The bloodmobile from Poudre Valley Hospital’s Garth Englund Blood Center will be in Wellington for a Community Blood Drive on Dec. 14 from noon to 4 p.m. Find the bloodmobile south of Bella’s Market at 7650 5th Street.
Tips when donating blood, provided by pvhs.org:
• Before you go to a donation site, please make sure you’ve eaten something.
• If at any time during the donation process you feel light-headed, please tell a staff member.
• The entire process takes about 45 minutes. This includes time to complete your health history and sign consent forms.
• Among the questions for your health history, you will be asked about medicines that you take. Most medicines are okay.
• You will also be asked about behavior that is considered a risk for HIV or hepatitis exposure.
• The rest of the process includes having your temperature and blood pressure taken, and a finger-stick test called hematocrit that checks your volume of red blood cells.
• Your arm is cleaned with a sterile disinfectant swab. A needle is inserted into a vein on the inside of your elbow. The actual blood withdrawal takes five to 10 minutes. When you are done, a wrap is put on your arm.
• Rest for a short time afterwards.
• Enjoy a snack.