When finally I met the requirements to donate my wine-red goo, I more or less forced myself to do it as my “duty to humanity”…not to mention for the free t-shirt.
I’ll admit, when I signed up, I felt fine about it. No nervousness or psyching out until 5th period yesterday when I actually had to make myself get up and walk to the media center, where there would be no turning back. I can’t say I was 100% confident, though sometimes I have a good brave face, until I actually sat myself down on bus #4 and accepted the fact that I couldn’t escape.
Thankfully, my dwindling bravery was sustained when I ran into Katiana, who was just as freaked out as I was. After all, us first-timers ought to stick together. She was kind enough to wait with me while I finished my paperwork; whether it was out of pity or fear for her own well-being, I doubt I’ll ever know.
After answering some strangely specific questions about my personal life – and reading them out loud for dramatic effect – Katiana and I put on our warrior-goddess faces and stepped outside into the harsh, bipolar Florida weather. One of my SGA friends lead us to glorious bus #4, where we sat in a cramped, freezing, yet strangely comfortable area waiting to get our satisfactory marks and the go-ahead to get stabbed, probed, and hooked up to little blood machines and get our life-goo sucked out.
The uncomfortable atmosphere was eleviated by none other than Mr. Crowley, who was in mine and Katiana’s 2nd period last year. Travis left room for some comic relief while we waited in our little swivel chairs for Nurse Rude to call us back.
Katiana was first to be called back, and if I remember accurately, she said something along the lines of “Ah, please don’t kill me” to which I may have stifled a giggle, but Nurse Rude just stared. I could tell this was going to be an awkward visit.
When Katiana emerged – alive, strangely enough – I was next to be put at Rude’s mercy. I stepped into the little cubicle-thing quietly, too afraid of her evil stare to make a witty remark. She didn’t say much to me other than shoving a disposable thermometer in my face and saying “Under the tongue” and asking me where I had been in the last three years. The kicker was when she motioned for me to give her my hand and she simply snatched it and stabbed me with the little pen thingy before I could blink. That little bastard hurt worse than getting my vein opened.
Emerging in one piece – save for the little piece of skin which was now missing from my ring finger – I took my seat again next to Katiana. And who else was in our little bus other than Tyler, whom I have known since Freshman year. So thankfully, Katiana and I were stuck with only two other people on the bus – both of which we knew.
I could feel the tension evaporating, until of course Nurse I-can’t-understand-but-nice came over and taped some tubes to my arm, letting the little needle dangle mockingly just out of view. I’m not afraid of needles, but this one gave me the jitters for sure. With tubes strapped to all of us, we began to make our version of little bets, deciding that the first one to cry had to give up their free shirt. To my knowledge, no one cried. But Katiana coughed a little.
I watched Tyler get stabbed first. Heheh, it was somewhat amusing when he winced, but didn’t help my confidence. When Nurse I-can’t-understand-but-nice marked my veins and prepared the needle, however, I had a spark of what felt like carelessness and turned away. And whaddayaknow, it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as I expected. A pinch and a burn was all it was, though it got a tad more painful when Nursey had to fish around a little to get my vein.
So, long story short, I squeezed my stress ball until I was sure my forearm would be twice its original size, all the while chugging the best apple juice I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. When I was done, I got a cute purple bandage, two stickers announcing that I was no longer a blood-newbie, and that people should be nice to me for the rest of the day. I even got a nice bag of goldfish-crackers as a souvenier.
Getting off the bus, I felt ecstatic. Not only had I survived, but MAN did I feel surprisingly good. I could have freaking done flips. I was like, “Wow, that was easy. And I feel awesome!” So I walked right in to the media center, got a few pretzels and a water and my t-shirt, and headed towards the door. I did, however turn my head – thankfully – and catch a glimpse of a dead-looking Katiana in the fainter’s chair with rags on her face. I felt like it wasn’t fair that I felt so great and she almost fainted, so being such a nice, concerned friend, I decided to wait for her.
I stood there for less than two minutes, talking and eating goldfish while I waited for Katiana to return to reality and Nurse Awesome joked in the meantime, saying something to the effect that she was surprised I was feeling so good. Honestly, I don’t know what she was saying, because like a damned brick wall, nausea and dizziness whacked straight into me, full on. The room tilted, and so did Katiana, who looked happy as ever. My face coated with sweat instantly, and my ears rang like freaking Notre Dame.
Not the one to faint, or vomit all over myself and my friends, I at first tried to snap myself out of it as Nurse Awesome said, “Are you sure you don’t want to sit down?” I remember kindly declining, taking a firm swig of my water. Well, I learned something from this. Standing while about to faint – and or vomit – and drinking water does ZERO for you. So, about a second after declining the chair-offer, I remember saying something like, “You know what? I think I will sit down.” and I plopped myself right onto the closest fainter’s chair.
It was almost funny, how fast Nurse Awesome was by me, splashing the most AMAZING water on my face – though it kinda shocked me a little – and practically wrapping my head in what felt like a turban of cold rags.
Heh, now Katiana was up and moving, and I was the one about to faint. But I felt better almost instantly, and Katiana went to get us soda which God if it hadn’t tasted so bad and warm, I would have chugged like there was no tomorrow. I did however, have fun with my goldfish, pretending to make them swim around before chomping and killing them. Again, goldfish has never tasted so darn good.
And so, after Drisgill made it a point to make fun of my near-vomiting/fainting experience, I felt good enough to get up again. And I made Katiana carry my bag, which, in hindsight, was sort of cruel yet ironic so I’ve decided to let it slide. I ended up missing the bus because of my moment of utter weakness, but I’m thankful I did because when we got to Mrs. Shannon’s room she gave us a whole bag of assorted chocolates, which Katiana and I pretty much raped.
So, after this interesting experience, I must admit that I would probably donate again. What will I do differently, though? I WILL SIT DOWN BEFORE TRYING TO WALTZ MY LITTLE BUTT OUT OF THE MEDIA CENTER. After all, if I had fainted, Katiana sure as hell couldn’t have dragged me back. So, lesson learned. Blood donated. My work here is done.
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