Double Failure!

Been donating blood since 1977, even when living in the Middle East I donated when I came home so they could use the plasma if not the whole blood. Never really had a problem apart from a couple of times when the needle had been inserted badly and I developed bruising.

So last month was a bit of a shock when they used my left arm, as normal, and after the blood flowed a few inches it just stopped.
Made a new appointment for today and exactly the same thing happened so they tried my right arm.
It might have been ok but the needle was put in too far and my arm developed a bubble like a small balloon as the blood exploded underneath the skin.
After being attended to by 3 of the NHS Blood Transfusion nurses they decided my left arm had decided to give up the ghost and there was too much scar tissue to ever take blood from it again as they always use the same area to insert the needle.
I've been asked to book another appointment but if the right arm doesn't work next time they will have to withdraw me as a donor. 
I was quite despondent after donating for 38 years, it's only every 12 weeks or so but it's become part of my life and it's a very small thing to do in aid of people who need the blood. Not everyone can give blood of course, for many reasons.

When one of the nurses said "I'll have to take your left arm off" I frantically replied "That's a bit drastic, there's nothing wrong with it really" and then she explained she meant off the records because that is down as my favoured arm - Phew!