My Exsanguination!

Yes! I have been dying to use the word "exsanguinate" ever since I read it in this book called City of Bones. It is a great word (and book) and it ties in nicely with what the Key Club of my school was doing this week. They organized a blood drive along with Inova Blood Donor Services. I finally got to sign up this year (last year I was rejected) because you have to be at least 16 years old.

Me donating blood!

It was actually a really enjoyable experience. I got a pass that let me leave in the middle of French class and I went to the Lecture Hall where the nurses & Key Club members had removed all the chairs and set up a mini "clinic". I signed in and signed some forms and then went to go see a nurse who took my blood pressure, temperature and drew a bit of blood out of my ring finger to check my iron level. After that I waited a bit until one of the seats opened up and a nurse could attend me. While I waited for the nurse to set everything up this girl, who's a Junior, started talking to me. She was really nice and a great distraction. There were two other guys who I also started up a conversation with. I was actually talking to Junior Girl when the nurse rammed the freaking huge needle into the vein on my left arm. Normally needles just feel like a pinch but I actually gasped when this one came in, it was bigger than normal. I donated a pint total (which was a lot more than I thought!)

Look at the size of that thing!

This is one whole pint!

While I was donating, there was this one guy who donated double the amount of red cells and when he finished he started walking toward the rest area. The only problem was that he never got there! He collapsed on the floor and it took a while to revive him from unconsciousness. Some firemen even came to the school and took him to the hospital because he couldn't get up. I was sure to get up slowly and I walked very carefully to the rest area. It didn't matter. I started feeling very hot and nauseous so the nurses told me to lie down on the floor. I remember thinking "Hmm seeing people dropping like flies must be very reassuring to those waiting to donate!" After 15 minutes of feeling like an idiot they let me sit again and then I had to wait another 15 minutes to leave. I didn't mind, they had lots of food that they kept on shoving into my mouth.

Unfortunately, I felt extremely tired (and hungry) for the rest of the day which probably affected my grade on the Chemistry midterm that I took during 4th. On the bright side, Mersal's mom gave Melody and I a ride home. Once I got home I went up to my bed to rest and read a little but it turns out I fell asleep! Now most of you must be thinking, "yeah so? I take naps all the time" but this is something extraordinarily rare for me. I have the hardest time ever taking naps, like I don't even remember the last time I took a nap before yesterday's. It was pretty darn cool, I woke up a little bit more refreshed. I was feeling so refreshed in fact that I went over to Cappy's house and (sorta) watched a movie and pigged out on Ice Cream =]

Overall it was a pretty darn good day. My blood will be used to save three lives and I'm pretty proud of that. Even though I felt a bit woozy after, I will definitely go and donate again next year. As should anyone reading this blog. Feeling a bit tired for a day is worth helping others who might have lost blood because of an accident or need blood for surgery or because of chemo or anemia or any other reason. So go out and donate whenever you can!

Donate Blood Today!