Blood and needles. ("This is gonna hurt like hell.")

[Dr Sardonicus]

Originally Posted by Batalov

I've remembered this 1999 New Yorker sardonic cartoon, and suddenly I don't find it funny at all. (It does hurt like hell!)

Huh. Needles m-m-m-make me n-n-n-n-n-nervous, but I have found that all I have to do is look away, and the shot is usually over and done before I know it.

One time I did have a little problem with a needle, but not when I was getting a shot. It was one time when I was donating blood. That uses a big needle. As I lay on the cot, I felt the strangest sensation -- kind of a crawly warm sensation where the needle was. I guessed - correctly, it developed - that the needle had moved. It didn't hurt, though.

The fun began when the bag was full and the needle came out. The nurse had one heck of a time stopping the bleeding. She went through several methods, none of which succeeded. She was obviously surprised, and a bit concerned, as more methods were unsuccessful. But she didn't get flustered. She just went on to the next thing to try. Which was, she had me lay my arm out on a table, put a compress on it, and applied a lot of pressure. She leaned on it and pressed down with everything she had. And, the bleeding stopped. She was obviously relieved, but I promise you, she had nothing on me there.

I wound up with a huge bruise around the puncture site, but nothing worse.

Strangely, my anxiety about needles diminished after that experience.

I remember seeing what I believe was a New Yorker cartoon (my recollection is my mom showed it to me, and she was a long-time subscriber) with practically the same caption, but the actors were different. It was a dentist telling his patient, "This is going to hurt like hell." The patient's briefcase was sitting on the floor, and near the handle it said "IRS."

[Batalov]

An interesting factoid - I just donated blood for the 40th time (round number of 5 gallons, woo-hoo!); the nurses happen to be consistently good at our place. Can't complain; you are correct, the donation needle is deliberately huge gauge, like 16. It is like for test "they use caliber .22" (if it were a gun) but for the donation they use ".44 magnum". "Do you feel lucky, punk!?"

So, the factoid is this: they started (and they told me that they will now by New Year finish) doing Covid Ig test built in with the donation. So I know that I was still antibody-negative 3 days ago. I think they wrapped it because convalescent plasma didn't prove to be a good treatment after all, so no need to know the donor's status.

Bonus factoid: because I started on Jan 4, I donated 7 times this year (it is sort of like 'blue moon'; second full moon in a month). If you do whole blood. the interval is such that it is almost 2 months, but a tiny bit less, so you can fit 7 WB donations in a year (not every year).

[masser]

Originally Posted by Batalov

40th time (round number of 5 gallons, woo-hoo!);

So, the factoid is this: they started (and they told me that they will now by New Year finish) doing Covid Ig test built in with the donation. So I know that I was still antibody-negative 3 days ago.

40 times? That is amazing! Thank you! I'm only on my 11th or 12th donation. My last two have donations included the Covid antibody test. It's a nice perk.

[rogue]

Originally Posted by Batalov

An interesting factoid - I just donated blood for the 40th time (round number of 5 gallons, woo-hoo!); the nurses happen to be consistently good at our place. Can't complain; you are correct, the donation needle is deliberately huge gauge, like 16. It is like for test "they use caliber .22" (if it were a gun) but for the donation they use ".44 magnum". "Do you feel lucky, punk!?"

So, the factoid is this: they started (and they told me that they will now by New Year finish) doing Covid Ig test built in with the donation. So I know that I was still antibody-negative 3 days ago. I think they wrapped it because convalescent plasma didn't prove to be a good treatment after all, so no need to know the donor's status.

Bonus factoid: because I started on Jan 4, I donated 7 times this year (it is sort of like 'blue moon'; second full moon in a month). If you do whole blood. the interval is such that it is almost 2 months, but a tiny bit less, so you can fit 7 WB donations in a year (not every year).

Nice!

I don't know how much I have donated because the regional blood center doesn't have all of the data. According to them I have donated (whole blood) 41 times times 2007 and 61 times in total, but there are no details for donations prior to 2007. I know that I donated 16 times thru 1997 (I have a 2 gallon donor pin from then) and I donated at least twice when I lived in Missouri in 1997/1998. Given my rate of donations, I have to believe that 61 counts from 1998 when I moved back to Wisconsin and not from 1990 when I first donated. Assuming I am correct this means that I reach 80 donations (10 gallons) with my last donation or with my next donation. I was COVID negative at my last donation.

I did donate platelets once, but it required a needle in both arms for an hour. That was not an enjoyable experience. I know the process requires only one arm today, but I'll stick with the whole blood, which is much faster.

I have had two slightly negative experiences. One time the phlebotomist went all the way thru the vein with the needle. I had a nasty bruise all the way down my arm for weeks. Another time the phlebotomist had the tourniquit on too tight and when they loosened it up a squirt of blood flew out of my arm onto my clothes and the chair I was in.

I know that many people are afraid of giving blood because they think they will be the "person that faints" or that it is painful. It is about as painful as being pinched and the pain goes away quickly. All I can say is that you could be saving a life with your donation and that you really don't know what the experience will be like until you do it. My older son donates when he can and my wife has donated, but my younger one hasn't and probably won't. Maybe I'll need to bribe him with candy.

My reason for donating blood is that I was an RH baby. It was a serious disease when I was born. I needed multiple transfusions because of it. Fortunately it is the same year they developed treatment for it.

[richs]

This old guy has donated 120+ times since starting at age 22. The first organization that I worked for would give you time off to donate, plus 1/2 day of vacation. Donating every two months resulted in three extra days of vacation yearly which was significant when you only got ten days off annually. In addition, I'm O- blood type so the blood center relentlessly reminds me to donate.

[rogue]

Originally Posted by richs

This old guy has donated 120+ times since starting at age 22. The first organization that I worked for would give you time off to donate, plus 1/2 day of vacation. Donating every two months resulted in three extra days of vacation yearly which was significant when you only got ten days off annually. In addition, I'm O- blood type so the blood center relentlessly reminds me to donate.

[The Carnivore]

Originally Posted by Dr Sardonicus

Huh. Needles m-m-m-make me n-n-n-n-n-nervous

I think I have a good handle on most common fears. Among other things, I've gone skydiving and bungee jumping, driven over 120 mph, done solo night hikes in bear and mountain lion territory, and, of course, ate exotic meats that some people feel squeamish about.

But needles? No way. I can tolerate shots since they're over quick, but I wouldn't donate blood even if you pay off my house!

[Uncwilly]

I do regular platelet donations. The normal method is a needle in each are for around 2 hours. I have sat in the chair over 200 times and donated around 550 units. Normally they are spaced every 2 weeks (but only 24 times in a 365 sliding window), but can be as few as 7 days apart. I will do my first for 2021 on Jan 1. I did my last for 2020 on Dec 25.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by The Carnivore

I think I have a good handle on most common fears.

I suffer from aibohphobia: a fear of palindromes.

Further, although I can handle vegetarians --- they eat vegetables --- humanitarians are beyond the pale IMO.