If you've been hanging in the Nikiverse for a while you know that i donate at the Red Cross on a semi-regular basis. They love my O-positive, fast-flowing blood. Generally i am happy to take the t-shirt or whatever they are handing out, but the giveaways don't really influence my decision to give blood.
Until last week.
I regularly receive mail from the Red Cross about upcoming initiatives. I dutifully open them, read them and recycle them in one motion. But a mailing about 10 days ago caught my eye because of this:
It's a lapel pin of a snowman holding a baby snowman and it is the CUTEST THING EVER. It was the giveaway for a special Thanksgiving CMVneg blood drive.
Most of the population at some point contracts the
cytomeglavirus (CMV) which is one of the herpes-simplex viruses. You may never have any symptoms or illness from it, but it stays in your blood forever. Since most of the population already has CMV in their blood the Red Cross gladly accepts donors who test positive for it. But if you don't have the virus they can use your blood for newborns, hence the "Baby Brigade" on the pin.
Guess who's CMV negative?
I can't explain it, but i really wanted that pin (
when am i even gonna wear it? strange how some things just hit you) so i made a 9am donor appointment for Thanksgiving morning. Here it is with my Thanksgiving pin on the sweater i wore to the various holiday festivities :
It was noticed and commented upon at both of the houses i visited that day.
If you do the right thing for somewhat selfish reasons it is still the right thing, right? Well, that's the story i'm going with.
While i was waiting for my appointment i noticed that the December giveaway is a reusable shopping bag. I do like bags... hmmmm... i won't be able to give blood again until late January... hmmm... guess i'll have to call the platelet people in 2 weeks.
It's a lapel pin of a snowman holding a baby snowman and it is the CUTEST THING EVER. It was the giveaway for a special Thanksgiving CMVneg blood drive.
Most of the population at some point contracts the cytomeglavirus (CMV) which is one of the herpes-simplex viruses. You may never have any symptoms or illness from it, but it stays in your blood forever. Since most of the population already has CMV in their blood the Red Cross gladly accepts donors who test positive for it. But if you don't have the virus they can use your blood for newborns, hence the "Baby Brigade" on the pin.
Guess who's CMV negative?
I can't explain it, but i really wanted that pin (when am i even gonna wear it? strange how some things just hit you) so i made a 9am donor appointment for Thanksgiving morning. Here it is with my Thanksgiving pin on the sweater i wore to the various holiday festivities :
It was noticed and commented upon at both of the houses i visited that day.
If you do the right thing for somewhat selfish reasons it is still the right thing, right? Well, that's the story i'm going with.
While i was waiting for my appointment i noticed that the December giveaway is a reusable shopping bag. I do like bags... hmmmm... i won't be able to give blood again until late January... hmmm... guess i'll have to call the platelet people in 2 weeks.
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