on friday after work i headed to the elk lodge to donate blood. it has been a really long time since i have been eligible (stupid accutane!) and i am a weird person who actually likes to give blood. cassie and i had quite the collection of blood donation shirts in college. the elk lodge of burbank is hidden behind a huge self storage unit. so basically, it is impossible to find.
jeremy had bought us tickets for a 5:30 movie and my appoinment was for 4:30. I was trying to get there extra early to have plenty of time to get to the movie but i wound up being only a few minutes early. then i waited forever to do my little question and answer session (featuring winning questions like "have you every had sexual contact with anyone who has been paid for sex? ummm...no way have you had sexual contact with a man who has had sex with another man since 1977? seriously? have you met jeremy? NO WAY! have you spent more than thirty days outside the US in any of these countries? sadly no have you gotten a tattoo or body piercing in the last year? also sadly, no) then they took a sample from my finger to do an iron test (which i fail about half the time but passed with winning colors this go round - yay me! the normal range of hemoglobin is 12-20 for women and i was 13.6. i remember when i was really sick in high school it was always like a 4 or 5 which is practically dead) then i got all hooked up with the bags and needles and pumped that bag full in record time. did you know that there is actaully a minimum amount of time it has to take or else your blood isnt usable? i always am just seconds away from crossing that threshold.
i get un-needled and bandaged up then go to the snack table. they tell me i have to wait 15 minutes but i slammed down some cheez-its and oj and snuck out to meet jeremy.
the worst part of the whole thing was the sticky ace bandage-like thing they wrapped my arm with gave me a weird rash that hurt and itched all night. and my finger hurt. but my arm felt fine. i did get a little dizzy running on saturday morning. that might be why they say no vigorous exercise for 24 hours... ???
find a blood drive near you and give life!
2 comments:
i'm so proud of you. you're such a good person.
i refuse to give blood. i'll draw yours, but you want to take mine? no thanks! ever since i passed out giving in high school, i say enough is enough.
i really should donate, though. i have a fairly rare type. ah well, they'll survive without me.
even when your are giving blood you are competitive. good job babe. whats your blood type anyway-- i forgot-- i know what kind of mother am i??
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