63: [How-To] Everything you need to know about donating blood

Welcome to The Fill Your Cups Podcast! We're so happy you're here, especially to listen to this episode. We are talking about he myths that surround donating blood, the benefits of it, and how to prepare yourself before your next appointment!

Take this as your sign to do a good deed today and donate blood to save someones life! 

We love you and hope you enjoy this episode! Cheers!!

Transcript

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Welcome to the Fill Your Cups podcast. We're your hosts, Morgan and Bailey. Hello everybody. Today we are coming at you with kind of a different episode. It's a little bit of a niche episode, but we've been saying for a while we should do it because. I am really enmeshed in the blood donation world, and we feel like it would be helpful to educate our audience and yeah, it's important. Yeah. Yeah. Remind our listeners why it's important to donate, but then. Honestly, most importantly, I feel like reminding you how to prepare and how to have a positive experience. If you've had a bad experience in the past, how to kind of get past that and what to tell. The person helping you with your donation if you go, yeah, if you get the courage to go back, that sort of thing. Yeah. Just some honestly, tangible things. And then also a little bit of myth debunking probably, because I think, Ooh, a lot of people don't realize that they can donate blood. They think that they can't. Yeah. But it's not true. So yeah. Anyway, so we'll get more into the juice of that. Here in a second, but first, what's filling your cup today, Bailey? Today I've just got water. It is like excessively hot outside, which is making me mad, and so I've just got water to stay hydrated. What's filling in your cup? Nice. I have water as well, but I did pour myself a little non-alcoholic rose because I just got back from vacation and I had a glass of rose probably every day. As maybe more than once, I don't know, but I, I've realized that like a chilled rose uhhuh is what I want on like a hot day. Woo. Okay. If I'm going for something alcoholic. So anyway, but I've been really struggling and I'm like, okay, I can't just be drinking every single day. So that's why it's not alcoholic. Yes. Like I can't stay in vacation mode, unfortunately. Yeah. And in to, and it's actually a workday, so I, I don't like to drink on work days. That's because I wake up. Groggy and cranky and all the things, so that's true. So that's what I have. Well, before we get too far into the episode, we also have a shout out. We love to do our little fill cup Fridays on Instagram and we have a shout out from Anna Marie 17. Her response was a girls trip to Omaha, which is so exciting. I wanna know, did you guys go to the zoo? Why Omaha? How many girls was it? Was it just like for friends? Was it a bachelorette? Like, what was it? And I wanna hear all about it, and that's really exciting. I love a girl script. Me too. I, I can't wait to go on another one. I know. I have a bachelorette trip coming up in October, which I'm really excited about. Oh, but I would really love to do a sister trip. We talked about potentially maybe color. Yeah. Colorado. We'll see. Yeah. As long as it can be a girls' trip and bring our boys, because I'm gonna have a baby. Yeah, and I'm gonna be like, oh, Mason has to come to to be with my baby. Very understandable. Very understandable. But we can all still share a hotel room. No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. You know what? That oddly, even though we didn't plan that, that oddly segues in to. The next thing pretty well. Oh.'cause we usually talk about how this episode came about, why we thought of it, that sort of thing. Yeah. And just recently, community Blood Center posted on National Sisters' Day. Oh my God. Yeah. Our picture, which, which we didn't go on a girls trip to donate blood, but it was National Sisters' Day and our marketing person. Literally months ago she asked me, could I feature you for our National Sister's Day? Because she had seen me post pictures with Jordan and Julia, and she had seen me post pictures about Chloe love's first donation and whatnot, and Chloe like hosts her own blood drives. Yeah. Yes. And kind of how it's become. A family event, even though most of us were not blood donors before. Yeah. And so she was like, okay, I really wanna feature you on National Sisters Day. And especially'cause I was telling her how many I have. Yeah. And it's not usual to have four sisters. Right. So anyway, so that kind of brought this about, but then honestly we did not plan this this way, but as we're recording this, we are about to. Declare a blood emergency, which is so sucky, but it literally is starting the day that this airs. Mm-hmm. So August 11th, and this is specifically for the Casey Metro area, it's community blood center. Mm-hmm. So with of Greater Kansas City is the, are the ones