Regardless
of the rapidity of advances in medical sciences, it is hard to imagine blood
being manufactured anytime in future; doesn’t that mean its always our
responsibility when someone is in dire need of blood?
This
reality has always hit me hard as a paramedical student, and piqued my
conscience enough to drive me to the blood donation camps conducted in my
university. Being perennially anaemic and my blood cells thriving on iron
supplements, I never had an opportunity to make a contribution to this noble
cause. The doctors checking my Haemoglobin (Hb) and declaring me unfit for
donating blood, would look like visa officers slamming passport on my face
and rejecting my visa application, squashing down my plans- it has happened
thrice! I would walk back with my head hanging down in disappointment, after
abortive attempts convincing the doctors that I am fit and fine.
A
couple of days ago, my friend Priyanka donated blood at a blood donation drive
located in the university campus and recommended I give it a shot too. Inspired
by her act, but wary of being refused again owing to my dubious blood iron
levels, my muddled thoughts continued contemplating if I should try again. On the
penultimate day, after being driven by excitement of forseeing my earnest
desire coming true, I hit the clinic with my friend Joi... We were met by a
throng of students rushing through some forms, being checked up by the doctors
and on success eventually led to the procedure. After registering and filling
in a long questionnaire, I met a doctor who checked my vital signs, and with
some basic interrogation, he pricked my finger to check my Hb. My heart was
racing to know the outcome and it was eternity before the dawdling haemoglobinomter (I named it!) showed
the reading- I think I was as anxious to see my GRE score on screen after the
exam. Nevertheless, I was eligible qualifying the minimum requirement of 12.5
units- the doctor too was amused to see the delight on my face. Thanks
Priyanka!
I was
made to lie on the bed, with a tourniquet tied around my biceps to generate the pressure/force of the blood flow. With a stress ball
to wring and release held in my fist, they injected a local anesthetic to evade
the pain of big sized needle insertion. After cleaning up the area around the
vein with an iodine solution and the needle into my vein, the blood gushed
through several entangled pipes reaching the blood bag filled with required
amounts of anti-coagulant. I was initially daunted by seeing the huge amounts
of my beet root coloured blood in a transparent bag, but regained my composure
within no time reminding myself it might save someone’s life. Its very important
to stay still throughout, lest you feel the needle pierce beneath the skin. The
procedure took no longer than 12-15 mins, and out there was 450 ml of my blood,
waiting to undergo numerous tests over weeks and be approved for transfusion. They
wrapped a long gauze over cotton tightly around the needle inserted area to freeze
the bleeding, and gave me some iron supplements to be taken for two weeks to
restore back my Hb levels.
I took
as much refreshments- biscuits, dry fruits, juices, fruits etc with myself to
replenish my electrolyte and nutrient levels. The process didn’t drain me off a
bit as I expected, on the contrary helping the needy in my own small way
has given me ultimate satisfaction.
I humbly
request everyone in the best of their health to donate blood, do you know you
can save three lives with one unit of your blood?
