In this case - blood!
The EFG tried to make her first blood donation today, and it was a struggle just to get past the dragon on the door [whoops, no, she was a "donor carer"]. These organisations are very good, and we have a great deal of appreciation for the excellent and very valuable work that they do, but when they put the most unwelcoming person at the door, you wonder why you bother!
She hadn't eaten enough, she hadn't drunk enough, I wasn't allowed to help her fill the questionnaire in [I was told off quite sternly - "this is a confidential document and it will be discussed only with the donor, behind a screen, in private"]....I felt most unwelcome, so I left with the YFG! I felt like saying, "I'm her mother!" but didn't.....
Then the EFG was passed through the system and had good conversations with much, much more friendly nurses, both of whom asked whether her mum was there, so she told them about the incident at the door, and that I had left. They were politely bemused, she said. They fed and watered her, and decided that she could give blood after all.
Except they then discovered that her veins are inaccessible, and said that she would not be able to give blood after all, and would have to be taken off the register.
The FH has given over 50 pints, his cousin has made his century and my sister over 25, so she had hoped to carry on in the family tradition.
I cannot give blood, and was quite squeamish even being in the room with all the people hooked up to the blood collection paraphernalia. I can cope with a little blood, like from a cut but not a quantity in a phial and it all makes me feel sick and faint. Not good. I can't even look at the nurse taking blood for blood tests at the doctor's. Bit useless on that front. Sorry, folks!
Having said all that, with the FH's history, we are all willing donors for organ transplants after we die, and we would of course recommend that those able to give blood do so if at all possible.
It's life.
4 hours ago
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4 comments:
Am glad you are (or were!!) feeling better. Oh, I laughed at today's antics!! That was MY job, a Donor Carer!!! But I wasn't a dragon on the door, (official job description is 'welcoming'!! even if she wasn't!!) I used to get moaned at for talking TOO much!! When I started, many years ago, it was the best job in the world, we were a new Team and we had fun and 99.9% of the Donors where lovely, but as the way of most things now-a-days we suddenly had Targets to reach, or not, as the case maybe. My beloved lorry was changed for 2 large vans and the system started to go pear-shaped, so I jumped ship!! I can't believe they told EFG not to try again, yes, her veins would have been none existent if she hadn't drunk much, but tell her not to give up. As for your treatment, that astounds me, we made everyone welcome. How times change!!
I hope EFG is okay - and what a disappointment! WS xxx
The 'donor carer' lady who interviewed me last year asked me THREE TIMES in the course of her questioning if I was pregnant [having already established that I am nearing 60 and post meopause]Was she expecting an immacualte conception or something??
What a faff, when all you want to do is to help by giving blood. C reached his 50 and got a pen just in time, before all the heart things last year. Now he takes too many tablets.
I tried to donate once but it didn't go well so was advised against.
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