declaring the blood emergency We'll. Ro we will issue the emergency appeal from today, the 11th through the end of the month. So August 31st. Okay. So really the appeal is to call upon donors, tell them we're in a critical point with our blood supply. Mm-hmm. And hopefully that encourages them to come in. Yeah. I know that people something I, I'm just getting right into it. Sorry. Go. Go. I like it. I know that a lot of people. Feel like, oh my God. What? Especially once you get on the list, you get calls, you get texts. Jared get call, gets calls all the time. Yep. And I'm like, you know how he goes, oh, I bet community blood center's calling me. I'm like, you know how to fix that. Make an appointment. Ah, that true. I thought you were gonna be like, tell him you're not interested like you do. Oh my gosh. No. That's so funny. No, sorry. Anyway. No, no. I, no, but people. Think, oh God, you call texts all the time. Mm-hmm. And what's the difference between a blood emergency and you calling me all the time when it's not a blood emergency? Mm-hmm. And all that. And I will say that something that people don't realize, but prior to the pandemic, we had literally. Thousands, like 22,000 more donors just in the greater KC area. Holy crap. That we're donating regularly that have not returned. Wow. Since the pandemic. Yeah. So it's So part of the reason that it feels like we always need you for one. We do. Yeah. For two. The difference between just our regular, we're kind of already in an urgent place because. A lot of people haven't come back after the pandemic Uhhuh, when we do a blood emergency. Part of the reason is that we are starting to cut orders to hospitals. Mm-hmm. So we're no longer able to supply them the quantities of blood that we typically do. Mm-hmm. And then also whenever we look, we have reports on how many days supply we have, that sort of thing. Mm-hmm. Prior to the pandemic, the standard was to have between seven and 14 day supply of blood. Mm-hmm. And then you would go into an a blood emergency if it was less than seven day supply. Mm-hmm. Now we pretty much always have less than a seven day supply. Oh my God. So the blood emergencies happen when we're cutting orders and when we are below a three day supply. That's insane. Yeah. So it's really crazy because if there is, you know, a citywide event that causes, oh my god, yeah. A massive trans, a massive transfusion event is what they call it. Mm-hmm. But a massive transfusion event could even just be someone. Has a hemorrhage after surgery. Yeah. And then needs 10, a lot of hood plus units of blood, you know? Yeah. So, so that, so when I say we're issuing a blood emergency, that's what it means. Yeah. Wow. I know like the noise can become. You hear it so much that it just goes right over your head. Mm-hmm. But don't let it go over your head. Yeah. I think that's the crazy thing about like donating blood is I don't feel like I ever really understood it before you started working there. Mm-hmm. And I don't know, I don't know why that is. Like if we just don't. Talk about the importance of it, or like, I think a lot of what it is is people never picture themselves in the situations where they're gonna need it. Mm-hmm. Or like picture your loved one in the situations where they're gonna need it. And so I think it gets so easy to be like, oh, this doesn't apply to me. Yeah. But it does. Yeah. And that's what's crazy. Yeah. We, I do go to my blood drives. Every so often. Mm-hmm. And a lot of the time when you sit there at the refreshment table, the donor's eating their nut or butter or whatever, uhhuh, and you just start talking to them. A lot of the time, the reason when I say, you know what brought you in? Or whatever. Yeah. They tell me, well, you know, years back my son had to have 12 blood transfusions. He was in a car accident or you know, several years back. I had a friend whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer and I started donating because I didn't, I realized that she needed regular transfusion. Yeah. And that, you know, her mom was putting on a blood drive for her. Mm-hmm. And that's what got me started, you know? Mm-hmm. So it definitely is pretty common that it can just go right past us. Yeah. Without us. Without us really realizing that it actually can be near and dear. Mm-hmm. And one in four people are gonna have a blood transfusion in their lives. Yeah. It's a really high statistic. Mm-hmm. So it will impact you at some point in your life. But you just don't know when. Yeah. You just don't think about it until it does. Right. And then, and then you start going and you start donating and Right. Things like that. Yeah. So if you could be proactive about it, right. You do it before there's an emergency, like that's incredible. