Blood donation mishap

Well that sounds more exciting than it really was... there was no arterial spray or anything like that. Just my crappy veins and the phlebotomist that was determined to get me to bleed properly, so much so that he felt the need to dig around inside my arm when he missed hitting the vein the first 2 times.

This is the next day:


Ths is today (one week later):


Donating blood is important to me, it just sucks a$$ that I was cursed with veins that they have trouble finding.

Is this the new "I ran into a door" excuse? "I was donating blood and he couldn't hit the vein"

I do feel your pain. Lately I've had more pricks in me than soperbrew on 2-for-1 night when the navy ships come in.

EvilTOJ said:

I do feel your pain. Lately I've had more pricks in me than soperbrew on 2-for-1 night when the navy ships come in.

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LOL! That sounds uncomfortable (for both of you!).

OK, now I've got to double-up on my EvilTOJ quotes in my sig...

jmulligan said:

Donating blood is important to me, it just sucks a$$ that I was cursed with veins that they have trouble finding.

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Unfortunately they have to have a big one for donating blood (so it doesn't hemolyze the blood and flows faster). Kudos to you for doing it though, especially with small veins.

Sometimes phlebotomists/nurses/paramedics forget to tell you to hold firm, direct pressure on it for a while afterward and that's what happens. Sorry it happened to ya. I heard there's some kind of minerals in homebrew that'll help the healing process---at least that would be my excuse .

They give you Guinness over here after giving blood... Full of iron

My sister always bruises after giving blood, I've got good veins and usually don't have a problem.

My wife's hand/arm looked like a freakin plum when she was getting IV's before the baby was born. They sent an "experienced" nurse in AFTER she was pricked 5 times on the top of her hand, later to have the IV in her arm. Hospitals Suck!

Ohhh that's it, the_bird, I'm writing you out of the will!!!

P'shaw... your ex-wife got all your crap anyway, didn't she?

I had a few draws go like that, but I had to stop donating a couple decades ago. Almost made my gallon pin, but chronic problems with low iron levels prevent further donations.

Loweface said:

They give you Guinness over here after giving blood... Full of iron

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Where do I get my visa??

david_42 said:

I had a few draws go like that, but I had to stop donating a couple decades ago. Almost made my gallon pin, but chronic problems with low iron levels prevent further donations.

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That's a bummer! It stinks that there are many of us who want to donate but find difficulties doing so. HWMO has gorgeous, popping veins in his arm but hates needles.

Never had a bad draw quite like that- just some occasional light bruising at the draw site.

I've lost count on how many pints I've donated over the years. Donate as frequently as I can. There was an apheresis donation center near my office in NOVA- now, that's an interesting experience.

flyangler18 said:

Never had a bad draw quite like that- just some occasional light bruising at the draw site.

I've lost count on how many pints I've donated over the years. Donate as frequently as I can. There was an apheresis donation center near my office in NOVA- now, that's an interesting experience.

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Yeah, I donated platelets at the local Red Cross for years until they kicked me out. I go to Mexico every year and it happens to be part of the country flagged as malaria territory, so I am "deferred" for one year after returning. By the time my year is up, I have been again and start a new years wait all over again. Finally just gave up last year of ever being able to donate again.

flyangler18 said:

I've lost count on how many pints I've donated over the years. Donate as frequently as I can.

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Nevermind rugby practice, we're talking Red Cross donations here slick.

The very first time I donated in college, the nurse was finishing up on another guy. She got the needle in and asked how he was doing, of course he said fine. No sooner did she turn her back to him and he started seizing. She gets the needle out of the guys arm while he's still seizing so blood spurts all over the place. That makes for a hell of a first impression... but I still donate to this day.

Another time I saw a guy do a face plant while walking to the cantina. I think he had to have a few stitches on his forehead.

Apollo said:

The very first time I donated in college, the nurse was finishing up on another guy. She got the needle in and asked how he was doing, of course he said fine. No sooner did she turn her back to him and he started seizing. She gets the needle out of the guys arm while he's still seizing so blood spurts all over the place. That makes for a hell of a first impression... but I still donate to this day.

Another time I saw a guy do a face plant while walking to the cantina. I think he had to have a few stitches on his forehead.

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Hmmm. None of my donations came with entertainment. Guess you have to pay extra for that.

When I gave blood this summer the room was a bit warm. I had hardly been there a couple minutes when I hear a yell "CHAIR!" and I immediately knew that someone had fainted. They were busy that day and by the time I left, I heard the yell at least 3 more times. I asked a nurse and she said that tends to happen when the room is warmer than they like.

I've only gotten a couple of bruises and I'm up to 8 gal. With all the beer drinking my veins don't pop up quite like they used to.

Yowch. Nice bruise. I got one of those once, but it's because I was a dumb 19 year old kid and unloaded 1600 lb of sacks of grain from the truck an hour after giving blood. All that lifting just after donating left a HUGE bruise (about like yours) on my arm.

I was blessed with big veins in my arms, so I'm an easy stick for the phlebotomist. I donate pretty close to as often as you're allowed, and I'm somewhere around the 5 gallon mark. Since I'm O+, they are always wanting my blood (it's the most common, or second-most common type).

A year or so ago, I gave in the space of two weeks, a double unit of red blood cells, and one of plasma for my nephew, who was needing weekly transfusions. THAT left me a bit woozy, but the usual pint is no problem at all.

I used to give on my regular 52 days or what ever it is but cant now because of new tattoos and tattoo updates. I think my father is just over 2 gallons now.

Looks like he hit an artery.

The problem with donation centers is they have crazy quick turnover. I've heard of people poking on their own their first day on the job - no previous experience.

As a phlebotomist working in a hospital we're pretty happy and lucky to get a middle age man! :rockin:

Just out of curiosity, who did the draw? American Red Cross?

Been there, the last two times I have donated for some reason about mid way through filling the bag my vein will stop giving, so I sit there while the volunteer moves the needle all around in my vein. Damn does that hurt and you get some good bruising afterward.

*phew*

i thought i was going to hear something about HIV

Looks better than it did Monday