qotd, with rant
shameless self-promotion, number 254 in a series

what I did yesterday

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I was inspired by the Traveling Knitter, who has instigated her own blood drive, and sucked up my courage yesterday. Donating blood is one of things that I always meant to get around to -- and, no, I didn't do it for the possibility of winning yarn. I don't even plan to enter the random drawing.

No, I did it because -- unlike cash to send to charity or time to spend volunteering -- I have plenty of blood and can easily make more. And I want to feel like I can do something of use for a stranger.

The older woman at the check-in was knitting a pink mitten, however, which I took as a good sign.

As for the donating, it wasn't so bad. But you also have to keep in mind that that description is coming from a woman who has had two needles stuck in her spine while birthing two separate babies. Compared to that, ten minutes bleeding into a bag is a cake walk.

I did startle the techs by breaking out in a cold sweat, going completely white and almost throwing up just as they were pulling out the needle. A small sip of juice and all was right again. Note to self: eat more breakfast next time.


Spent the rest of the day feeling plumb wore out, like I'd lost a pint of blood. Better today and by tomorrow will be back to my old peppy (hah) self.

So there you go. Nothing exotic -- just the gift of life.

ETA: I donated in Oneonta at the Baptist Church on the corner of Maple and Main -- you know, the one that just had its stained glass windows refurbished. If you are looking for a blood drive, the NY-Penn lists local ones here. If you aren't local, go to the American Red Cross site for more info.

Comments

Good for you. I used to donate all the time but having lived in Europe they won't take my blood anymore...nevermind that I didn't eat beef then (or now, for that matter). Oh well...

S

Bah. I'm in the same boat as Shelley. I lived in England at the wrong time and I can't donate any more either. (Damn cows. If only they weren't so tasty!) It is sort of fun to moo aggressively if someone asks me why I'm not donating, though.

Giving up the abilty to donate bloos seems like a small price to pay for spending time in Europe. I am going to start mooing agressively at people, tho, just for the fun of it.

Congrats! I, too, almost passed out the first time I donated blood. I do believe it was nerves in my case. Something about the huge needle resting in my vein and knowing that my blood was draining out into a bag that I could see just didn't sit well that first time. Now, I'm proud to say I can actually look at the bag and not feel dizzy. It gets easier each time! (Until you get a first-time tech. Oooh, that was scary. I'll save that story for another time.)

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