16th Blood Donation (28th November 2011)
The staff mentioned this would be my 16th donation so that’s the official count. I think a couple of visits didn’t result in a donation due to iron levels and a batch where a test went wrong. So now the count is in sync again.
8:45am was the appointment time but I was a bit late. Hadn’t left enough time for Monday Tube problems. Also didn’t have my questionairre since that had been delivered to my old flat. They had forwarded it but that seems to take longer than normal mail.
They had to use the special machine to confirm my blood did have enough iron. It floated in the green liquid they drop it into. Apparently that happens to some people. The machine confirmed my iron level was 142 (sorry, no units) which is above the 135 threshold they set.
The donation itself was all very easy, as the past few times have been. They recline you really far back in the new chairs! Every time I go there are improvements to the methods and environment.
A rather stroppy manager turned up and had a bit of a go at the nurses, which was rather shocking. Usually the staff are fantastically supportive of each other and in good spirits. This was the Margret Street donation centre, which is a permanent one.
The receptionist got my address changed on their system while I was there, which was handy. Had a banana and a bag of crisps, with 2 cups of orange juice, then headed back to the flat.