Donate Blood

I wanted to share this letter from the blood bank. Please go donate if you can.

Valentine's Day is a day of love. It also is National Donor Day and we want to thank all of our amazing donors who share their love by donating so others can enjoy another day.

National Donor Day was founded in 1998 to educate the public on the importance of donating blood, organs, and bone marrow. Every year, thousands of lives are saved with donated blood and we hope others will follow your example and become regular blood donors.

This National Donor Day and every day, thank you for your continued support and the "love" you share every time you roll up your sleeve and donate.

Blood Donation Day

Our school had their biannual blood drive today. I usually don't like to give at work. They suck out enough of my blood daily but time is tight these days and I was due for another donation, so I figured why not. Besides, I thought it would be good for the kids to see me giving. My seniors were working the drive and they were so nice, especially since I told them I have a tendency to pass out while donating. (Thankfully that did not happen today.) I wanted them to know that it is okay to feel sick, even faint, but the feeling passes. My mom would have died much sooner than she did if not for blood donors and that is the reason I give between 5 and 6 times annually and I encourage others to do the same. My ninth graders were curious about the bandage on my arm. They asked all kinds of questions which I readily answered. They wanted to know why I didn't go home. I explained that a blood donation is no big deal. It takes about twenty minutes and life resumes immediately afterwards. I wanted them to have good feelings about donating and to consider donating when they are old enough.

Well, I have to increase my liquid intake today. I hope beer is on the acceptable beverage list.

In the Words Of Sarah Palin

Instead of working today, I took my dad to Empire City.

Instead of making $200+, I made $12.

My dad had a great time.

Instead of working today, I went to the blood bank and had the life sucked out of me for a good cause.

Was it worth it? Would I do it again?

You betcha!

How I Spent Party Night

I decided to skip the party and donate blood instead. Today is exactly 56 days after my last donation (the amount of time needed between donations) and the day my mom would have turned 82. Since blood donations kept her alive for so many years, I felt it was appropriate to donate today, in her memory and honor.

This turned out to be a great donation. I didn't pass out or even get dizzy. The guy who took my blood actually took the necessary precautions with me. In fact, I felt so good, I decided to stop at Pathmark to pick up some things for dinner. That is when I got pissed.

First, the carts were laying all over the parking lots, blocking spots and rolling into cars.

There has got to be something seriously wrong with people who won't move the extra couple of feet to put them in the corrals which are very conveniently located.

Then, the long lines forced me to go to a self service check out. I hate those things. I worked my way through high school as a checker and these registers just take jobs away from needy people. They also never work right. There was a really big guy standing in front, supposedly to help, but I think he is there to make sure no one is stealing. He barely moved to help when my register stopped working.

Bitch fest finished. My husband is cooking and it smells good. I'm supposed to drink lots of fluids during the next 24 hours. I think there is a cold beer with my name on it in the fridge.

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.