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. One stat I learned this last year, I don't know how you'll feel the feel about this being pregnant, but on Mother's Day, the staff that they were. Promoting was one in 83. Women who give birth will need a blood transfusion. Mm-hmm. After, if they have blood loss or some kind of, you know, so it's, it's your pregnant friends. Yeah. It's your, it's your neighbor's daughter who has, you know, who got diagnosed with cancer. Yeah. It's, it's lots of people that are actually in your life. Yes. So absolutely. Very important. So that's kind of who. It helps. Now, I do also like to talk about the benefit to the donor. Mm-hmm. Because people don't realize this, but there are so many benefits. So one of the benefits to the donors is that regular blood donation, it's actually linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk for heart attacks. So it actually can benefit your own health as well. I know people think of it often as I'm doing something for someone else, Uhhuh, and you certainly are. Yeah. That is more so the case. You're gonna be. If you're donating blood, it's probably for altruistic reasons and not for, I'm gonna lower my blood pressure. Yeah. But that is one thing. On top of that, it is a free health screening. So every time that we, every time you come in to donate blood, we check your hemoglobin blood pressure and heart rate. That is great. Yeah. So it's one of those things where if you. If you don't know where you are with those things. Mm-hmm. It's just, again, an added benefit. Nobody's going to donate blood just to get the health screening, but it's an added benefit. Yeah. And then on top of that, just in general, doing altruistic civil duty type of acts, kindness do. It does. Studies do show that it helps reduce depression. Mm-hmm. And helps you lead a longer, happier life, so, oh, I love that. Those are some of the benefits I always tell people that you can get from donating blood. Of course, there are also little things throughout the year like. Promotions that we do where you can get a Royals t-shirt or you can get entered into. Right now we have something going where you can get entered into a giveaway to win cheese tickets. Yes. Or you know, so we have fun things like that all the time. Mm-hmm. One winter we had really cute Christmas socks. Random stuff. Yeah. You know, so obviously those, you also get that uhhuh out of it too. But really. I like to tell people that there is a benefit to you as well. You just may not realize it. Yeah. I didn't realize it. Yeah. And I know about this stuff. Yeah. And a lot of people ask, why do you not pay for when I donate?'cause that's a big thing. When I talk about the benefit to you. They're like, a lot of high schoolers will be like, oh yeah, and don't you get paid? Yeah. Or other people will be like, like, that's plasma. Yeah. Yeah. Which is so interesting because I did, I did not know before. Entering this field, there's a lot of things I didn't know. Yeah. But now I know so much and one of the things I didn't know was that for, you know, the college kids that are go trying to make some money. Yes. And they go donate plasma like to twice a month or something. Absolutely. And yeah, and they make for much from it. So those places where you get paid are specifically using that product or that unit of blood, of plasma. To, it's still great. Mm-hmm. But to aid in research for pharmaceuticals. Ah, so that blood or that plasma, it's all a blood product. That's why I'm saying that. Mm-hmm. But that plasma cannot actually be transfused to a human patient because the FDA. The FDA does not allow you to pay donors. Wow. Yeah. So if, if it's going to go to a patient, you can't be paid. Okay. You, there are, you can when. Tickets to a game. Right. And you can gift cards. You can get gift cards as long as it's to a specific place. Not like exchangeable for cash. Oh. You know, things like that. But, so sometimes we'll have a gift card offering or something. Mm-hmm. But the reason that we don't pay donors is because the FDA regulates that anybody receiving a blood transfusion as it, it can't be a paid unit of blood. Why do you think that is? Just like, I don't know. I'm assuming that. The regulations go really far back. It's really hard to get anything changed with the FDA. Mm. So, for instance, more recent, in the last year and a half that I've been with CBC, they lifted or adjusted some of the restrictions on homosexual. Yeah. People donating and made it more inclusive. So yeah, you were talking about that with mom one night because of John. