Blood donation bust

Memorial Blood Center

I decided to give blood today. Turns out that it did not work out - for a stupid reason. But I will not be deterred, I am scheduled for October 6th.

1. The last time I gave blood was August 2002 at a mobile blood van at a USMC Reserves family day!
   
2. Besides "the stick" it feels good to do something! It's not much, but someone needs my O positive blood and my body replenishes that pint in 24 hours anyway!
   
3. Kathee and I took the day off for errands and fellowship with a couple from our church. We met the couple at Byerly's restaurant on Duluth. I took advantage of my "senior" status and ordered the omelet off the Senior's menu. They didn't even card me!
   
4. My blood donation appointment (Plymouth blood center - link above) was for 12:30. This is what happened:
   
   
   
   1. I arrived at 12:20 ... always good to be on time!
      
   2. Into waiting room at 12:30 ... things going fine!
      
   3. Invited into the clinician's office for the obligatory questions.
      
   4. Blood pressure taken: 118/86 .. not bad for a guy 1 week shy of 58 years. All good so far.
      
   5. Pulse: in the 60's. Again pretty good for an old fat crippled guy!
      
   6. Blood prick: They make a little prick to draw a small glass tube of blood. This is to check one's blood's iron content. I watched this process carefully. The blood tube goes into a centrifuge to separate the red portion from the clear portion (plasma). Then the column is laid on the horizon for a measurement. To donate, the red portion of the column has to be at least 32%. The longer the red portion, the higher iron content. I was 42% and good to go
      
   7. The questions: I think there must be 100 of them. One was "have you had sex with a male since 1977?". That's an easy question for me ... not since 1977 ... and not before! I understand that only 30% can pass the "questions test"
      
   8. Hang up on drug questions. I take two drugs daily. I remembered the name of one but not the other. Drug # 1 ... not a big issue. But I could not donate blood until they knew what # 2 was. I called my clinic from my cell phone to ask my Dr's nurse what that drug was ... well I thought this would take about 5 minutes, but I ended up being on hold for 25 minutes (when I gave up).
      
   9. I called Walgreen's pharmacy in Plymouth and got right through (its now about 1:20). The Walgreen's pharmacist tells me the drug name. I carefully write it down and provide it to the to the clinician
      
   10. Meanwhile I am getting a little concerned about time. Kathee's out in the lobby wondering about me. We had an appointment with a contractor at 2:00 ... I knew I had to be home on time to meet this guy.
       
   11. The clinician cannot find drug # 2 in her database. A nurse is brought in for a consultation. They call their on call Doctor for advice. Clock is ticking. The blood donation time is 15 minutes, I know I need 15 minutes to get back home from the blood center. I've been at the blood center for a full hour!
       
   12. The Dr. informs the nurse and clinician that drug # 2 is a generic drug. The original formulation name is in the database.
       
   13. I am cleared to give blood ... but now it is 1:35!
       
   14. I say ... goto go. I'll come back at 3:30. Nurse informs me that blood center closes at 3 so that's not going to work! I volunteer to come in tomorrow. They tell me I can give but only if I come in at 7:30.
       
   15. I'm interested in giving blood, but I'm not interested in getting there at 7:30 on a Saturday
       
   16. So my next appointment is October 6th!
       
   
   
5. The clinician apologizes. I say ... hey not your fault!
   
6. But I was a little disappointed that my blood donation was a bust today!
   

Meanwhile, I encourage my readers to give blood. Some cannot for various reasons. But if you can give, Do give!

Memorial Blood Center