my very first blood donation..

had a boring day yesterday.. after the interesting but tiring jog with peggy and xinli to the gombak stadium.. btw.. the roads of singapore are already very busy at 8+ on a sat morning.. even those along the in the housing estates.. then came home to bath.. and went for blood donation at Bt batok sec.. bbss... when we (my mum and me) arrived.. there was already a long queue of pple waiting to donate.. not for checkups or registration.. those were very fast.. it's the waiting to donate queue.. it was ultra long.. think i waited for alomost an hour before donating.. then 2 little kids wanted to jump my queue and i let them.. one was a guy who was later rejected bec his veins were too small.. another was a gal who needed to go for a competition.. and was gg to be late.. but in the end i was the one who got 'serviced' first.. not the gal.. oh well..

oh and must thank ryan for coming down to support my sis.. even though they had no record of who was the student who got the donors down.. but still must thank him.. he even left immediately and drove to the worldview rehearsal in bt timah..

it's the waiting tat's scary...i was imagining the pain and the feeling of the blood being pumped out of my body... actually you dun feel anthing.. the donation itself was fun.. and fast.. i was taking pictures as i was donating.. think i was mad.. and this indian even helped me take a pic.. after he saw me trying to take a pic of myself.. but failing.. it looked like i was undergoing dialysis.. minus the large machine.. they put local anathestic on you before they put the large needle in.. so the large needle didn't hurt as much as the small one.. (the anathestic) weird? i thought so.. but better hurt less...

there's something tat puzzles me.. i have 3 bruises on my arm.. while my mum has only 1.. (for the large needle) did the same person who did it for both of us screw up when he did it for me? not sure.. or did the needle move when i was pumping the orange? still not sure.. when the first time the guy approached me.. the first greeting i got was 'hallo MR loon'.. where afterward he apologised bec he was so tired.. i wonder.. i asked if it'll hurt.. and he said a little.. and smiled.. it immediately reminded me of a butcher telling the pig it would only hurt a little before killing it.. wanted ot tell him.. but let's be nice...

and my entire process of pumping took less than 3 mins.. i know cos i was told to pump every 10 sec.. and i was faithfully counting.. and i pumped like only 3-4 times.. so yes i know.. the blood as it flows out feels very warm on my hand which felt cold.. in the air-con hall..

ironic isn't it? tat the process of pumping is shorter than the process of waiting... but bec they were short-handed.. tat's why.. pple just sat in the 'tanning' chair, the donation chair and waited... while the medics? were finishing up with those who were done..

after the entire process i felt lighter.. not sure why.. tat the entire process is finally over? or the heavy weight of anticipation is finally over? or tat my anxiety is gone? or simply bec a few hundred ml of blood just left me? not sure.. but while i was trying to gobble my bun down so tat i can go toilet.. yes they provide refreshments.. this guy from youth donors club approached me.. and told me about the talks they hold and the apparently a failed recuitment drive at HEErens.. wat a boring aspect.. but i decided to join anyway.. forgot to ask about membership fees.. but since this is a volunteer org.. think they dun collect fees? anyway... while the first guy was getting the t-shirt for me.. (oops forgot to ask his name) (should tell them they should say their name first..) (and i just rem i'm joiniing it alone.. oh no..) this second guy.. think malay approached me.. and gave me an arm band.. he wears a funky black and white specs which joins up at the sides in the form of a zip.. i like his specs.. hee.. and he was trying to convince me tat it's a fun organisation.. (got camps and etc.. can't rem...) not sure.. hee... not yet visited their website.. www.ydc.donorweb.org but it's under red cross.. am i returning to my sec sch days? eeee....!!!! just saw their photos for their camp in sept.. it was held in red cross camp site!! the horrible place tat holds so many disgusting memories and horrible ones too..

the same post is in my msn space..with pictures...