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So before any man that was. Currently having sex with a man. Mm-hmm. Which is crazy because it didn't include women having anal sex, but it did include, yeah. Men having sex with men Uhhuh. It was literally called the MSM rule. Okay. But the before, I don't remember when it was exactly, but about two years ago, they changed it. Mm-hmm. But before any man having sex with a man was not eligible to donate. Right. Right. And. Wasn't ever mm-hmm. Like was deferred forever. Uhhuh crazy. It like, we're like, we're in a blood emergency. Sorry. You can't because yeah. Even though, right. But they changed it and so now, because the research anyway. Yeah. I won't get into that, but, but re research has changed and so they finally updated it. And so now you're still asked about, you were asked about your sexual history anyway.'cause you ha you had to be asked like if you're like an escort or something like that. Yeah. There things we have to take in consideration whenever you're donating blood. Mm-hmm. But now, instead of it just banning men who have sex with men mm-hmm. Now it asks you, have you had a new partner? New or multiple partners in the last three months. Okay. That doesn't immediately defer you. Mm-hmm. But if you say yes, then we ask, have you had anal sex in the last three months? Mm-hmm. And then if you say, yes, we do defer you for three months. Okay. So, which deferral is, that's how we say it, but it's just, you can't donate for that amount of time. Yeah. And the reason is related to, it's like what's in your blood, right? Like Yeah. Potential diseases that Yeah. That passed, be passed on. Mm-hmm. So keeping the. The donor and the recipient safe, honestly. Right, of course. Yeah, so, so now it's way more research based, but that took so long to get them to change. Yeah. So yeah, anytime you work with the FDA, it just takes forever. Yeah. Do you think that they'll ever. Make it a thing where you can get paid or do you think, do you think in your own opinion, like you would ever want that to be a thing or should it stay like donation? I, you know, to be honest, right now we have something called the Platelet Pact, which platelets is a whole totally different thing. It takes a really long time. I do it, it's a two and a half hour process, uhhuh, and you have to go to a blood center. You can't go to a blood drive because. It takes so long. Yeah. And it takes a specific machine, but the platelet pact, we have been giving to incentivize donors to come in more frequently during a period.'cause you can actually donate platelets every seven days. Mm-hmm. It's a really quick amount of time because you we're not taking your whole blood from you and. Platelets have a very short shelf life. Okay. So you can donate platelets every seven days, and in order to get people to come more frequently, maybe not every seven days, but every however often mm-hmm. We have been doing$20 gift card offerings. Oh, for at once. You've donated twice or more during a certain amount of time. Okay. So I honestly, I have not been doing it for that reason. Mm-hmm. But I keep getting. Those gift cards. Yeah. And you're like, it doesn't hurt. Yeah. And I just get it to my email, you know? Mm-hmm. Six weeks after my donation or something like that. Yeah. So I don't, I honestly don't know why we wouldn't do gift cards, but I do understand just giving cash. Yeah. It, it really. It incentivizes people to come in that maybe wouldn't, if it weren't for the money or to lie on their Oh, which is so important. Yes. Oh. And then if they lie on their medical history and then we get the unit and then we test it and it has some something going on, we have to dispose of it. Yeah. That's such waste. Yeah. Or. I, this would never happen'cause our testing is so rigorous. Mm-hmm. And the HO hospitals have their own testing as well. Mm-hmm. But the worst of worst case scenarios is somehow something got missed Yep. In all of the tests and then goes to a patient uhhuh that should not have gotten That makes sense? Yeah. I could, yeah, I, I could see that then. Yeah, definitely makes sense. So, for example, you know, most people can donate blood, but more recently I learned there's like this hair growth. Medication that a lot of older men take mm-hmm. That you can't, they can't donate while they're taking it actively. Really? Yes. And it specifically is too, because it. Is a possible risk for mothers and their children, unborn children.'cause the hair girl supplement has something in it that they can't it something in it that could cause blood clotting. That could Oh wow. So that's something, that's something that he was on and he told me about and he said it kept him from donating. Yeah. So he, so for instance, if he came in, he wanted specifically the gift card mm-hmm. Then, and he, or money or whatever it was. So, and he needed it so bad that he decided to lie about his hair growth medication and not, and not mark that he was on it. Then it's very possible that that wouldn't get caught. Mm-hmm. And that, because that's so niche and so, yeah. Specific. Yeah. And you know, I'm not sure it's possible, like it's Maybe our tests do filter for that. I have no idea. But if someone doesn't tell us, then it's more permissible. So yeah, so that actually leads in, well I wanted to talk about who can donate'cause, because a lot of people think they had one time that they went in and they're. Iron was low. And