GROSSMONT COLLEGE – Heath Science students were out in the main quad, while trained certified professionals from the San Diego Blood Bank drew students’ blood on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 14 and 15, during the Inter-Club Council event.
“Each student has a minimum number of hours to participate, we’re out here today fulfilling those requirements,” said first semester Health Science student Joyce Hazdra said. “We are not the ones who draw the blood, we’re telling students information about donating blood, answering questions and concerns and administrating everyone.”
Some students may indeed have had concern because it was the first time they had ever donated blood. One of these was Summit reporter John Weber,who described the experience as follows:
“I wanted to give blood on Valentine’s Day because I thought that the greatest way to show somebody you don’t know hope and love is to give them the most intimate part of any human, your own blood. Plus I kind of found it humorous to be ‘giving away my heart,’ if you will, on Valentine’s Day.
“I have had blood drawn for hospital tests before, but this being my first time donating blood I had no idea what to expect.
“When I first got there, they had me fill out some paper work with a questionnaire. Some of the questions regarded if I had traveled, gotten a tattoo or had received any blood transfusions. I have not had any of those so I was in the clear to donate.
“After I filled out my personal information, I had to wait in the queue. They were extremely busy that day so I ended up waiting about an hour and a half.
“Once I was inside, they took my blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. The nurse inside does this very interesting procedure where she pricks your finger and then takes a sample of your blood to test how much Iron is in it.
“I got to choose one of the ‘beds’ that were inside after the initial screening was done. Once there, the nurse came over to rub Iodine on the inside of my arm and attempted to find my vein. If you hate needles then you’ll hate the next part. The needle, which was pretty thick, broke my skin with a pinch and a sting. There was no more pain to endure after that point.
“As I sat around I couldn’t help but notice how weird it was to see other students getting blood, essentially life, drawn from them and there they are just sitting there texting or listening to their Ipods. Sure enough as time dragged on, I too simply joined with the others, for I grew bored.
“About 20 minutes later I had filled up the package and I was done. The staff offered me Chips Ahoy cookies and cranberry juice and I gladly accepted. Being my first time donating blood I have to say it is quite the experience and I will definitely do it again. I encourage anyone else thinking about donating to give it a try.”
* Burke, a student in Media Comm 132B, covers the Health Sciences. Weber is a student in Media Comm 132A on general assignment. They may be contacted respectively at [email protected] and [email protected]
