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Looks like the number of people with the flu right now is biting into the number of eligible donors. It's been a while since the Red Cross have taken actual blood cells, they are far more keen on the yellow stuff, I turned up during the 30 minutes when the computer was down and we all assumed our communication was fine until a nurse asked if I'd be willing to consider donating plasma which is what my appointment was for.
This is far more entertaining than donating Whole Blood or Red Blood Cells as you get hooked up to a machine with three tubes connected to the needle (In, Out and Anticoagulant). Then you alternate between squeezing a little rubber Santa Claus and bleeding, with not_squeezing and having your freshly filtered blood pumped back into you plus a healthy dose of anticoagulant. Much harder to read to. I'm usually absolutely fine, the pain is far less than a bee sting and the only discomfort is the weird bit where the plasma machine pumps your blood back into you. This time however I had the unusual experience of sensing what felt like the tip of the needle rubbing against the opposite wall of my vein. Eww. Easily fixed, just ease it back a little.
Iron count back down to 119. [sigh] Must eat more broccoli - not exactly a hardship.
This is far more entertaining than donating Whole Blood or Red Blood Cells as you get hooked up to a machine with three tubes connected to the needle (In, Out and Anticoagulant). Then you alternate between squeezing a little rubber Santa Claus and bleeding, with not_squeezing and having your freshly filtered blood pumped back into you plus a healthy dose of anticoagulant. Much harder to read to. I'm usually absolutely fine, the pain is far less than a bee sting and the only discomfort is the weird bit where the plasma machine pumps your blood back into you. This time however I had the unusual experience of sensing what felt like the tip of the needle rubbing against the opposite wall of my vein. Eww. Easily fixed, just ease it back a little.
Iron count back down to 119. [sigh] Must eat more broccoli - not exactly a hardship.