they're like, oh, sorry, I can't donate. I'm anemic. And that is just not true. First of all, Uhhuh, not that I'm calling them a liar or anything, it's just more that they don't know. Yes. Yeah. Or what I get a lot is people say, oh, well I can't, I'm diabetic, or, oh, well I can't. I just got a tattoo. A lot of these things are things we heard for a long time that would prevent you from donating blood. But like I said. The FDA is slow, but they do change things and research. More and more research comes out all the time uhhuh, about these things and what is actually a risk and what's not. And people with diabetes can totally donate blood. Really. People have gotten tattoos, can totally donate blood. Yay. As long as it wasn't in Uncle Joe's basement or something, then we ask that you wait three months. Yeah. But if you just got a tattoo last week and it's healed up, you know, it's not infected or anything weird, uhhuh, and you got it outta state. Facility Uhhuh, like a licensed facility, then you're good. Then you're good to donate. Yeah. Yeah. That's something that I did not think that, I thought you had to wait a long time after getting a tattoo to donate. Yeah. It's like I said, it's three months. If it was in, if it wasn't an un unlicensed place, Uhhuh, but otherwise, no. You can donate immediately once it's healed. So amazing. Yeah. So there's some things like that that people don't realize, and the stat that always. Upsets me, I guess, and is like crazy to me. Mm-hmm. Is that 62% of people can donate blood, but only 3% actually do. Oh, that's insane. So it's wild. Like if, if we just doubled the percent that do, oh my god. We would, we would never be in a blood emergency. Oh my God. And that would only be six per, that would only be 6% when 62% could donate. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Wow. Yeah. It's crazy. So, so those are. That's a lot. No, I would love to talk about, so you mentioned like people who maybe have gotten deferred because of iron deficiencies or like anemic. So I would love to,'cause you've gotten deferred before. Mm-hmm. Julia's gotten deferred. Like, like so many people who regularly donate have gotten deferrals. I think it'd be cool to talk about like how to prepare for. Donating blood because I know you, you take your prep work seriously, like Oh, oh, definitely. Yeah. I actually got deferred yesterday, but it was for low blood pressure. I went in to donate platelets and don't tell anybody this, that takes my blood, but, but they, I run low on blood pressure. Yeah. Just naturally. It's not anything I've, that has ever been a concern to my doctor or anything like that, but I just run low, so some Do you think it's'cause your heart. Yeah, I mean, it's probably all of the things, honestly. People with better cardiovascular health also run low, so I actually think that some of it might just be that I exercise a lot. Okay. Yeah, but, but it could be, I've always had really bad blood circulation, you know that. So yeah, who knows? But anyways, so my blood pressure is always really low. So normally I do this thing. That you could do if your blood pressure is low. And I squeeze my hands in my fist before they take it uhhuh, and I forgot to do that. So you're like, I would've been fine. Yeah. However, for people who, it's more common that people are deferred because their blood pressure is high. Okay. And for those people, I highly recommend because for one, one thing it, you might just be nervous. Mm. Or like have kind of white coat syndrome type of thing. Yes. And in that case it's really good if right beforehand you can like pop in your AirPods or something. Mm-hmm. Relax and, yeah, put on some white noise or something like that. Maybe read a little bit beforehand, sit in your car and listen to something calming. Mm-hmm. Or even. As silly as it sounds like, do some breathing or meditative exercises beforehand. Yeah. This works for high schoolers, honestly.'cause they, they're often donating for their first time. Mm-hmm. And they're stressed. Yeah. And their heart rate is a million and their blood pressure is skyrockets, but we all know they're 18. Their blood blood pressure is not actually that high. Oh, right. So anyway, so that's one thing that I. Recommend for blood pressure, but by far the biggest deferral is, like you said, hemoglobin or low. Mm-hmm. Low iron. Mm-hmm. And what people don't realize is that your iron levels change within an hour, you know? Mm-hmm. So if we test your iron and we say, oh, your hemoglobin levels are too low. They could change it within a day. That's a one day deferral. Okay. For us. So that, oh yeah. That means you could literally go back the next day. Mm-hmm. And your hemoglobin would be fine. Mm-hmm. So the things that this can directly be impacted by diet, so specifically eating red meat is the biggest. Biggest source of iron. Yeah. And then pairing it with something that is high in vitamin C. Okay. So I