Friday, Bloody Friday

I can’t believe Friday is here- we made it!

My morning started out with a big bowl of warm banana oats, topped with some chocolate protein muffin peanut flour sauce.

For the chocolate protein muffin, I followed the basic recipe that I always use, but added 1 T of cocoa powder and 1/2 T of dairy-free chocolate chips (Almond Dream brand). For the flours, I used 1 T of coconut flour and 1 T of oat bran.

Yum!

The school that I teach at holds a blood drive each year, but I had not participated in the past. I decided to do my part this year, especially since the blood supply in our county is critically low. I was told to “eat a big breakfast beforehand.” No problem- I do that every day!

This was also my first time donating blood, ever. I’ve gotten blood taken several times for various tests, but never actually went to the Red Cross to donate.

Needles don’t really bother me and I have a pretty high pain tolerance, so I figured it would be no big thing. My plan was to walk in, answer a few questions, have my blood drawn, and be on my merry way.

That’s not exactly what happened.

I did walk in and sit down with a Red Cross worker to go over all the forms and questions, had my iron tested to make sure it was high enough, and then went over to one of the beds to donate.

The nurse put the needle in and I remember looking over at it and thinking “wow- that blood is MOVING!” I started to feel a little nauseous and then everything just kind of faded to black. The next thing I knew, a bunch of people were standing over me shouting “Lauren! Lauren! Wake up!”

I had no idea where I was and it took me a minute to get my mind clear. Apparently I had passed out for a little over 10 seconds- I was out COLD.

The nurse asked me if I wanted to stop drawing blood, but I told her to keep going. As they said, everyone’s bodies react differently. I don’t know if it was the rate at which the blood left my body (mine was a lot faster moving than most people’s) or what- but it was just one of the weirdest things I have ever experienced!

I felt a little light-headed for about 30 minutes afterward, so I drank some juice and ate an apple and a few animal crackers and laid down.

But now I’m good to go!

I was also told that I went completely white when I passed out, and it looks like MOST of my color has come back.  I feel good about donating my pint (that’s a lot!) of blood to someone who will make great use of it, even if I had to pass out to make that happen. 🙂

Have you ever donated blood? Or- have you ever fainted/blacked out?

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