My first time giving blood – and why you should try it, too

Danny Federico  reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com I've always admired people who regularly give blood. It seemed like such a selfless, meaningful thing to do — and, if I'm honest, a little intimidating. I'd never donated before.  As someone who isn't exactly the picture of health, I've had my fair share of bloodwork done. Needles didn't bother me until one bad day when I was a kid; the phlebotomist couldn't find a vein. Ever since then, if I see a needle stick me, I get clammy and woozy. I planned to donate back in 2015 when the OneBlood bus visited my high school in Tallahassee. That was before I had fully grasped how bad my panic attacks around needles would get. As a resul