love to do a taco salad with ground beef. Lettuce. I do fajita peppers. It's a whole thing. It's delicious. It has something like it. At Taco Bell, you could literally get, it'd be so easy, uhhuh and, and beans. Like all of those things have iron and vitamin C. And the vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron. Okay? So it helps a ton. Also, it's typically pretty salty, and having some salt in your system before you donate can also help you have a better experience because it helps. It replenishes like the electrolytes that you've lost in your blood donation. Okay. Yeah. So, and then the other thing, honestly, you could totally just take an iron pill, even if your doctor never told you, Hey, you're low on iron. Mm-hmm. Or it's a concern because you can get pretty low without it being a concern. Mm-hmm. But it still is too low to donate. Yeah. You can take just an over the counter iron pill. Mm-hmm. I have some, they're really, I mean, they're just. 200 little tablets in a Bo bottle. That was really cheap. You can get it anywhere and that can help too. I highly recommend if you are like, if you are regularly low on hemoglobin, you've been deferred for that. Try taking the iron pill, iron supplement like two weeks leading up to the blood blood drive or whatever. I was gonna be like, should she take a morning off? Should she take it the day before? But maybe a little bit earlier, probably anything would help but. My guess is that I, when I think about medications, I think about, oh, how quickly can it change? Yeah. And so something like that, like a supplement, I feel like you, if you do it further out more consistently, it's probably gonna help more. But I know our dad one day was like, oh yeah, I took an iron supplement that morning and I was great. Like, okay, perfect. So yeah, so I've never known that man to be low on iron, so, um. Interesting. But also, I guess I don't know much about his iron at all. I just assume it would be high. He's an iron worker, so you think he's got lots of iron in him in his list, right? Yeah, so, so those are ways to help prepare. Mm-hmm. And just really tangible things that you can do to make sure that. You get through to the actual donation, you know? Yeah. And with the iron, again, E, even if you don't eat red meat, typically people who don't eat red meat do run lower on iron. Yeah. Not severely or anything, but beans, nuts, beefy greens, like dark leafy greens or really helpful. Mm-hmm. Broccoli actually has a good amount of iron in it for a vegetable. You know. Mm-hmm. So, and anything green, green beans, like that sort of thing. Okay. Yeah. Those can help a lot. So, and I will say for people who get lightheaded or mm-hmm. You know, dizzy and things like that, yes. That it, it is. Even if you're iron level is high enough to donate regularly, just go ahead and supplement with these foods. The iron supplement because it will help you after the donation as well. Yeah. So it'll help you feel less tired. It'll help you feel, you know, a lot of people that donate regularly don't have any reactions. Mm-hmm. Or don't have any. Symptoms or anything. But a lot of the people that don't donate regularly and have donated once is because they had something like that. Happen and you know, so they have kind of a poor experience and now they don't wanna go back. So if you're donating for the first time, do these things, or if you're just realizing in this episode like, I should go try to donate again. Uhhuh do these things and they will help you to not have. A worse reaction. Yes. Like a reaction. Yes. So I've actually only donated blood one time in my life. Good job. Thank you. I was really excited about it. I took Jordan with me, our sister Jordan, because she is like a blood donating warrior. Mm-hmm. She, I think she speaks about it more than you do, like mm-hmm. Like, I just, I just know her to be really passionate about it. And she was giving me all the tips the night before she was telling me like, drink tons of water. Yeah. I don't know if that's something, but she was like, make sure you're super, super hydrated. And I was like, okay. And it was so funny'cause we're there and I passed everything and I was getting my blood drawn and it was all going really, really well. Mm-hmm. And it was all fine. And like Jordan's sitting across the room, she's like over here taking a nap and I'm just sitting, sitting, sitting and I was just talking with the nurses. But then all of a sudden at the very, at the very, very end of my donation, I started getting. I think I was getting really hot and I started getting a little bit dizzy. Yeah. And I learned in those moments that I had my legs crossed, which apparently is not good, but I, I constantly sit with my legs crossed. Yeah. But something about maybe circulation or something like that. They also might've been raised or maybe not raised, and they wanted me to elevate them. Mm-hmm. I can't remember, but they