For my second blog, I was quite happy that donating blood was an option; under the ‘Health and Wellness’ section of Student Life. I have been donating blood at least 2 or 3 times every year, for several years now. I think it is a very important thing to do; it costs me nothing but time and it can mean so much to someone else. I don’t have a rare blood type, or anything, but there is still always need for donation of every blood type. I have had positive and negative experiences when donating blood, in the past. This time was a little bit of both. Overall the mobile donation unit set up at Baruch was pretty well run. The staff seemed to be very efficient and also fairly friendly. However the woman who ‘stuck’ me, quite honestly did a terrible job. She completely mauled my arm. It seemed like she was not paying attention and she caused me a lot of pain. She initially either didn’t get the needle in all the way or allowed it back out, causing me to bleed profusely all over myself and the table. Which I am blaming for traumatizing me to the extent that I forgot to take a photo, after she finally prodded and fished the needle around to a suitable position in my vein. Subsequently the entire process was extremely and unnecessarily painful. And my arm was sore for the following two days. I hope this experience does not deter anyone else from making a life saving donation. Really a few moments of intense pain followed by a few day of less intense pain, is a small price to pay for saving (potentially many) lives. And, as I said before, my experience this time, was not the norm, it is usually a much less traumatic experience.