What to Expect When Donating Blood

Giving blood is a small gesture anyone can do to potentially save a future life and become involved in their community. Obviously, people with phobias of needles or feel a queasy sensation at the sight of blood must think twice about donating, but to all others giving blood is rewarding and a unique experience.

Those readers who have never given blood before, let me describe what happens, how it feels, and what to expect if you decide to give blood. You must first wait in a donor line, especially if you are at a local blood drive, and read through the safety regulations and be sure to ask any questions to the donor staff. It is also important to not eat or drink very sugary foods the night before or the morning of your donation, and try to have a light breakfast. Drink plenty of water to flush your system and get sleep. While you read the pamphlets you will most likely be staring at the tables and chairs where others are giving blood. Don't be alarmed or second-guess yourself. If you truly don't feel you can't give blood, wait until the next drive or find other ways to donate to a cause.

If you stay in line, you will then undergo an interview with a doctor, with questions involving your medical history, your current medications, and so forth. If you have had a tattoo for less than a year's time, or if you have left the country recently, you may be asked to not give blood. Likewise, if it is your first time, your pulse will try to peak into the triple digits with excitement or slight nerves. If your pulse rate is above ninety beats a minute, the doctors will ask you to relax and try a little later or to try at the next drive. They cannot risk panic attacks or pulse jumps that could damage the flow of blood, so being in a mind of calm is the goal. If your pulse does crest high marks, don't feel ashamed. Nerves can be make or break factors for giving blood, and millions of people succumb to them at drives.

If you do qualify (after more questions and a quick blood test) you will be escorted to a donation table. You would have decided by now what type of blood donation you would be giving: whole blood, half blood, etc. For more information on the different variations, visit www.unitedbloodservices.org. Also, if it is your first time donating, don't volunteer for a double donation. Test out how you feel for the first donation, then if you feel you can handle donating more, do so next time. You'll then be asked to relax and the doctor will ask you which arm you would like to use. Sometimes if your vein is not prominent enough, it will take several pokes to secure, but generally they will catch your vein in one swoop. For those curious where the needle enters, it is right along the crease of your inside elbow. True, the needle is very large and the technician will warn you when it is entering. In all honesty it feels initially like a light pinch for the first minute while your arm is secured, and then simply feels like weight afterwards.

You will then be given an object to squeeze every five to ten seconds. For a normal donation, whole blood, you yourself actually pump the blood into the collection bag via the object. It is actually interesting to feel yourself pump your own blood. During your first time, while you pump to circulate the blood in and out of your arm, you many start to feel chilled, and even slight numbness. Don't fret; if it becomes too uncomfortable you can stop at any time. It is also important to squeeze the object in smooth motions. Doing so in jerky bursts will make the needle pinch you and could become annoying.

If you are donating via a plasmolysis machine that separates plasma from your blood, several things will happen. You might be giving more blood, and so feel weaker, and because your blood is passing through a machine and separating, when it re-enters the body it is several degrees cooler than your own body temperature. You feel very chilled inside, and might also taste a weak hint of metal in your mouth. For me, it was a feeling that I had never experienced before, which made it fun. Others might not share that feeling, so choose which donation you would like to try wisely.

After your blood bags are full, the needle is removed (which feels like a slightly tighter pinch than when it entered), your arm will be wrapped in gauze, and you will be asked to sit up and relax for several minutes. Do so until you feel right enough to move; sometimes you may feel faint or even slight twinges of nausea, but it will pass while you right yourself. Then feel free to some awesome juice and cookies. No joke, they are delicious! If you still feel chilled, find a sweater and relax a little longer.

That, in a nutshell, is what to expect when you give blood. After you are done, you can get a donor card and an estimated date for the next blood drive you can participate in. It seems like a very long process, but the payoff is rewarding. Your blood could go to help research, or transfusions, or many other medical jobs. I actually really like giving blood. It would be a little exaggerated to call it "fun," but the people you meet, the sensations you feel, and the satisfaction of doing a small gesture to help humanity is worth it, and for me worth doing time and time again. Give donating a chance; I've described the process, now all you need to do is participate.