were crossed and then I was also doing something else that they were like, oh yeah, like try not to do this.'cause that could help. I can't remember what it was. Mm-hmm. I don't remember exactly what it was, but they were like, okay, we got enough blood from you, you're totally fine. And they took it out and I never ended up passing out or anything. I like drank a coke and felt fine afterwards. Yeah. But I remember being really nervous to go back and I really, really wanted to. And then I learned you can't donate while you're pregnant. I did not know that. So I was like, okay, I finally gonna go back and do it. And then I was like, oh, apparently I can't'cause I'm pregnant. Bummer. Yeah. But once I am not, I will definitely be going back. Yeah. And like giving it a second try. Seeing how I can do this time.'cause I passed on everything before. So then I think it was, I think it'll be a matter of like telling them like, Hey, yeah, last time I don't know if we took a little too much blood or what. Mm-hmm. Or like what it was, but I'll make sure my feet are uncrossed. I will make sure I'm like nice and distracted and that. Yeah. So I'm excited for that. Yeah. Yeah. And that's not uncommon uhhuh and sad, sadly, it's not uncommon. One because people don't know how to prepare. Mm-hmm. Or they don't know the little things like you said, and two, when you do donate for your first time. That actually is the, the drop off from first time donors is significant. Mm-hmm. Once we get you in twice, you're way more likely to become a lifetime donor. Yeah. With like, just come back one more time. Yeah. Yeah. And so the thing that stinks about when you have a poor donation is it does dampen things. I. I had a really freaky experience one time, and I don't wanna go into, I mean, I, I passed out like right. But I will say I was super duper nervous, Uhhuh, I didn't really communicate that to them. Mm-hmm. And on top of that, I, for, I drank the night before. I think I had also done that. Yeah. So if you And like hadn't eaten anything that day. Yeah, I drank the night before. Yeah. I didn't eat a ton. I didn't drink a lot of water. So these are all things to keep in mind. Uhhuh, you can some prep work. Yeah, you can drink the night before. But I will say if you drink well for, they tell you don't drink 24 hours after. Mm-hmm. Because your blood volume's lower. So if you think about literally the alcohol volume that's based on your blood volume, so, or blood content. So your blood volume's gonna be lower. But then also if you drink the night before, you're just gonna. I I, something about it. I don't, I'm not a technician, so I don't dunno. Yeah, I mean you're probably so much more dehydrated. Like dehydrated. Yeah. Like if there wasn't anything scientific behind it. Just fact that you're more dehydrated. Yeah. It doesn't help. What I would say though, so it took me like four years, three and a half years to come back and try, even after working at the blood center. Mm-hmm. It took me a while to get my courage back and go back and now I'm a regular donor. Yeah. So what I would tell you, if you've had a bad experience like that or you just had. Kind of a, you felt funny after something like that, you're just a little bit nervous to go back. You just had any sort of reaction. Yeah. Or even that person actually did mess something up or something, you know? Mm-hmm. Like that person got you in a weird spot or something weird. Yeah. You know, you're just nervous to go back for whatever reason. I highly recommend communicating it to them at the beginning. Yeah. So, and not just the person,'cause the person who like takes your paperwork and stuff is not always the person that's gonna stick. Yeah. Or like the nurse basically. Yeah. And so, so I highly recommend just continue communicating, advocating for yourself and saying like, Hey, I'm really nervous. I did this once and I was, it went fine, but I did get a little hot and dizzy at the end. Mm-hmm. And what I told them, because someone, once I started working there, they told me this, but I told them. Someone told me that if you lean me back a little bit further, it'll help. Oh, because, because it does help. Especially if you, if the faintness is what you get. Yes. Maybe that's what it was. I was sitting super straight up and then had my legs crossed at the same time. Yeah. So I was like all types of angles and so I remember they laid me back. Yeah. And I was like, I feel so much better. Yeah. And when your head is lower, lower. Like more horizontal with your heart, Uhhuh. I don't, I don't know what the science is behind that. Yeah. But the blood doesn't rush to your head as much. Mm-hmm. And make you dizzy. So that's something that you can always tell them is, Hey, I got a little dizzy or something like that last time. Would you be willing to lay me back a little further this time so that I, and you can even tell them. I, the first couple times I, I went back, I