My wife recently was in the hospital with pneumonia. She stayed 14 days and was very sick with other problems too. Three days in ICU unit and the doctor ordered two units of blood. I had never given blood, I have a thing about seeing blood especially if it's mine. I guess you could call me a wimp. I passed out during my blood test when we went to be married, LOL, now but she has never let me live that down.Once I went outside the hospital to get some fresh air after ICU visiting hours were over; guess what was out front of the hospital?? Yeah you guessed it...the Blood Assurance Bus. I'm thinking what a good time to be a big boy and go give blood. My body wanted to go but my feet didn't want to move. I finally entered the bus and people were packed waiting to donate. When I told them the story about my wife receiving two units of blood and I wanted to give blood for my first time. They were very nice and put me to the head of the line after a lot of question and a finger prick to test my blood. I looked around and I was the only man giving blood. The head of the blood bus explained a new way to give blood and you would get credit for two units instead of the regular way of one unit.
The machine they hooked me to after I said yes is called a Apheresis. The machine draws blood from your body and spins it extremely fast which separates the Red cells and places them into two donor bags. This machine take about twenty minutes to complete the cycle. Once the red cells are collected the machine pumps what is not used back into your body along with saline and an anticoagulant medication. I was doing great until that machine started pumping the fluid back into my arm. Yeah, I had to look at my arm. I remember saying, "I'm feeling faint" When I woke up I had two ice packs on my chest and two on my back and a pretty lady handing me a sprite and a little debbie cookie. Not bad at all???
The large tech told me it was over and that fainting is very normal for a first timer. Didn't make me feel any better with all those ladies looking on. He said you have the same amount of fluids in your body as you came in here with. Drink plenty of fluids and eat a good meal tonight. It was quite an experience for me but if I ever give blood again it will be the conventional way.
