independence

It has been a year since i gave blood to the Red Cross.
Right after hitting my goal of maximum allowable donation (every 2 months) i hit a little blerp in my blood chemistry and needed to take one cycle off.
Then the whole job drama caused a series of blerps in both my life and my mood.
I just couldn't quite work up the gumption... no, that's just not the right word...
I just couldn't quite make myself care. I would make an appointment and then call to cancel at the last minute or even just not show. Not really sure what my deal was.
But no more!



let's be honest here
the nifty lapel pins also appeal to me

Every national holiday the Red Cross has a Baby Brigade drive specifically for donors with type O blood that is also CMV negative, which can be given to preemies, sick babies and kids with leukemia.
Guess who qualifies.
Even knowing that my blood was used for dying babies wasn't enough to get my butt in that chair this last year.

This morning i walked into my donation center and gave a unit of my blood to celebrate not only America's Independence Day, but my own as well.

Whatever miasma of apathy that had swirled around me for FAR TOO LONG has cleared.
Good freaking riddance.

Happy Birthday, America!

National Red Cross Month

When i donated blood last week i found out that March is National Red Cross Month.
It seems appropriate that this month's charity should therefore be the Red Cross.
Consider donating time, money or blood - you never know when you might be the one in need.

needle-phobia? Not here.

In 2011 i set a goal for myself that i would achieve maximum blood donation at the Red Cross.
You can donate every 58 days, which means that i would need to donate six times in a year.
I was restricted from donating for almost a year because of being sick, so in my head i told myself that if i hit maximum donation it would mean that i was truly well again.
I did it, baby!
This week was my sixth donation in 12 months.
I think we can call that fear of needles that i used to have gone, gone, gone.
And, i think that we can call me no longer endocrinely challenged.
And, i believe that i owe myself 10 shiny Gold Stars.
Now, i just have to keep it up since maximum blood donation is on my 40 while I'm 40 list, as well.
Have you given blood lately?  It's a new year; Donate Life, people.

(graphic from Oregon Pacific Chapter website)

Two down, Four to go

I am happy to say that i am right on track to meet my goal of maximum blood donation in 2011. I went last week and have discovered that 6:30 on a random week night is totally the time to go because no one is there. Most of the phlebotomists were cleaning up, doing paperwork, and resetting for the next day while myself and another gentleman were donating. We were all playing Jeopardy out loud along with the tv when the category History of the American Red Cross was announced. No lie. It was hilarious, but also kinda warm and bonding, to be sitting at the Red Cross and hear 12 people call out Who is Clara Barton? at the same time.

They're like vampires, but you know, good ones

Red Cross calls me all of the time to set up donation appointments. I mean, all of the time. Sometimes it is the central office, sometimes the local office, sometimes the platelet office, sometimes it is a person, sometimes it is a recording, but one way or another, i get called every week. Plus, i get email reminders and even the occasional snail mail post card. These people really, really want my blood; not only am i the most common blood type in the US, i have a high platelet count and don't have a dormant virus that 70% of the population has, so they can give my blood to babies. With all of these constant reminders, it has been very stressful that i couldn't donate due to my health. Back in November i finally told the platelet people that i had to be removed from the donor list, but i've been waiting and waiting to see if i would ever be able to go back to whole blood donations.
I just didn't want to concede.
Guess what - Saturday i donated for the first time since last March! My veins were a little sketch so i have a wicked bruise, but otherwise all my levels were fine and i am green lit for donations! I am making the goal right now to donate whole blood 6 times this year. You have to wait 58 days between donations, but if i stay on schedule i should be able to make it. I normally don't get gold stars for donating, but if i reach my goal of 6 in one year, i will give myself 10 extra stars. Doesn't it seem funny that a girl who used to be terrified of needles (and still isn't that enthused by them) would be so excited by giving blood?
 YIPPEE!!