Blood Suckers
This one time in high school the blood bank set up a huge operation in our gym. If you were 17 years-old, and you had a permission slip, you could donate blood. Because gambling at 18 and drinking at 21 were a million years away at that point, giving blood seemed like a huge step in our rush toward adulthood. Plus all the cool kids were doing it.
I have very rare blood. I have O negative, which is the only blood type that can be given to all other blood types. I also have a very rare antibody that can be used to help premature babies. Translation: they want my blood. I used to get calls once a month from United Blood Services. For this reason, I feel like I have very little choice but to do the right thing and donate. In fact, I feel like a blood celebrity of sorts when I go to blood drives and they’re thrilled when they look me up in the computer.
My problems donating blood started in that high school gym. I’m a speed donator, so by the time I was done my girlfriend Mini was barely halfway through her bag and not having a good experience. I decided to try to comfort her by standing by her side. One moment I’m talking to her, and the next thing I know I’m waking up laying with my feet above my head in a donating bed. Things have gone downhill since then. I’ve gone from a speed donator to a terrified one. I get light-headed every time and have passed out twice more.
One time I was donating at work and they had the new girl working my arm. It was painful when she put it in! I sat there forever waiting for them to tell me I was done. The new girl came back over and MOVED THE NEEDLE IN MY ARM! Then she announced to me that oops, she’d gotten air in the line and the entire bag would have to be pitched. Then when she pulled it out, she managed to spray me and herself. Omigod.
Today there’s a blood drive at my work. There’s signs posted everywhere, and people walking around with multi-colored bandages on their arms. I feel guilty. I knew it was coming. They’d sent me an email. There’s a charge number so I don’t have to use my own time. But still
Alright, alright, I’ll go over this afternoon and see if they have any appointments left. And please join me by clicking here to see if you can give blood this week too. I shouldn’t be the only one suffering :-) Oh, and by the way, it’ll help the 60% of us who will need blood sometime in our life.
Im donating this afternoon! I keep getting turned down for low iron, so well see if I pass the test today!
I feel totallly guilty for not giving blood. I have low blood sugar and was told that I couldnt!!
I am signed up for Minis b-day. I give every 6 weeks. So get over there!!!
D*MN! And see I posted that one and thought, \"Um, ok, maybe I WON\T go over there\" and now I\m feeling all guilty again. D*MN!
good for you for doing it! i have so given up. every time i have the opportunity something makes me not be able to (beyond just the general ridiculously slow blood). in college i always had a fever, ive had the iron problem a number of times too, and then theres the whole, being pregnant three times thing. thats a lot of time where you just cant. but my dad goes every six weeks too (he has the rare universal blood) and my sister goes lots too (i think she has it too). good job!
OK, I made an appt for tomorrow. Im trying my best not to chicken out. Breathe…
My cubemate just told me that when they lean you back you should do leg lifts and hold it. I guess its supposed to help get the blood back out into your system. Whatever.
I vote they should get going on that artificial blood stuff already.
Such a nice face! Beautifull. Take it easy with those cakes, OK?
^Thats messed up
I just recently found out that I am O+…I was always too chicken to donate before.. now I feel bad after finding out how much of a demand there is for O type blood. So after I am able to donate again Ill be trying to donate regularly.
ur a good man, charlie brown.
60% ?!??!?!
Thats what it says on their website. Yeah, I thought that was high too. But, Im at 50% in my immediate family already, so I could see how that might be so.