Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Donate Blood--It Does Not Hurt

My arm and my sticker

Basket of goodies for after a donation (or before, if like me, you need to eat)

I've been negligent lately in my blood donations. I was due to donate in October but, due to extreme laziness I did not go until today. While my mom was alive I was great at going every 56 days. I knew that the blood others donated was keeping her alive and I wanted to do my part to do the same for others. I vow to try to get back to my 56 day schedule.

I started donating blood in my early teaching years. I worked right across the street for a blood center and my math teacher friends and I made it an annual event. The problem was that I did not weigh the minimum 110 pound required to donate. Not wanting to be left out, I wore a shirt with big pockets loaded down with heavy books. I managed to make the weight limit every time doing this.

Cheating on my weight was not the smartest thing I ever did. My friends would all donate and be up and out in twenty minutes. I would get dizzy and have to hang around for quite a while. My friend L had the same problem. He weighed 120 pounds but at 6 feet tall, that was not enough. To this day, everyone still laughs at us.

I now weigh enough but sometimes I still get dizzy. It takes me a while to be up and out. I hate the needle going into my arm and I hate the feeling as the blood is coming out of me. I love knowing that I am doing a good deed. The good feelings outweigh the bad by so much that not giving is not an option for me.

So, if you are reading this and you are in good health--GO DONATE BLOOD. It doesn't hurt all that much. Save a life! It feels good.

5 comments:

ChiTown Girl said...

They used to do blood drives at my high school (I wonder if they still do?) and you could donate if you were over 18. This particular blood drive day, I wanted very badly to get out of government class because we were having a test and I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. I got my payback big-time. For some reason, the needle hurt like hell the entire time, which I know it shouldn't have. (I think the phlebotomist screwed something up!) and the nurses could sense by the look on my face something was wrong. They kept coming back and asking me if I was ok. When they went to change vials/bags (I don't remember which) I thought it was over, but alas, it was not! I got even more panicky, I guess. The nurse came over again, took one look at me and jumped into action. As she was asking if I was ok, and flipping my seat up (to lower my head) everything starting going dark. That was the first time I ever passed out. I ended up spending the next hour there, and eventually going home for the day! That's what I get for trying to skip a test!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, blood drives are still held at all high schools which will let them in, and most do. The age limit is lower now: 17 in most states and 16 with a parental permission slip in others. Sorry about your bad experience passing out. That is very rare.

John Petersen
Public Relations Manager
American Red Cross

Pissedoffteacher said...

The school I teach in has blood drives twice a year. Since I know that I pass out sometimes, I won't give in school. I don't think it would be cool to faint in front of my students.

One year, I did donate in school and someone had to catch me before I fell.

Now I donate at the blood center.

By the way, I had an awful experience a few years ago too. But, I survived to donate again.

NYC Educator said...

Ya know what I like? When you look at your paycheck, find they've deducted one-third, and then ask for blood.

You're right that it's good to donate. It's just that I sometimes wonder whether Joel Klein sits in his office and just drinks it all.

Pissedoffteacher said...

Even if I did not pass out when I donated, I do not give in school for that reason.