Monday, January 29, 2007

my arm - platelets

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I donated platelets today. It was more successful than the last time I tried, when they gave up after about 20 minutes of alarms going off every few seconds. Still, the nurse told me I was a challenge.
The first time she measured my blood pressure, it was 87/65, but they don't like letting potential donors go, so she waited and read it again, and it had gone back up to normal. Last time I gave plain blood, the nurse repeated the haemoglobin test, because it was 1 point under the cut off, too.
I really hope I never need a lot of IVs, because my veins suck. At least she did find veins the first time. She told me afterwards that next time I should drink a lot before coming. Apparently 2.5L wasn't enough.
The alarms did go off a few times, still. Once because I was too cold (my circulation apparently sucks, too). There was nobody around to ask for a blanket, but then I got scolded for letting my veins contract. My lips were feeling kind of tingly by the end and I probably should have said something about that, but I don't like making a fuss... I'm not sure if I want to give platelets again, though.


Bonus photo: Tonight's dinner was Ianqui's risotto with sausage and arugula. It was delicious; thanks, Ianqui!
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3 comments:

Ianqui said...

Mmmm. The risotto looks great! A nice treat after a hard platelet-giving day?

Phantom Scribbler said...

That sort of blood pressure reading IS normal for me. One more reason why I don't donate blood or platelets.

Lucy said...

Ianqui, definitely :) I hadn't thought about what microwaving the leftovers would do to the arugula, but it was still yummy today.

Phantom, are you sure you're alive? :) The nurse was concerned about that when she saw my first reading.