Make an Apheresis donation

I put that it wasn’t worth it because my first time didn’t go well. My arm started to hurt after 20 minutes, so they had to stop the whole process.

I wouldn’t discourage anyone from trying it though. My veins just weren’t big enough. I’m just going to stick to giving blood. :)

I made my donation this morning. It took about 2 and a half hours from check-in to finish, but I have a lower than average platelet count (still enough to donate and have some left over for me though), so it took me longer than the other people there. They tell me that 2 hours is average for a first time. Got a little queasy now and then, but overall not a bad experience. If you’re going, think about bringing a book or a portable DVD player.

An apheresis donation can be inconvenient because it takes so long and you go so much more often than with a simple blood donation. It take more of a commitment. It also feels funny to have the anticoagulent running through your body when they put the blood back in. You kind of buzz. You have to chew tums the whole time. It’s weird. But if you’re willing to go through the (semi)hardships that this process contains, then you’re definitely doing a very good deed.

After years of donating blood, I am going back to doing apheresis donations. I give my first donation (platelets) this Friday and will try to go every week or two.