more than that. But I've done two plasma and one platelet just fine before! *sigh* Oh well.

After my donation, D.V. and I went to P.F. Changs, as it traditional now! Yummy food as always. Though I sent mine back the first time because he and I were so deep in conversation and my mind was completely unable to multi-task due to my body's state for having donated that I didn't notice the server preparing my Mu-shu like they are instructed to but I don't like, even though I half watched her do it. Oye. My fault so I didn't jip the tip.

Hey! Finally got a blood donation design up. :) The stuff in the donation bag is gold because it's plasma because that's what I donate. Even platelets when donated are gathered suspended in plasma and so look gold too, with white clouds in it which are the platelets.

I've got my July pin now :) The August Blood Party is scheduled for August 11th, leaving my house at noon. Want to come? Let me know!

Labels:



 

Spotlight Posts

1980s-1990s toggle

1992-1996 toggle

1996-2000 toggle

2000-2005 toggle

2006- now toggle


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?