I couldn't give blood.

And I'm not sure whether to be relieved or dissapointed, I think I'm a bit of both!!

I have wanted to give blood for ages, but have always been too scared, but last week I think it was I found out that there was a session yesterday about two mins from where I live, so I decided to give it a go. Running up to day I was so scared, I even couldn't sleep at some points, but on the day I was calm about it until I actually saw the sign at the door then my legs started feeling wierd, but I filled out the form then waited until I was called in for the interview and to see whether there was enough iron in my blood, tell them all about my op in 2008 so that they could say that it was all good to give blood, and that was all fine, and I was told things to do to help me when giving blood to help the nerves go away, and then I went to sit down to wait to be called to lay on the bed to give blood. At this point everyone had told me that I can leave at any time, when I was on the bed I was offered the chance to leave again, as the woman there didn't need telling I was a bit nervous so she made sure that I knew I c ould leave and I was told what to do again, and I had the blood pressure thing put on my arm, then the person tried the other arm and had to call the nurse over, as there was a problem finding my veins, this made me more nervous, and then the proper nurse tried it, and told her friend that she found a vien, it was deep and was 'going flat at 40' which I had no idea what that meant, and then I was told that I couldn't give blood, I didn't hear all of it, as I was trying to block out some stuff, but she said that if I did when my vien was like that there was a chance of it collapsing or something, but have a tea, calm down and try again on the sixth of July. Maybe then they'll be better, but I've been told to try different stuff before I go in, and get the people at the desk to check for a good vein before waiting or anything.

Have to say though after all that I couldn't sit down, so had to go to someone elses house and couldn't sit still until I was calm, and I feel sorry for him, as I also had a speech problem when I was little, and although I went to a school were I was given speech therapy my speech is fine, apart from when I'm really scared, or excited etc, and he had to cope with me for about ten minutes not making a bit of sense bless him.

Aww Bless you! I think you are really brave to go and try and i'm sure your friend didnt mind. Good luck with the July appointment x

That's a shame. Well done on trying though!

Oh dear, never mind. Good on you for volunteering though which is more than some people do.

I give twice a year.

I'm the opposite, I love the whole needle thing but they won't have my blood!

Good luck in July!

Well done for trying especially as you were so nervous about it.

I used to be a blood donor years ago, but out of 6 visits only managed to give blood once as they kept saying I didn't have enough iron. Apparently there are some perfectly healthy people who are like this, we just don't come up to their understandably high standards! So with regret I decided not to try any more as it wasted their time and mine (I was having to take time off work to go).

He probally did but then he likes a good moan so in a way I probally made his day lol.

Well at least I kinda know what to expect next time, as I've never even seen anyone give blood before so didn't know how it all worked, and that might help a bit in july

Thanks, maybe next time I'll actually get more further though lol.

Do you wanna swap lol, I hate needles with avenage, which was the worst part about being in hospital the first time, when they kept wanting to do finger pricks, and how the nurse and the person with me thought it was funny when the one she was gonna use first broke somehow, now that made me feel a lot more confident when she tried again

Thats a shame, I must say I am hoping that next time its all ok, if not for the fact that this time the thing I was most dissapointed with was the fact that I got so scared and had to leave without doing anything so it seemed like a giant waste of time, but next time I'm getting someone to come with me too, whether they want to or not , although its two days before my birthday, so I'm hoping that I'm not left with a sore arm for that!

They wouldnt take mine either as i'm om betablockers for HBP!

Well done for trying x

Well done for trying!

I'm on the oposite end....i'm the one who receives the transfusions lol

Maybe next time I'll actually have good enough viens to go through with it, but I've also got to remember to get someone to check them before going through it all again, but I suppose that if I didn't get them to check them it will be a waste of money that no-one needs.

Thanks, fingers crossed next time I'll do more then try