no more platelet donations
I tried to give platelets again today. The phlebotomist didn't have so much trouble finding veins this time, but I had to stop after about 5 minutes, and I ended up in tears... Apparently the returning fluid was going into my arm, not the vein, which hurt quite a bit, but that shouldn't have been enough to make me cry. I felt stupid because I just wasted their time and I shouldn't have even tried, because I've had trouble before. And then I got embarrassed about having tears in my eyes, which made it even harder to keep from crying. Plus, the phlebotomist was being all nice to me, which always makes me cry. I think I'm too embarrassed to ever go back there now. I just wanted to run away, but I was stuck in the chair with needles in my arms, so I couldn't move. I finally escaped without stopping for juice and biscuits, but somehow crying has made me sad more generally*. I'm not sad about anything in particular, but I still want a hug.
* On second thought, perhaps stupid hormones are to blame for both... I don't know if that should make me feel better about crying for no reason, but it never does.
posted by Lucy @ 7:17 PM
9
comments
9 Comments:
Poor Lucy. I'm sending hugs - it was wonderful of you to try and I'm sorry it was so painful and icky.
Thanks, Katie. It wasn't really so bad, but hugs are still good.
*hugs*
I hate how it only ever occurs to me that hormones might be to blame for that sort of thing well _after_ the event. And then, you're right, it doesn't really help to know it, anyway.
Hope you feel better soon.
I'd have been in tears too. A few years ago, I had to go through some intense blood testing to see if I had blood sugar issues (if I eat too many simple carbs, I go right to sleep). I was in tears because they had to test like every hour all day or something, they had to draw a ton of blood, and I have hard to find veins - so there was a lot of 'diggin' (youch). I was crying so much, they let me go before they finished everything.
Here's another story: In college, when I had to get my measles/mumps/ruebella shot, i was terrified (I'm better now). A friend went with me and sang me sondheim songs while she rubbed my back :)
I have really difficult veins, too. They look fine, and plump up nicely when they look for them, so the phlebotomist never believes me when I say that I'm difficult. Then, shortly after the stick comes the "Huh" as they realize that they should have listened.
I donated platelets for quite a while anyway. I seem to have a lot of them (they can usually get two units from me at a sitting) and I'm O+ with very few antibodies, so was highly in demand. They didn't succeed in getting it to work every time, but rather than making me feel as though I was wasting their time, they were impressed that I kept letting them try.
I haven't given platelets in a while--I've been giving whole blood lately, because I can do that on campus--but I just wanted to encourage you to not give up. It's a good thing to do, and good for you for even being willing to try.
If you're wondering, I continue to give in spite of the digging and bruising and inconvenience, because someone I care about would not be alive if several hundred people hadn't given. She's also the reason I started giving platelets. So, thank you.
I am feeling better, already. Thanks, Styley.
Shrinky, ouch! Poor you! I think part of what started me crying was when she said she could find a new vein and try again, after my arm started hurting. I hate when they have to keep digging around.
titletroubles, it wasn't their fault I felt like I was wasting their time. They've always been really nice about me being difficult and still coming back; I just felt bad, particularly because I had a late appointment and they'd stayed around just for me.
The phlebotomist told me to just go back to giving whole blood, but I think she took pity on me because I was crying. The one time I did manage to give platelets (out of three attempts) they didn't get a whole unit, anyway, I think, so I will probably just go back to giving blood.
I do know the feeling, though--I ran slightly below a 50% success rate at getting anything out myself (didn't always make one whole unit either). That's one reason I went back to whole blood. When the platelets didn't work, it was usually because they only got one arm and not the other.
hug:
oooooo
Post a Comment
<< Home