2nd Blood Donation

2^nd Blood Donation of my Lifespan

Blood Donation

As on today, Saturday, April 05^th, 2008,  I made a trip down to the blood bank which is located at Outram area.

I left house in the afternoon around 1.30pm. This is in fact my 2^nd blood donation. Basically to say, I received an SMS calling for my blood donation. In the past I ignored it as I was either busy or tired. This time round since I have the time ever since I am on a job hunt now, I might as well make a trip then.

1^st Blood Donation

If you would like to read up on about the 1^st blood donation I ever made in my entire life so far, read up on this link : http://saikitshijie.blogs.friendster.com/shijie/2007/09/my_1st_blood_do.html

As to my 1^st blood donation, it was at some booth from a road show. When I received this SMS, I had the exact same time too initially. However, it wasn’t!

HSA @ Outram

The place is at HSA (Health Science Authority) which is located opposite Outram park Mrt station. I did in fact try to get some people to tag along with me or so called “Jio” them out too! Nah! Should have known my those friends any better. Anyways, none responded to that call or give some So Called “ Reasons” here & there.

Upon reaching Outram park & I did not see any road show booths around as I expected it to be, I called the number as per given in the SMS which was send to me. The number is anyways of the Red Cross which is 62200183.

It was then did I then learn that the location is at the HAS building which is directly opposite the Outram park Mrt station exit.

Miss Chia

Hence, I went into the building, filled up the form at the registration & waited to be called. The girl at the reception probably in her early 20s who called up my name when she is name at the registry looked nice to me. Actually wanted to have a snap shot of her with my O2 Xphone IIM handphone, but probably I guess I gave myself away. Couldn’t really get a natural shot of her. Oh wells, never mind then! I changed my mind & drop the idea. I only managed to noticed that her surname was Chia on her name tag. Didn’t really get to see what her name was. Well, kind of wasted also.

Next Stop

After which whereby I went back again to be seated & to be called. After which I was called up again, an official brought be to the back room to check on my blood pressure & some questionnaire with regards to the form that I have filled & other general particulars. She was a Malay lady. I also had a general chat with her.

Blood Group Types

In my conversation with her, I got to understand more on the situation of the blood group types & the so called demand of the blood with regards to donations in general.

Blood B

With regards to the blood type groups, basically to say, the blood type of B are not really of the majority but usually of the strong type as people of blood type of B have a lesser tendency of falling sick of so called “Kenna” anything resulting in the need of blood donations from blood donors, generally as to speak.

Blood O & A

However the blood type that are always in very high demand most of the time with great urgency & needs of it & is probably to be the majority blood group is the blood type of A & the blood type of O.

So called,  people of this blood group have higher tendency to fall sick or so called “Kenna” resulting in the need of donors who have the blood type or A or O.

So called the weaker blood group is A & O. The stronger blood group is B. Of course all of these are in general basics & does not apply to all.

Blood O => FIY

By the way, for your information or general knowledge, the favorite blood type of the mosquitoes is O blood group. This is because to them, the blood of O type is the sweetest to them as well as the most nutritious for their eggs that they are laying to breed.

Read Ups

Perhaps if you are curious you can refer to the links below on Blood type/groups

http://www.bloodonweb.com/bgroup.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_groups

http://library.thinkquest.org/25896/sub_blood/group.htm

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/B/BloodGroups.html

http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~roma/analysis_of_blood_group.htm#typeo

http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/group_a_pos.html

http://www.wcredcross.org/bloodmobile/qa_abobloodgroups.html

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/aniblood.htm

http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080213051925AAJlUss

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type_diet

http://weightloss.about.com/cs/bloodtypediet/

http://www.dadamo.com/knowbase/newbie/1.htm

http://body.aol.com/diet/blood-type-diet

http://www.freshpatents.com/Food-product-dt20050915ptan20050202063.php

http://www.eufic.org/page/en/page/FAQ/faqid/sugar-content-food-influence-blood-sugar-level/

http://www.healinghealth.info/bloodtype%20article.htm

http://www.redcross.org.sg/serv_bdrp.htm

http://sparklette.net/archives/my-second-blood-donation/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_donation

http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_test

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/examinations/bloodsamples.htm

http://www.amarillomed.com/howto.htm

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/blood-testing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV_test

http://www.avert.org/testing.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_transfusion

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/blood-transfusion-overview

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00206/lo_pti_blood_analysis.htm

http://www.proastro.com/?o=general&act=funarticle_2&name=traits_by_blood_type

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood

Next Station

when this is all done, I proceeded to the next counter. There, they tested on the iron of my blood. Should my iron is to be too low, I will be rejected. Next, I went straight into the blood donation centre after being done with this counter.

Blood Donation Centre

Gained some general knowledge from there too from the Indian woman whom performed to get my blood out from the veins of my hand & into the bag.

Left or Right Arm?

I came to know through her on why was my right arm being chosen instead of my left arm. From the veins on the hands, they will be able to see which hand is more suitable to have the needle pricked or poked into to get done with the blood donation.

Some are the left arm, some the right arm some either of them also can. However there are also some in which neither of the arm is suitable. Under this situation, this person will be rejected for blood donation.

Blood Storage

I also learned that our blood that we are donating when storage is of concern; they are placed in an ice box & into their cold storage warehouse under a certain temperature. The temperature in the room is well adjusted. If the temperature were to suddenly go up or down, the alarm will be triggered.

Also there is also involvement in the separation of blood that is further broken down into for storage separately each under different temperature. The separations are into the red blood cells, white blood cells, & platelets.

Frequency

I also did ask on the frequency of donors & the answer was about 200 per day that they will have. When I probe on if they as staff ever donated blood themselves, the answer was a positive yes!

Following My Dad’s Footstep

Guess I am perhaps will be following my father’s foot step also. In the past, each & every single year my father will go & donate his blood. Every year invitation will be send requesting for my dad to donate his blood. My father has been donating blood for several years already since his younger days until he is considered too old to donate blood & they no longer asked for my father to donate blood anymore being deemed old & unsuitable.

Strange to Say

Strange to say this time as my 2^nd time donating blood, the pain was lesser than my 1^st. actually the pain is also not something really big pain until like anything like what most imagine to be. It is a small pain only & come on they are the professionals after all.

Anyways in comparison, as to this 2^nd time of mine which I had went for a blood donation, it is also a small pain but much smaller than my 1^st.

Also at the same time as compared to my 1^st, the blood of mine flowed extremely fast like running water during my 1^st blood donation. However this time during my 2^nd, it was much slower.

At the same time, during my 1^st blood donation, I did feel somewhat a bit giddy or faintness but this time I don’t instead I felt some coldness & has a small & slight shivering for a short while.  

Perhaps again, I drank more water during my 1^st time & my stomach was much more empty as compared to my 2^nd which might caused this difference.

Refreshments

They also did provided me a voucher to have some free refreshments at the café outside.

There I had my green bean soup & Tea.

Pics time

After done with the refreshment, I took some photos along the way as I left from the blood bank @ HSA until I reached the Outram park Mrt station.

http://ringo.com/photos/album.html?albumId=43018672