Monday, September 08, 2008

Reverse Dracula

Note the day, mark it, mark it! Ladies and gentlemen, today I finally did something I have wanted to do for a long, long time and have never done.

I donated blood :-D! And it happened in such a commonplace way - no red carpet, no majestic music, nothing. A couple of colleagues and I were doing our afternoon walk when I spotted a blood donation van. And I said, "Oh I have always wanted to donate blood. I should go see if I can.". Though colleagues in question did not want to/could not donate blood, they said that I should go.

So all three of us went in together. The other two were providing "moral support" for me and happily settled themselves in too. Which was when the blood collectors (!?!) told us that the process would take about 45 minutes. Uh-oh. So my moral supporters left after making sure I was okay with being alone with the Big Bad blood collectors.

The process was nothing extraordinary and went much along expected lines. It was kinda strange though to see my blood flowing into a bag aided by me squeezing a small rubber ball. After some time of squeezing, a beeper went off indicating I had donated enough blood.

A big bandage was wrapped around my arm around the needle-prick. I was then made to sit down for 15 minutes sipping from a bottle of water (I said "No!!!" to apple juice).

That's it, I was free to go! I was feeling all euphoric at having finally donated blood (though a friend smartly pointed out that it not euphoria but lightheadedness due to blood donation) and walked back to work.

I still feel slightly woozy though I am willing to bet a fair amount that it is just my imagination. But yaay, I donated blood!

And oh, I would like to give special thanks to my company which has made this event possible. Most of management here is out for the next couple of days leaving me plenty of time for useful activities like 1.5-hour long lunches, half-hour long walks, 1-hour long blood donations, catching-up-on-gchatting, middle-of-the-day blogging etc. Mucho obliged!

17 comments:

rads said...

areywah! You do such noble acts and you don't even brag to me. Cha. Now you make me feel bad for whining to you..

Good girl :)

nourish-n-cherish said...

Congrats! Blood donation is really noble.

And, it has always been my theory that we deserve a break from management just as much as they deserve a break from their workplace!

Ajeya said...

congratulations! :)

Vishesh said...

lol :P i too want to do it :P but u need to be 18 !

Anita said...

you have arrived boss! I have wanted to do it for a long time too but never got around to it.

Floridora said...

Thank you! Thank you!

As the recipient of many transfusions in the last year, I am grateful for your contribution. In an indirect sort of way, I owe my life to you. I sincerely thank you - and all others that respond to to call for donations.

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

yay for you! :-) Good deed done!

Anonymous said...

I always wanted to do it. Two times I got rejected because my BMI was not good enuff. May be I should try now.

Anyway, my BIG Congrats for your deed

prajyot said...

i always wish to help with blood donation..but always was unsucessful...one day,i wll surely make this dream true

Archana Bahuguna said...

Good job girl! 3 pats on your back .. :)

Unknown said...

Good job man :)

Rajiv

Sayesha said...

Shabash! :)))

Archana said...

After reading all the comments, I feel so noble and wonderful and what not :-D!

Rads - hehehe - I whine about so many other things to make up, no :-D?

Saumya - absolutely! In fact I think we deserve the bigger break!

Ajeya - :-D!

Vishesh - acho, still a kutti payyan :-P!

Sindu - did I inspire you?

Floridora - I never thought of it quite that way - now you have inspired me even more to become a regular donor.

Lakshmi - welcome aboard :-)! Thank you :-)!

Sojish - welcome aboard :-)! Hope you get to donate soon too!

Prajyot - welcome aboard! Good luck for your dream to come true :-)!

Rajiv - oooh, you finally created your account :-)! Thanks!

Sayesha - thanks :-)!

Vishesh said...

u r tagged! :P do it!! :P :D lol want to know your answers ;)

Archana said...

Vishesh - okie, will try to do this tag at least :-D!

Vishesh said...

ya better do it :P been a long time since saw something called a "tag" in your blog :P and well....soon just about 10 more months to 18! :P

Archana said...

Vishesh - whee, then you can vote :-D!