The first time I became aware of my 'blood problem' was the incident I mentioned in the previous post at a first aid class in secondary school. Since then there have been a number of times that stand out.
1. As a teenager I worked as a waitress in a small guesthouse. One evening I stuck my hand in the bowl of washing-up and cut it on a sharp knife. Fainted.
2. When I was pregnant blood tests happened monthly. Once I'd plucked up the courage to ask if I could lie down before they did it I coped with those. And the nurses said they'd rather it that way around.
3. When Younger Son was about two, for some insane reason, I let him carry a milk bottle into the house. He fell and cut his hand badly. I rushed him in to the neighbour who was a doctor; she said to take him to A&E. I got him there and managed to stay upright until another friend also a doctor came by and asked me if I was alright. I thrust YS into her arms and said, 'No!' I spent the rest of the time that he was being treated lying down. So very ashamed of that.
4. Visited a friend in Intensive Care. No blood to be seen but fainted all the same.
5. Decided that it was my community duty to give blood. First time I was fine; second time I fainted.
6. Refusing to give up I went along again and because I told them about my 'problem' they put an assistant to sit and talk to me while being done. We were having the kitchen refurbished at the time so my 'carer' and I were chatting about kitchens and sinks. He said he'd seen an old Butler sink being used as a flower pot. He'd just said that when I - in spite of feeling fine and not thinking about the blood flowing out of me - suddenly realised, 'I'm going to faint.' I've now been banned from giving blood.
Two things to gather from this: firstly how very unhappy medical personnel are if you faint. You'd think they'd be used to it and not worry about it but, no, they make a dreadful fuss.
Secondly the last instance, when it came upon me out of the blue, has helped me to see that it's not my fault. I'm not being all pathetic and wussy. It is actually a reaction that takes place in my body out of my control. (Please don't tell me that's not true; I need to hang on to it.)
8 comments:
Of course the fainting is not under your conscious control! If it was, you wouldn't faint. Why don't people understand that?
I didn't understand it!
When 2 friends had a bad car accident, I was the first on site.
I dragged them out of the car before the flames got to them (the car subsequently exploded), pulled them well away, tourniqued where needed to stop blood flowing, and coped until the ambulance came 20 mins later. Then I collapsed in shock :-(
Lesson learned : you function when you have to :-)
It's rather difficult to faint discreetly ...
Fortunately, both Liz and Stu did as our elder daughter once did: soldiered through the crisis until it was safe to faint. Well done! Blood doesn't bother me, fortunately. I donated blood, sporadically, from 1956 to 2016. My shame is that, in all those years, I only gave 8 or 9 gallons. My hemoglobin runs low for the blood donation people.
I can relate to Stu's having collapsed from shock. Seeing my mother in the intensive care unit following her open-heart surgery, something about her condition made me slip into shock. Before collapsing, I told her that I would "be right back", then walked a few feet, lay on the floor, and passed out. I came to, lying on my back, with a physician on either side of me. One was feeling for a pulse and saying to the other, "I'm getting nothing. How about you?" That made me feel really good. They put me on oxygen for 30 minutes and I was able to fly myself home a couple of hours later.
Cop Car
Of course fainting is outside your conscious control. I fainted in New Zealand recently during a wine-tasting tour. Things started spinning a bit and then whap, I fainted. I had no idea it was going to happen, I've never fainted before in my life.
Jenny is very squeamish about blood, she hates having blood tests or anything that might involve blood. I'm the opposite, I've given blood 33 times with no problem. I finally had to stop because they decided my blood pressure was slightly too high for their liking.
As I did when I had to, Stu. Just - but enough.
I do it very quietly and in a ladylike fashion, Sonata. As I do all things ...
Husband donated loads of blood too, CopCar, but had to stop before he got his gold medal because he had cancer. I love your '"I'm getting nothing," story. Definitely enough to make me pass out again!
I usually realise it's coming, Nick, as I start to feel hot and bothered. Except in that blood donating incident. I didn't feel anything then except, 'oh oh.'
I had to give blood for myself when I was a kid and had spine surgery. Ever since I've wanted to give blood to others, but now I wonder how I will react to it since I have premature atrial heartbeats. I really don't want to pass out. hahaha
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