giving blood

I was sitting on my sofa at 11pm one evening last week. I'd just watched the latest episode of my favourite Brazilian soap opera (dubbed into Spanish, I particularly enjoy the fact that these stories differ from Eastenders and Coronation Street by having an end; they last a few months, are on every night for an hour each, and you watch the story with all its subplots developing, knowing that there's going to be a happy ending at some point!). I was surprised to notice that the late film this evening was one I was interested in so I decided to stay up and watch it for a change.

As the film got underway, a notice rolled across the bottom of the screen, asking help for someone who was ill in the public hospital and needed blood type A+. It gave the name and room number of the person and asked for donors to go to the hospital to give blood.

(I wondered whether it was the done thing to go and visit the person you were giving blood for...?)

I'd seen a similar notice on the telly once last year but the blood type needed was not mine. This time it was my blood type, so I decided to help. I've given blood several times in the UK and I thought it was a very practical and tangible thing I could do to help someone in need. So the next morning, I made my way to the public hospital not at all sure what to expect. I'd heard terrible stories about corridors full of patients and rude staff. I realised the experience was going to be different from what happens in the UK at a blood donating session, but I didn't know how different or in what ways. When I arrived at the hospital I made my way through the stalls selling all kinds of snacks, drinks and useful items like tissues and shoes (!) and headed for the main door. There was a sign outside the main entrance telling me the blood bank was in area "C" so once inside, I followed the signs down a corridor which got narrower and found myself facing a brick wall with no exit! I realised I'd have to ask a member of staff where to go. I was glad not to have to look far before I found someone in a white coat and she was quite helpful, giving me clear directions to a new building where the blood bank had obviously recently moved.

I entered the waiting room, lined up at a door with others and was given a form to fill in. I was reassured by the comprehensive nature of the questions on the form; very similar to the forms at home. However, the first question was "Have you read and understood the information leaflet in the waiting room?" I diligently looked around the room for said leaflet but had to conclude that either there was no leaflet or it was invisible! I left that question unanswered and moved on to the next. Within about 20 minutes, my number was called and I followed a technician into an office, where she skimmed through the questionnaire and asked a few of the questions again and completely ignored the question on whether I'd ever had my blood rejected at a donation session before. I'd answered yes because there have been a couple of times my haemoglobin has been low. I silently prayed that it wasn't going to be a problem this time, especially once I realised they weren't going to test my haemoglobin here!

She asked me who I was donating for so I said, "the woman whose name came up on the telly last night" It hadn't occurred to me that I'd need to give them her name. She said not to worry, the blood would be used and she noted me down as a volunteer instead.

The next part of the procedure was very similar to what happens at home; they stuck a needle in my arm as I was lying on a reclining chair and told me to open and close my hand to keep the blood pumping out. What happened once the bag was full was very different however! In the UK, you're made to lie still for another 15 minutes or so and then you sit with a cup of tea and a biscuit for another little while before they'll let you leave. Here, the moment the blood had started clotting to heal the wound on my arm, they said, "you can go now!" I stood up and the room started to sway gently! I decided to take it easy and had a sit down in the waiting room for a few minutes before making my way slowly out of the hospital to get the bus home. Fortunately I didn't have to go to work for another few hours so I lay down on the sofa for a bit to recover!

They are obviously not inundated with blood donations so I'm considering going back once in a while to give blood and do my bit to help.