The original site this came from is long gone, so this has been rescued from the Wayback Machine.
The views here are those of the author, and are presented for archival purposes.
I have made layout changes, but otherwise left the grammer alone. ~Sphynx
Usually, the first thing that comes to mind when one hears the word vampire
is blood. It is a well-known fact that vampires drink blood (except in some
cases such as psyvamps). I do not encourage blood-drinking or bloodletting unless
it is absolutely necessary. Of course, sanguinarian vampires and other blood-drinkers
are going to drink blood, and obviously they need someone to donate it. The
point of this page is to provide a few useful tips to people who MUST engage
in blood-drinking or bloodletting.
STOP!
BEFORE YOU DECIDE DRINKING BLOOD IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO, HAVE YOU THOUGHT
ABOUT: DRINKING BLOOD IS NOT A GAME. IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL, YOU OR SOMEONE
YOU CARE ABOUT COULD GET HURT, OR YES, POSSIBLY, KILLED. THE MILLION OR SO BLOOD-BORNE
DISEASES YOU COULD GET?
THERE IS ONE THEORY THAT SUGGESTS REGULAR CONSUMPTION OF BLOOD WILL EVENTUALLY
MAKE YOU A VAMPIRE. IF THIS IS TRUE, ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE A VAMPIRE? DO YOU
REALLY WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE CRAVING BLOOD, LOOKING FOR "DONORS,"
BEING HYPERSENSITIVE TO SUNLIGHT, AND ALL THE OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS THAT GO
ALONG WITH BEING A VAMPIRE?
If you have thought about all this, and still feel like you have to drink blood,
then please continue.
BLOODLETTING SAFETY
Each time you cut yourself/someone else, you take the risk of that cut setting
up an infection, leaving a permanent scar, causing nerve damage, or causing
excessive blood loss. Nonetheless, some of us still need to obtain blood,
and making a minor cut seems to be a very effective way of doing it. On the
BDSM scene, many people use scalpels, razor blades, hobby knives, etc. I would
definitely recommend something with a smooth cutting edge. Also, make sure
the blade has been sterilized. Always make sure not to cut too deeply (knives
are sharp!) and, as a rule, avoid making puncture wounds.
Puncture wounds get infected easily, take a long time to heal, can cause nerve
damage, and can really hurt. Your donor may be 110% OK with giving blood and
you being a vampire, but how do you think he/she is going to feel if you mess
around and leave permanent nerve damage? In a nutshell, use your common sense.
HOW MUCH BLOOD IS SAFE TO DRINK?
According to the American Red Cross, the average person who is 17 years of
age or older, and weighs at least 110 pounds (49.9 kg) can donate 16 ounces
(473.3 ml) of blood every 8 weeks. This averages out to about ¼ cup (59 ml)
a week. It takes this long for the normal, healthy human body to get the red
blood cell level back to normal. This does not account for any unknown diseases
or disorders a person might have. Also, never take blood from a pregnant or
nursing woman.
FIRST AID FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
This is not meant to replace a first aid class, which,
if you plan on cutting someone, or letting someone cut you, it might not
be a bad idea to take. This section is more of a refresher course.
Lay the person down. If it it possible, the person's head should be slightly
lower than the rest of the body; if not, try to elevate the legs. This increases
blood flow to the brain and reduces the chance of the person fainting.
If possible, elevate the site of the bleeding above the heart to reduce
blood flow. Put firm pressure directly on the wound, using a bandage or
clean piece of cloth, or if all else fails, your hand. Maintain pressure
until the bleeding stops. If the blood soaks through the material, do not
remove it. Instead, add more material on top.
If the bleeding will not stop with direct pressure, continue to apply pressure
to the wound, and with your other hand, apply pressure to the major artery
that lies between the wound and the heart, keeping your fingers flat.
Seek professional help. In the mean time, try to move the injured area as
little as possible, and leave the bandages in place.
This article is presented as part of an ongoing effort to present other views outside of, as well as within, the online vampire community. Those of us who consider ourselves vampiric don't always look at things from the same viewpoint due to our life experiences. As such, the views and opinions contained in this article are entirely those of the author(s), and may not necessarily be shared by SphynxCatVP. The webmaster is not under obligation to update or otherwise keep current the contents of this article. Most importantly, only you can decide for yourself whether this article or any of the author(s) other views are useful or applicable to you - you are responsible for using your own reasoning and judgement, so judge wisely.
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