#Sharing is Caring - One Life

 Today is my 4th nights after the blood donation

This time, it is the fourth time since I started donating blood

It is the fourth time I was accompanied to the blood donation

It might be that I have saved the fourth persons with my blood donation!

Photo supplied: A happy 10th year old Oudom Preksa 

on blood transfusion for his November 2021 routine

I don't know the boy, nor his father, or his family

I got asked by a friend that there is someone needing the blood and if I could donate again. The last time I did was in July so I am due for the donation eligibility! 

So I said: yes, I could!

The appointment date was 16th November 2021, 3-4 days after my last period date so there was a chance I would not pass my hemoglobin test; you could say that I was having my second thought because I was told at 4pm when I confirmed my blood donation was possible, at the receiving end, the paper work for Preksa (the boy) at the National Pediatric Hospital would be completed and the blood could be transfused. What is my test failed? Maybe because of this, my best friend went with me, as a reserved option, even though she did not say it but I know we both on the mission to save a life - depend on the confirmation. His hemoglobin was as low as 5 when - in order to pass this test- we would need 12. I passed the test and so did my friend; we both donated the blood. 

 

Maybe, only maybe...

My health maybe was not in its great state

Maybe because I did not have a strong lunch on the day

Maybe because I did not have proper and enough sleep the night of the 15th to give me all the energy I need

Maybe something I read and watch on that night troubling my thought, 

Maybe ...

But as I was laying on the donating medical bed, 

when the needle sharply pieced into my vein and the flowing blood fill the 350ml required, 

I felt faded away

I wanted to close my eyes

I closed my eyes for what seemed like a minute or less, 

I heard the calling of my name, Bang

I woke up and returned to the hospital bed again, 

It was raining outside, I could see the rain drop through the window of the room but I was too far from the window/wall that I could not hear the rain drops or its sound... it would have been consoling...

The blood was nearly reaching the quantity required, but I was still feeling vainly exhausted. I wanted to close my eyes again but I was fighting again it.

The health staff came around when the beep sound alerted -meaning the required 350ml was fulfilled. As she pulled the needle from my body, I got the sharp pain felt in that split second. She told me to press on the pieced area to prevent the bleeding so i had to press hard on it, but I literally was trying because I did not have the energy to do so. I believed I closed my eyes again trying to regain the energy but I could not feel it. we needed to rest for a few minutes before we could slowly get up and out of the bed to the resting area and take the light refreshment and the energy drink to replenish. I drank the full bottle of the water. I don't feel like I needed to drink the sugary drink. I had a small cookie (a bit later) but it was not tasty.

The rain kept pouring down and my friend told me we should leave the National Blood Transfusion Center because the traffic picked its pace and I might got stuck in the middle of the jam while feeling. Each volunteer is given a t-shirt and the pack of refreshment for our donation. Along the way, I saw a disabled father on the card being pushed by his daughter; she is maybe around 10 years old also. But unlike Preksa who was terribly week and need blood to keep him survive for another 4-6 weeks, the first was strong and pushing the card of her heavy dad forward across the rain fall on the most busy street in Phnom Penh. The t-shirt and the refreshment were given to this family and while it would not last a meal for both of them, it would at least give them some energy to fight the lives they have to face ahead. 

In the normal situation, I might let myself be sick, 

But in that moment, I did feel my head started to hurt and a headache occupied me

I started to realize I needed more energy for my body to replenish the loss of blood but until I could have a proper meal, until I could have a proper rest and recuperate the extraction of 350ml of blood. I needed to survive, to tolerate the pain and to consume something now. Some fruit, some sweet drink and the sweetness of my puppy gave me the temporary things I needed to replenish and move on. 

They say when you are able to smile knowing that your action benefit someone else, then you fear nothing in that moment and regain the control over your life. 

I saw the picture from Preksa's father and his grateful, thankful voice for our blood donation

He confirmed his son is now on the drip as the blood is being transfused

He looks pale, so pale

But his smile is so sweet and genuine.

And that smile made my day, my very weak but truly meaningful day.