My Blood Drive Adventure

So I've never blogged before and i didn't really know where to start but i figure this is as good a place as any, its a story my sister already posted on her blog but oh well, its about me so its going on here. :)

MARCH 16, 2010
Today there was a blood drive at my school.
We do them about twice a year because there are so many students that not everyone that wants to has a chance. I didn't get to do it last time and I really wanted to this time, BUT, my friend Karissa and I heard about the blood drive a couple days after everyone else so we didn't get time slots but we were put on the alternate list in case other students were deferred. I did everything I was supposed to just in case I got the chance to participate (I have never donated blood before and I really, really wanted to).
I drank plenty of water yesterday,
I ate a balanced, high protein breakfast,
and I drank plenty of water this morning.
I got called down during third period to donate and I was SO excited!
I read all the information, had my interview done, AND I PASSED.
I didn't have any diseases or cold symptoms,
I hadn't spent too much time outside of the U.S.
ETC.....
So they put me in a reclining chair, gave me a stress ball and put nasty orange and greenish iodine all over my arm. BLEH.
They marked my vein and...
A pinch and a sting later my blood was flowing through a tube.
After I was done they sat me up and I felt just the slightest bit light headed so I sat there for a second and it passed.
I got up, was escorted to the snack table, got some water and some nutter butters and sat down at a little table to fill out the survey.
A volunteer came and asked me how I was feeling, I said just a touch light headed and, that I really needed to use the restroom. She told me that as soon as i didnt feel light headed anymore she would escort me to the bathroom.
I started filling out my survey, and as i was looking down i was like... "Woah. I feel really light headed."
It kept getting worse so I told the nice volunteer lady that I was really, really light headed.
She came over and put her hands on my shoulders and said something to someone I dont remember.

I hear voices in my head.
A man and a woman talking.
They sound kinda like reporters or something on the radio.
My first thought is "I need to change the station..."
I open my eyes and see people knneeling over me.
Their mouths are moving but I don't hear anything except the voices in my head fading away. I finally hear the school nurse asking me if I hit anything when I fell.
I fell???
THEN I realize I'm lying on the floor with people standing all around me.
THEN I realize that I just gave blood and I must have passed out.
THEN I feel something wet on my pants.

JUST AN FYI. Next time you plan on passing out, make sure you pee BEFORE you pass out. NOT while you are unconcious on the floor. {You are welcome to laugh out loud and make all the peope around you stare like they are missing a huge joke. Because they are. I, an 18 year old girl, "had an accident" in the middle of the gym floor.}

Well, life goes on... they had my feet up and a cold towel on my head, they tell me i am doing fine, that I woke up soon enough they didn't have to call 911.
(At this point I am thinking... this might not be what you want to tell every person who passes out. I thought it was kinda cool that if I had been out about ten more seconds they were gonna call an ambulance, but other ppl might not take it quite as well. Actually... I know a few who would have out right panicked.)
The nurse said she was gonna call my mom and have her pick me up and I tried to tell her I would be fine if my mom would just bring me a change of clothes but she didn't agree. (Apparantly my green shirt and shoes weren't the only part of me that was celebrating St. Patrick's Day. My face matched. :o )
Well, they called my mom, sent me home and told me to drink lots of fluids. I was annoyed and thought i would be fine to go back to school in like an hour or so.
I was not.
I was freezing cold for no good reason (I had 2 blankets on top of me). I developed a huge headache, and eight hours after my episode I sat up too quickly and had to sit very still and breathe deeply for quite some time to not fall over.

BUT

This whole episode comes to right near the top of my most exciting days list.
All in all, (even including the stupid headache that wont go away) it was not a bad experience. I enjoyed giving blood and am planning on doing it again.


HOWEVER....

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS: Use the bathroom BEFORE you give blood. Just in case.