Giving Blood

It was my first full day of work because I had only done a half day before because of my knee. We had just finished work for the day and one of that ladies I work with just came up from giving blood and she is the same blood type as me so I wondered why they hadn't called me because I was on the list. Then I walked past reception and the receptionist called out to me and said the lab needed to see me straight away and I knew it was for my blood. So I rushed down to the lab as fast as I could, where Sarah one of the lab techs and a fellow Australian saw me and took me straight into the ward to start taking my blood. I walked into the room to find there were some others already in there giving blood, one of whom is a nurse but they were having problems getting the needle in her veins so it took 5 tries but they got it. There was also a photographer and a video camera (not a little hand held one but a bigger portable movie making one) in the room also and I later found out it was because the patient we were giving blood for is been operated on by a surgeon that is having a documentary made about him.

They came to get my blood and the needle went in ok (and what a needle it is its a 14 gauge needle they use for those of you out there that know what that is) and my blood started flowing fine. Then there was a bit of a problem. my blood started coming out slower and slower and then eventually just stopped all together(I later worked out it was because I wasn't hydrated enough because I hadn't really had very much to drink all day). After it stopped I started to feel sick in the stomach and was sweating alot and they said I looked really pale. I had no idea what was wrong at this point because this had never happened to me before when giving blood. So i lay back and just prayed for a few minutes while the nurse tried moving the needle around in my arm to get the blood flowing again. Then all of a sudden just like that it started coming again and they brought me a sprite to help me feel better. I was able to just make it past the minimum amount before it stopped flowing again, which I am so glad and thankful to God for because If I had not made the minimum they would have had to just throw it out and not use it.

I then rested a bit before going and having some food and drink some more. The next day the videographer came up to me and asked if I could answer a few questions for the film so we sat down and she filmed me while asking the usual "how did it feel" questions. So I guess I am going to be in the Documentary then.