It's usually a challenge to convince myself to give blood (I sometimes have a hard time remaining calm when I have needles inside my body), so it's been a goal of mine for the last few years to conquer my aversion to donating.
While it takes me a while to work up my nerve, about every 4 months or so I convince myself to go to the donation center. I was feeling pretty good about myself today when I went in to give blood until the nurse informed me my iron levels were too low to donate.
"You need to be at least at a 12.5 to donate," the nurse told me after testing the blood from my left ring finger. "You're only at a 12.4" Sad, huh? I mean, I guess I was kind of relieved. But mostly just sad since I was doing so good to have gotten myself in there in the first place.
She had another nurse come in and test a different finger after my reading was too low, just to be sure my levels weren't high enough (I guess a second prick can sometimes read higher and then you are eligible to donate.) But the reading from my middle finger on my right hand only garnished a 12.2 iron-level reading. Even more sad. So, instead of donating, I sat and kept my friend Natalie (who had adequate iron levels) company while she donated.
I'm going to eat some leafy greens, lentils and fish this week and try my luck again next week. I'll let you know how it goes.
4 comments:
hahaha, they only rejected your fingers, not you. It is ok.
You need some steaks, red meat.
Oh sad. I'm proud of you, nonetheless.
You are so brave! I absolutely hate giving blood too. You at least try to do it, though. What a good soul you are!
I know how you feel, I tried to donate, and because of my Thyroid stuff, I can't :( I guess I looked rejected, because they gave me a big round sticker with a big smiling blood drop on it saying "I tried!" lol
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