Woke up early yesterday morning to pack, a little. Folded Ethan’s clothings already and took out unnecessary ones. Went to playgroup after that, said goodbyes. Then went for dim sum lunch with a couple of Eddie’s friends. After that gone shopping, bought some stuffs, mostly for Ethan. While we were heading home only I remembered that I had an appointment to donate blood, which I was late for. I asked Eddie to drop me off anyway. Got there and as usual they gave me a form to fill in, and write my weight at the top right corner of the front of the form. Always hated that part. I was brought in for the interview right after I finished filling in the form. Not too busy I suppose. There’s where donors are questioned about the answers they put in the form, and get their blood pressure and iron level checked. Everything was fine with me until she checked my iron level.
Interviewer: The last time you came in your iron level was at the minimum. Did you take more red meat, leafy veges and orange juice?
Me: ??? I’m sorry? My iron level is low?
Interviewer: No, it’s not low. It’s at the minimum level needed for you to donate blood.
Nobody told me that my iron level was at the minimum level. So she poked my finger and took some blood and put it into a machine. A moment later it goes ‘beep, beep’. The screen showed 115. Minimum level is 120. So she took some blood and checked again, 112. And repeated two more times but all below 120. Then she asked if I want my sample blood to be taken to have more accurate reading, has to be taken from the arm. I agreed. She did that and came back with the same reading. So what’s the outcome? I cannot donate blood for the next six months. She appreciated that I went there and told me to go get something to munch anyway, which I did, and took the next bus home.
Countdown to Sydney: 2 days (arrrrggghhhh!!!)
Countdown to KL: 7 days
4 responses so far ↓
1 LiL'deviL // Sep 18, 2007 at 7:39 am
haha … remember i told you on msn? i said iron level is low, or weight low … then cannot donate blood. i know u like to donate. very good … ehh …. don’t remember the word for it.
Why you send me comment using my username? hahaha… Stop bragging about your weight! Over here, they only need you to be over 45kg to donate. Have I said too much? I used to be 45kg, 10 years ago.
2 Mrs.Wallace // Sep 18, 2007 at 10:14 am
It good that they go so detail. Here, they just check blood type, weight & some questions.
I’ve never donated blood in Malaysia before. My friends told me the nurses quite rough and they only give milo and biscuits after donation. Here they have like a menu of sweet food and drinks to choose from and very friendly staffs.
3 Priscilla // Sep 18, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Good on you for wanting to donate!
Thanks. That’s the only thing I can afford to donate, and old clothes…hehehe…
4 mommibee // Sep 18, 2007 at 8:18 pm
u’re a good person! did u donate blood frequently in Msia too?
Thanks! It’s the only good thing I do, really. No, I did not donate blood before in Malaysia. I’m very scared one lah of the needles because my veins are stubborn and they won’t show easily. When I had my blood checked once the doc had to poke a couple times on both my arms to get the vein. Sakit! Then when I was here my friends asked me to go with them but I still takut. It was only after they gone that I decided to go. I fell pregnant right after so I stopped and only began donating frequently this year.
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