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Giving blood . . . not that bad

* * on * try to fake being sick. Mrs. Hoy will catch you
for sure.” “ Oh, no she won’t, I’ve done it before
.. Mrs. Hoy I feel sick.” “ What seems to be the trou­
ble?” “ I have a fever and scratchy throat. Do you think
I can go home?” “ You don’t seem to have a high temp­
erature, and you don’t look pale, I think you’ll be
okay. ‘Is she letting you go home?” “ No, you were
right. I feel pretty dumb.”
Although Mrs. Jody Hoy, school nurse, doesn’t
catch everyone who may happen to be faking, she
doesn’t let just anyone who says he is sick go home.
“They have to be quite sick and have a high temper­
ature,” said Mrs. Hoy.
Although Mrs. Hoy carries out her duties as a nurse,
Mrs. Lyn Palensky is the one who teaches students
various aspects of health and possible careers related
to health.
In the health occupations classes, students learn
many different activities that aid them in learning a
health career. The class is offered in a two year pro­
gram so that the second year students can get various
jobs in the health field.
One event that took place, which was aided by the
Red Cross, was the bloodmobile drive. The Red Cross
suggested that they aim for 100 donors. During the
drive, 102 out of 135 people gave blood. Some people
were unable to give blood because they were too
weak, or they had previously been sick. All the stu­
dents in health occupations participated.
“They set the number of donors, and we met that fig­
wemm ure,” said Mrs. Palensky.
What is it like giving blood for the first time? “When
you first walk in you’re really scared and nervous. It
hurts when they first put the needle in, but then you
forget about what you’re doing because everyone is
talking to you,” said junior Maureen Mitchell. “ When
it’s all over you realize that it wasn’t that bad.”
“ I was really scared at first,” said junior Patti Carde­
nas, but after I gave blood I felt really good about
myself because I knew it would go to someone who
needed it.”
“ I was really nervous about it because of previous
things I had heard, but it wasn’t that bad,” said senior
Scott Rezek.
All three said they would give blood again, but will
they really? Only if they’re at least 17, weigh over 110
pounds, haven’t been sick recently, and don’t look
tired or weak.

Making sure students follow the proper steps in preparing tourniauets M rs In riv Hnu K 1
nurse, checks the one sophomore Robyn Johnston has made for sophomore Pa° Kopt°e

Health Occupations, Nurse 61