(no subject)

[stoopbeck]

Somewhat fitting considering the date, I bring you another episode in the Continuing Adventures of Alex: Alex Gives Blood!


[After filling out many many forms and answering embarrassing and humorous questions, Alex is led to one of the beds.]

Blood Lady: Just sit here. You given blood before?

Alex: Sure.

Blood Lady: Here. Squeeze this ball. *swabs stuff on arm* *swabs more stuff on arm* *jabs with ginormous blood-taking needle*

Alex: *squeezes ball*

Blood Lady: Now, don't turn your wrist or anything. Just the tip of the needle is in your vein. If you move, you'll spurt blood all over.

Alex: Uh...

Blood Lady: *wanders off*

[Some time later...]

Blood Lady: *does strange and complicated things with sack o' blood and tube that leads from Alex's arm to sack o' blood*

Alex: I don't remember this from previous times.

Blood Lady: Your vein's collapsed.

Alex: Um, what?

Blood Lady: Your vein. It collapsed.

Alex: *tries to figure out something to say, decides quiet panic is easier*

[After a while...]

Blood Lady: SWEET JESUS. PRAISE THE LORD.

Alex: ...

Blood Lady: It's better. Want juice?

----

Then she took the needle out and put gauze on my arm, and when she checked on it after a while, she started saying "Oh, JESUS" quietly while looking at how much blood was on the gauze. Needless to say, it did not quiet my nerves.

She then left me for a while. I kept trying to leave, but she made me stay for almost twenty minutes. Apparently I really scared her. She scared me. So, what exactly... happens... when your veins collapse? Do I even want to find out?

Last time I gave blood, I got hit in the face by a flying droplet of my own blood. This time my vein collapsed. I wonder what next time will bring?