said. I'm kind of a talker'cause I need to be distracted. And they should always tell you when they're putting the needle in that you can look away. Yes. But if they don't make sure to tell them, I also really don't wanna look at the needle. Yes. So please tell me when that's, I've never looked at the needle. I guess. I actually have gotten my blood drawn quite a few times now that I've been pregnant, but I've never. I'm like that much. Yeah. At the same time. But I never look, I always just am like, I'm like hi. I just don't like to look so I'm not being rude, but like that's why I'm looking away when we're speaking. Exactly. Yeah. So you should just communicate to them and just be honest. If you are nervous, the other thing that you can do is go back with somebody. Yeah. You know, like you went, you went with Jordan the first time. I'd be happy to go with you the second time. I was gonna say, I'll definitely take a buddy next time I go too. Yeah. And that its nice. And that's, that's part of the fun of. You know, we've had the church blood drives and. That's where me and Julia and Chloe love and Jordan and mom and dad and Papa and everybody donates there. Yeah. You know, so go with somebody and that, that makes it a ton better. Mm-hmm. In my opinion. And yeah, I feel like you can just communicate to them that you're nervous or whatever it is. And that they are very, very, they're typically very, very good at, not that they aren't before that, but they also knowing that they wanna pay more attention to you.'cause their job is gonna get harder too if you pass out. Yeah. So, yes, so, so you just wanna communicate to them uhhuh and so yeah. So those are the things that I would recommend. The drinking lots of water is true. And the reason for that is it just gets things flowing better and you have the needle. Or the needle is not in your arm as long, whenever you are more hydrated. Because if the blood's flowing really well, then it doesn't take as much time. Love that mom's blood, like the blood pressure and her hydration levels make her such a good blood donor because. She she'll get done in like five minutes. Really? Yes. I'm not kidding. That's so, it's crazy. So funny. And it always, last time it took me eight and a half minutes and that was like a really quick time for me. Uhhuh, normally I'm like a 12 to 15 minute donor. Ah. But most people it's between five and 10 minutes. But once you get down to five, that's very fast. So That's amazing. Yeah. So you do that and then, and then yeah. And then replenish, you know, the. Replenishing your iron and vitamin C and all that after is just as important as doing it before. Yeah. Yeah. So I highly recommend, you know, have the snack that they have there, but then treat yourself to a steak dinner or something, you know? Yeah. I love it. I also like hearing, I didn't really know that it should, or I didn't really know that it could take such little time. That's literally like a popin kind of thing. You be like, Hey. Yeah. I mean, you still have to do your paperwork and stuff. Yeah, but you're on the bed only five minutes, so that's amazing. Yeah. Some people can get in, check in, do their paperwork, all that stuff, and get out in like 30 minutes. That's crazy. That's like a lunch break. Yeah. No, really. That's why we do blood drives in building at businesses. Very true. They just run down to the drive. Squeeze it in between meetings, you know? Amazing. Yeah. I love it. I, I do like talking about it.'cause I think it is really important and it's something that goes over a lot of people's head or like, not goes over people's heads, but it's something that you just don't think about Yeah. Until you need it. Yeah. Kind of thing. Well, if anybody ever wants to go with me and is in the Casey area, I'd be happy to go with you. I don't eat clets pretty often, but I also. Donate whole blood, which is what you, you normally see it like blood drive. That's the majority of what people donate is just like a regular blood donation. So I'd be happy to go with you. We also, like I said, we're doing like a chief sweepstakes if you're in the area, so that's kinda fun as well. Yes. And obviously it's a blood emergency, so she, you should go donate. Go donate blood, go donate blood. Woo. Yeah. And you'll get a shout out on the next episode. Oh my God. If someone donates blood and tags us on Instagram, it says, you're absolutely gonna shout out. You'll absolutely get a shout out on the next episode. That would be nuts. I love it. Yeah. Well, thanks for sharing all your information and all of your wisdom on this. I think that it's gonna help a lot of people, and I even learned things today that I didn't know before, so Yeah, yeah. I know it's about, it's kind of different, but. Acts like this can help fill your cup and they certainly fill other people's cups, so absolutely, hopefully enjoy you. Enjoyed this episode and we'll talk to you next time. Cheers. Cheers.