Silhouette

Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: News

Pedro Espinoza, synergy grant coordinator, receives an iodine swab before giving blood Thurs., April 20. This was Espinoza's first time donating blood. The American Red Cross had 89 donors throughout the day.

The gym is cold, blood can be found with every turn, people are smiling with needles protruding from their arms, and Joe Garcia can't stop shaking.

Garcia, Holcomb, Kan., sits eating his pizza describing his first time as a blood donator after giving blood for the American Red Cross Bloodmobile last Thursday in the GCCC East gym.

"I had no clue what I was doing," Garcia said. "I saw the signs around campus and thought it sounded cool. I wanted to do something good for other people."

Garcia said his first time giving blood was an experience he didn't expect. He began hyperventilating and while the nurses were laying him down and elevating his feet to help blood circulation, the needle, still drawing blood from his arm, shifted.

"When [the needle] moved it pinched something then I felt this excruciating pain," Garcia said while holding his arm. "I first clenched my fist because the pain was so intense, then lots of blood was running onto my shirt, from my arm."

Garcia said two nurses helped clean the blood from his shirt and helped him from passing out.

"I feel really good about being able to give a full bag," Garcia said. "It might be a while before I give blood again though."

Not all first time donors had as much trouble. Keosha Lenormand, Vallejo, Calif., said she had some doubts about being a first time donor, but the nurses were comforting.

"The nurses were gentle and walked me through the whole way," Lenormand said. "They held my hand and didn't put too much pressure on me. The nurses in California aren't as considerate as they [nurses] were today."

Rhonda Williams, South Gray, Kan., said giving blood has always been great for her and for being the tenth time giving blood, it was the best she has experienced. She said giving blood fits her motto, "what comes around goes around".

"Giving blood is a chance to give back to people," Williams said. "Someday I may need someone to help me."

The American Red Cross reported 35 of the 89 donors were first time donors and of the 89 donors, 76 were good units of blood.

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