Gold Blooded

I was quite nervous this morning when I turned up at PG, but all went well. I gave a double donation of platelets in 68 minutes. The last twenty minutes felt like it went on forever as I really needed the loo after all the water I drank yesterday.

Blood flows out through the needle and goes into a reservoir, then it goes into a centrifuge and the platelets are drawn out and are pushed up a tube into a bag. They are yellow, hence it being known as the golden donation. Clamps go on and then the red cells are pumped back into the arm. It was a weird feeling and my vein would enlarge on each return then fall again as more blood was drawn. Some people can’t cope with it and the first side effect is a sour taste in the mouth, then tingling lips. If the speed of the return is slowed they sometimes feel better but if not it can lead to nausea and vomiting. Thankfully, I was okay.

Platelets only have a shelf life of seven days, so I should hear where my donation is used pretty soon. Because it was a double donation I have now reached donation twenty five.

I called at the Trafford Centre to take some clothes back on the way home. I then had my hair done. Tonight it was a music quiz at the golf club....Ellen talked me into going. I actually knew a few answers, but I prefer a general knowledge quiz. I’m absolutely shattered now, but as I said to Ellen, that’s probably due to the fact that I’m missing some body parts lol.