As it does every term, the Red Cross set up shop in the Great Hall last week Tuesday and Wednesday to hold a blood drive. Thinking about donating when they return in the spring? Here is how the process worked:
You can make an appointment online ahead of time or walk in to the drive if there are enough beds available. The first thing that will happen is that you will get an information packet about the donation process, eligibility, and confidentiality. Once you have returned it and affirmed that you understand all the information, you are ready to go on to the next step.
Next you go to one of the blue fold-up privacy booths that were lined up on one side of the hall. A Red Cross worker will ask you questions about factors that might make you ineligible to donate, such as travel, sexually risky behavior, or any medications you might be taking. He or she then takes your blood pressure, and sticks your finger to test your blood hematocrit. That part does hurt, but only for a moment. Hematocrit is the proportion of you blood that is taken up by red blood cells. If it's too low, you will be ineligible to donate.
If you pass the eligibility survey, you will lie down on a cot and lay the arm you would like to donate with on an armrest. The worker marks the vein with a marker (there is a vein near the surface on the inside part of the elbow that is used), then cleans the area with iodine. You will get a squeezy ball to squeeze, which helps make the vein more prominent. The actual insertion of the needle into the vein does hurt a bit, but not as much as one might imagine. I find it's best not to watch that part. If that works for you, go for it.
The next step is to wait while your blood runs into the donation bag. You are supposed to keep squeezing the squeezy ball during this time, to help the blood flow faster. If you look at the tube, it doesn't actually look like blood - it's a reddish-purple color instead of bright red. This is because it's deoxygenated blood from a vein.
When the bag is full, the Red Cross worker will clamp it off and remove the needle from your arm. This too is unpleasant, but only takes an instant. Then you will have to raise your arm and apply pressure to the site until the bleeding stops.
Then you get to enjoy the fun part of blood donation: free food! You're encouraged to eat after donating. At last week's blood drive, Sodexho donated a basket full of cookies and Domino's donated pizza. If you don't feel like pizza, there were also fruit bars and apple juice. You get a cool "I Donated" sticker to put on your shirt, and then you are on your way. The whole process takes about an hour.
If you want to learn more about blood donation, check out www.givelife.org. It has tons of information about blood donation, testimonials from people who have received units of blood, and even games.
