First Time Blood Donor

Today I donated blood for the first time. Fifteen years ago doing that would be ridiculous because I had such an awful fear of needles. Then I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and I had to have my blood taken every six weeks for a year or so until we found the right thyroid medication level. I had to learn to deal with my needle phobia, which I learned today is trypanophobia. I also learned that it makes a huge difference who puts the needle in you. Medical doctors, with the exception of surgeons, are not allowed to touch me with a needle. Only nurses who insert needles on a regular basis may touch me with a needle. If I am having a needle inserted into a vein, I demand a phlebotomist. The other problem I have though is the needle sitting in my vein. It is not the pain. It is the idea of a needle just sitting in my vein that makes me nervous. I had extremely minor outpatient surgery about ten years ago. The nurse anesthetist who inserted my IV was wonderful. I barely felt it, but looking at the IV taped to my hand still made me nervous. Of course in that instance it did not help that the saline bags were kept refrigerated, and since I was dehydrated due to the dictated not drinking after midnight, I had ice cold saline gushing through that IV into my veins. That was the most horrible part of the entire procedure.

Anyway, there was a blood drive at my office today, so I decided to finally conquer my nerves and donate blood. Someone today asked me why I decided to become a donor. Is altruism to strong a word for something like this? Besides being incredibly nervous and a little bit of uncomfortableness, I potentially am saving someone’s life with no harm or risk to myself. So why not? I, or someone I love may, or probably will, need someone’s donated blood someday. Pay it forward, right? In fact someone on Twitter thanked me as a recipient of an anonymous blood donation last year. That made the experience that much better. I donated blood. I am still alive. I didn’t even faint or get woozy. I’m pretty proud of myself.

Partially to keep myself distracted, I live tweeted my blood donation. Here is the Storify of the event.