kristin cookies

So I had a lot of firsts this summer: gambling in a casino (Mohegan Sun), swimming in more than 5 feet of water, going sailing (hasn't happened yet ;), working a non-internship, regular job (never had any jobs in high school), eating at a kosher chinese restaurant, living in a frat house, police raid in that frat house at 1:30am (a cop enters my room and tells my roommate and I to go downstairs we're all arrested until someone confesses. What?!? All the guys were already in handcuffs when we went downstairs. Upon discovering so many girls-most of us were either really dressed up or barely wearing any clothes like me-one of the 15 cops kept asking about permits to house girls in frat houses...I guess he thought it might be a brothel. The underage drinking didn't help matters. Later I found out it was all because some water balloons thrown from our roofdeck hit a squad car; some guys in the house next door were arrested), and many other firsts both good and bad.

But the best, or worst, was when I decided to conquer my fear of donating blood. Ever since I was like 2 I've strongly disliked needles and I hate hospitals. Ironically when I was on the MD-PhD track, I had no problems playing surgeon and nurse on mice for my research at cornell med/hospital but I've always chosen to volunteer my time at the drives rather than my blood.

I chickened out on Monday. Then Tuesday night Kristin made me cookies just for the event and so Wednesday I wore my supergirl t-shirt and started filling out the health questionaire. At every part of the process I was nervous and kept asking each person will it hurt? During the screening step, I almost got up from my chair when she said she had to prick my finger to test my hemo levels. I was like what? 2 punctures in one day? But I just looked the other way so I wouldn't see it coming. I knew I was pale and slightly hyperventilating as I sat waiting for the final step. Sitting directly in front of the people with blood rushing out of their arms didn't help, and it also didn't help that I hadn't drank much fluids before coming.

When I was lying down on the table with silent tears the nurse commented about having some difficulty choosing between my arms because my veins were so small. So I told her how scared I was and that if she wasn't certain she could get this done in one needle puncture I would just come back another time. She tried to relax me by asking all these questions about my plans after MIT as she marked a spot and put a catheter on my right arm, which really hurts, and while prepping gave me some time to think about whether I wanted to donate or not. I thought about it for 2 minutes then got up and left with my purple markered arm and bandaged finger. I told her I would come back tomorrow fully hydrated but I knew that I probably wouldn't be back. I asked if I would have to get my finger pricked again-yes.

I called my mom just outside of the room and convinced myself that it was now or never. All the nurses laughed when I walked back in 10 minutes later. But despite more silent tears I did it. All in vain though because it was going too slowly for a pint of blood to be collected (those small, dehydrated veins). I was actually disappointed when she removed the needle. They made me stay in the canteen area for 40 minutes and because of the catheters my arm was stinging in pain for 3 more hours at home. All this and I didn't even give enough blood to save half a life. It was a funny disaster, but I'm very happy I went through with it, and I got to eat the Kristin cookies :)