You could blame the flu season, the freezing cold Tassie temperature or Trumps latest tweet, (nah, you couldn’t blame that!) but whatever you blame the fact is the Aussie blood bank is as parched as a petrified platypus. (Exaggeration intended!)
I ring Australian Red Cross at 11am to pledge my allegiance and by 11:30am I’ve arranged babysitters and transport for my 12:15 appointment! No time to change my mind, the oil in the car or my messy, messy bun, bun.
So here I am with my sleeves rolled up responding to a Facebook call for O negatives. Yep, I know most of you think I am positive and now you know my dark side. (Thanks Zoe for the share.)
I’m a newbie, a first timer so there are many questions to ask and to be asked. The receptionist is pleasant, patient and perfectly suited to her job. The EN, who takes me through the three page questionnaire, is efficient, exacting and so extremely versed in her profession that I am not even embarrassed about the questions on sexual encounters or putting my tick in the wrong box. Secretly I think she could be moonlighting as a legal secretary.
The process of taking blood was a pleasant non-event and as I settled back in the comfy, purpose built, feet up, reclining chair my hardest decision was choosing between watching a chat show about cannibalistic crocodiles or the unaffordability of housing in London. I flicked my eyes from one to the other deciding the latest hairy chest tie worn by the presenter is not going to be a popular sell.
Amid the harmonic sound of pumping and the gentle rock of the machine that weighs my extracted blood the nurse suggests joining the monthly plasma club. It feels a bit like ‘would you like fries with that?’ and I am thinking she could probably sell me a hairy chest tie.
If you decide to give blood I can recommend Hobart Red Cross as the place to go. Great parking, great customer service, a lovely cup of tea and a bit of fruit cake, (or yoghurt or cheese or crackers or chocolate...) before you leave.
Would I do it again? Yes I would, but not just because they offer free wi fi and cake.