Hey guys, this is NUSensei.
I'm a long way away from the range today. I'm taking a training day off and today, I'm
actually going to save lives. The goal for today is actually to head down to the Blood
Bank and give some plasma. I've actually been doing this for a long time. This isn't my
first time, this is my 28th time or something so don't expect any squeamish moments. I'm
quite used to it by now. But it's also the last time I'll be donating at the Bourke Street
Blood Bank. They're closing it down. They're actually setting up a new one down around
the corner. They're merging with the Southbank headquarters and they're making a brand new
big donation centre in the Melbourne CBD, so I'm looking forward to seeing that. It's
been a little nostalgic. I haven't been back to the Blood Bank for quite a while. I've
had some various health problems, but everything's cleared up. I really want to go back to doing
the whole blood donation, plasma donation sort of thing so I'm looking forward to going
back there. I've just had lunch, and I'm going to wait around for a bit and I'll be at the
Blood Bank in a few minutes.
I actually began donating blood as part of a high school community service project, and
I’ve been doing it since. As with most people, I started with whole blood donations, but
was moved onto plasma donations after a couple of years. My blood type is strangely reflective
of my attitude: be positive.
This is likely to be my last time at the Bourke Street centre, so I want to take it all in.
Before going into the interview, I need to fill out this questionnaire filled with questions
about my travel, exposure to the sex industry, and the most difficult question of all: am
I pregnant?
The most painful part in the whole process, in my opinion, is getting your finger pricked
for your hemoglobin check.
Oh, this part hurts too, but you get used to it after a while.
Before I’m hooked up, samples of my red stuff are collected for testing.
I’m reacquainted with someone I haven’t met for a while. This is Bonnie. I don’t
go out that often, so this is probably the most action I’ll be getting.
Bonnie is an apheresis machine, and her job is to take my blood, spin it around in a centrifuge
and separate the red blood cells from the plasma.
The display shows a pixelated illustration of me, with the arrow on my arm indicating
which direction the blood is pumping. Underneath are various stats, including the target volume
of plasma. In my case, I’m donating the maximum 902 millilitres of plasma. This is
based mostly off your body weight, though you normally start off lower and progress
to higher volumes. In comparison, regular whole blood donation only takes 470mL, which
can be used whole or separated into its individual components. Plasma donations allow for more
to be taken without adverse effect to the donor, and because the blood cells are returned,
the donor can return more frequently, typically 2-3 weeks compared to the 3 month wait period
for whole blood.
The process takes around 30 minutes. This is because the machine only takes a certain
amount of blood before separating the plasma and returning the cells, taking several cycles
to reach the target volume. As the cells are returned, a saline solution is pumped intravenously
to restore the lost fluids. Because the saline is room temperature, donors may feel chilly
when it is pumped into the body, and it’s normal for donors to request a blanket.
The plasma itself is this odd-coloured fluid, which looks nothing like what you might imagine
the liquid part of your blood to be like.
I did mention that this process does take quite a while.
I tried passing my time by thinking of good blood puns. Unfortunately, it was all in vein.
Oh look, we're nearly there. I swear, if this thing stops at 901...
Done! We made it!
My effort and patience is rewarded by complimentary food and beverage. In this case, a bag of
pretzels, a choc-chip cookie, and a strawberry milkshake.
This is enough to get me back on my feet, and I’m out for an early solo dinner dessert.
While I am dining alone, I couldn’t help but think about Bonnie. We shared good times,
and even though she sucked the life force out of me, I hope we can meet again in another
time and another place. Meanwhile, I drown my sorrows in this tiramisu pancake.
If you are interested in finding out more about donating blood or plasma, visiting donateblood.com.au,
or check out your national blood service.
This is NUSensei. Thank you for watching, and I'll see you next time.