Be nice to me, it is my first....

DONATION!

A bloody one.

I went to the Blood Bank with Wendy because she wanted to donate blood.
And I tagged along.
And thought...
maybe I should donate blood too.

Registered...and was given a large red and white sticker to be paste on my T-shirt which says..

"Be nice to me, it is my first donation"

I felt like a kid, happily receiving a big sticker to praise me for my act.
During the examination,I was tagged under "Malaria Risk" by the examiner
becos I travelled in malaria risk countries within 12 months.
But I was accept as a blood donor nevertheless.

First...

a nurse prick a tiny-mini hole with a stapler-like thingy
and collected a bit of my blood and drop it into a blue solution.
I was told later by wendy this is to check the blood's density against...
I guess the blue solution is copper sulphate.

It sinks...a bit and hangs in the middle...

I passed as long as it dun floats...but not with flying colours...
I concluded...becos it should have sink to the bottom like other drops of blood.

I enter the room with many comfy looking arm chairs...
and a few nurse start to crowd around me...
They are smiley and nice to me...like what the sticker on my T-shirts tells them.
I ask a lot of silly questions...
and finally lay comfortablely on the chair.
Ready to do my act.

I was rejected by the blood donation team 10 years ago...
becos the nurse can't find my blood vein.

10 years later which is now,
it was not an easy job either.
They tried my right hand, then my left...
and decided poke on my right hand eventually.

A tiny injection...
For localised anesthesia...
Skillfully done.
Followed by...I don't know what...
But a tiny pin prick sensation as I was told to look away
and talk to my friend instead...
Which I suspect it must be more than a pin prick..
That I decided to steal a glance...

I regret it...
It was a painful SIGHT.
Not that I can feel anything...
Becos of the anesthetic...
But I know it should be painful by the size of it,
Just that I cannot feel it.

Then the nurse prompts me to squeese the little cushy sponge
to give pressure so that my hand and pump blood into the donation bag...

I skive a bit and was caught...but manage to pull through.

Finally...It was over...
and wendy told me I can choose colour for my hand bandage...
But it was too late when the nurse choose
blue for me to match my t-shirt.
Not bad actually.

The nice lady told me
I can carry my own blood for a while
before it is being sent off for process...

It was a weird feeling..
My own blood...
Separated from my bloody...
In a Bag...
and I was carrying it...

Like a baby.
My baby.
It used to be part of me.

Strangely.

Then we happily left the centre and
go for our free refreshment in the canteen...

Soya milk and Soon guey for me.

Then...wendy and I head for the food market across the bloodbank
for pork porridge as planned.

Walked down the slops of the bloodbank
cross the road...less than 10 minutes of walk...
I suddenly feel weak in the knees..
Really weak...
Followed by a nauseating sensation...
I told wendy i feel like puking.
She thought I was joking.

Then a few more steps later...
I started to sqaut on the walkway...
I need to puke.
I knew it.
I AM NOT JOKING.

Passersby stop and offered me medicated oil.
WHICH I NEEDed.
I am thankful to the old lady who offer me her medicated oil.

Then...
I VOMITTED.

It was the soya milk and soon guey.
It was NOT hard to recognise them.
They are in still in good shape...
As they are not eaten very long ago.

I told wendy that I feel bad that I had left my puke by the pillar...
The soya and soon guey must be feeling lonely and unwanted.

Anyway...we head for the food market...stayed for 15 minutes..
Wendy ate her breakfast while i still feel unwell.
I called the blood bank and told them I vomitted.
I was told to go back.

Wendy and I head back to the bloodbank..
SLOWLY.
We stop on and off...between this 10 minutes or less distance.
I just cannot walk too fast...becos the nauseating sensation is still there..
But nothing left to be throw up..

Wendy start to feel giddy herself too..and break into sweats...
It was her turn now..
we reach the door step of the blood bank...
And we stopped..
A few more step...
but I was feeling too sick to continue..
I lay down on the floor of the door step of the bloodbank...
Hoping that doctors and nurses will run out to save me...

No one came out.

Wendy was not feeling well too...
She looks pale by now..

I decided...
I need to go in...just a few more step...
I walked up the step and told the lady in the lobby my situation...
And Wendy walked in slowly.

Both of us...are being wheeled into the rest area...
given pressure test, blanket and water...

Nurses told us...we should eat before the donation.

My pressure was 90/60 i was told.

A bit low.

Then we rested.

The pink shirt guy across who was donating blood looks familiar..
But it was not important anymore..I was too weak to smile.

Then...after...a lost track of time..
We had to leave...
Becos we are occupying blood donation beds...
And we felt better anyway...
Nurses warn us not to go shopping before we left.

We left the bloodbank..

AND GO SHOPPING!

I need to buy my organiser for 2008.
I drag myself with wendy to kinokuniya.
Got myself a new organiser.
Which I was happy of my own choose.

And actually wanted to continue to shop becos
there are crazy year end sales not to be missed.
YEt...I was too weak...
I tried...
But wendy told me...
I looked pale.

I gave up.
And went home.

Along the way home..
it was still an ordeal.
I had to walk and stop...many times.

Feeling nausaeting...
until i reach home

Bath...
Saw myself in the mirror...
And like my whitening look.


I excitedly called wendy and told her
"原来捐血可以美白...!"
(Donating blood atcually had whitening effect...!)

She replied in a matter of fact tone...
"不是美白...是苍白..."
(Not whitening...is PALE looking)

Oh..hmmm...

SHE IS RIGHT.

I called my brother and and friend and told them my ordeal..
Before I tugged myself to bed.

Woke up...
Confessed to my nanny that i went blood donation
and was scolded by her...
Finish my dinner...
And decided to blog...

Feeling the tiny pin prick pain on the finger from the first test...
While I type on my keyboard...

"Be nice to me, it is my first ..."

Maybe...

It is also my last.