The Vampires at KB

03 Oct 2006 at 14:56 // under Facebook

I have just given blood for the 8th time and that was the worst so far. I am tempted to delete this in because it might scare people off but it really was not a welcoming experience. For a start though they are all still wearing three times propose t-shirts, the person at the door and the desk completely ignored the fact that this was the 3rd time I had given this year. I only like the whole initiative because they stamp a little piece of paper that lets me know when I last gave blood. It is all right for them, they can just look it up on the computer. I think they weren’t expecting any students to have given three times because they only go to Kings Buildings twice a year.

After waiting to get a form, I filled it in quickly then spent three minutes staring at the nurse who was just standing there occasionally looking at me but didn’t bother to take my form off me for an unknown reason. After nurse taking my form and asking all the questions on it again I moved round to wait again. This is beginning to sound very whiny though at the time I didn’t mind - I am used to that half of the service. Unfortunately the next bit really annoyed me.

ANYONE SQUEAMISH SHOULD AVOID THIS PARAGRAPH! As I said I have given 7 times previously. The first time was the best in terms of installing the needle. Even though I was looking at my arm I didn’t see the needle at all and didn’t feel anything more than a slight prick. Whilst it was being inserted, a piece of wading was hiding the procedure from me and immediately after she was finished both the needle and the wadding was taped in place. This time she just exposed the needle, I looked at the ceiling so I wouldn’t see any more. When she was inserting it the skin was being pulled and I think the antiseptic covering rubbing on the skin was what caused it to sting. Then she taped the needle in place and only then threw a bit of wading over it. Because the wading wasn’t taped in place, halfway through the process, I looked down to see that the wadding had fallen off and the needle going strait into my arm (and still pulling the skin).

After words I went over to the refreshments area and when asked what I want to drink, I asked for a cup of tea. Normally if you have never given blood before they ask you to have a cold drink however because it was students and they only had one member of staff on the refreshments area, they would only give us cold drinks.

After giving blood I then wanted to get a bowl of soup unfortunately KB House was out of soup and so I have moved over to KB Centre and am eating a plate of chips with a cup of tea. Very healthy.

And as I have been typing this one of the nurses has just come round where I am sitting and handed me a flier and asked me to give blood. She was the one I was talking to earlier and wouldn’t give me a cup of tea but then she has probably seen so many faces you can’t expect them to remember.

As I said, I don’t want to put people of giving blood. Do go. Though my first time was the best and today was the worst, it does not look good for the future however I will still give blood and encourage anyone else to do so as well.

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