Trying to donate blood, in vein

One of the nurses trying her luck at finding my elusive veins.
Photo by Candice Brissenden

“Now your vein is gone!”
“What do you mean it’s gone? Where to?”
“I don’t know, it’s just gone. Gone!”
This is not exactly what I wanted to hear on my first time donating blood. After being shunted around from chair to chair, having my arms prodded by a variety of people, continuously squeezing a squishy red heart shape ball, having my chair elevated and straps tied tighly to both my arms, they still couldn’t find my veins and I was almost ready to give up. My braveness along with my dreams of being a good citizen and writing an article to encourage Grocott’s readers to donate blood, was fast slipping away.
Eventually, a third person came to try and find my elusive veins and to my relief, one of my veins co-operated. The process itself was quick and I couldn’t feel much. In under less than 10 minutes they had their pint of blood and I had a yummy biscuit, some overly sweet cooldrink and an awesome SANBS pen. The parting shot from the guy who couldn’t find my veins was, “Next time you donate, tell them you have very, very difficult veins.”
Will I donate blood again? Definitely!

They eventually found one of my veins, after lots of poking, prodding, pain and squeezing the red heart.
Photo by Candice Brissenden

Published in Grocott's Mail on 18 March 2011.