I'm Out of Excuses

Last night after work, I donated blood to the Red Cross.  Ever since my friend, Becky, encouraged me to show up for a blood drive at her fiance's work place last year to give, the Red Cross has had me in their data bank. They call me about every six weeks and I say yes to an appointment and I'm ashamed to say that I have blown them off a couple of appointments over the last year. Here's my excuse ... if you care to hear it.

Sometime before Christmas, I went in for a blood draw and I had a horrible experience. The technician had a really tough time placing the needle in and once she finally got it going, I had a really bad dizzy spell and thought I was going to throw up. That experience had not left me until last night.

Last week I got a call from the donor center and the woman said, "please, please, please donate blood". I've never heard them ask please 3 times so I said yes.  I had gone in last month to donate but my iron was too low. When I arrived last night, I was hoping it would be too low again but I was committed that if it wasn't, I'd just grin and bear it.

THE REASON I was able to sit there and not have so much fear is that I kept a constant thought of all those folks in Japan who are suffering tremendous tragedies and here I am sitting in a nice, warm Red Cross building, with cookies & juice waiting for me after my donation.  What do I have to be afraid of?

The woman who took my blood last night had a green, Happy St. Patrick's Day hat on and a sparkly, green 3-leaf clover sticker on her cheek. She was the happiest person I saw all day. And, I felt I was in good hands.  She told me she had been drawing blood for over 20 years. I was so relieved.  Long story short, she told me to never have blood taken out of my left arm ever again ~ she couldn't find a good vein. My right arm was a perfect donor arm and I had no discomfort whatsoever. I did, however, get dizzy again but she quickly leaned my seat back and placed cold towels on my forehead and neck.  And then, the best part, I got cookies & juice!

I wish I had taken my camera with me. I would have a wonderful photo to show you of the angel of mercy who drew my blood. And, I could show you about a half-dozen really happy people who were thrilled to pieces that they overshot their goal of collecting 20 bags of plasma. They got 25 yesterday.  My observation was that even though they had put in a long day, they still had smiles on their faces and were joking and having a great time.

I'm extremely happy that my bad experience from before has been replaced with a much, much better experienced.  I will try to not blow them off the next time the Red Cross calls.  And, I'll continue to think of those folks in Japan who are and will be suffering for a long time in the aftermath of the horrible wreckage the earthquake and Tsunami have left behind.

There are so many ways we can donate. It does not always have to be monetary. There were high school kids at the Red Cross last night who were acting as the receptionists. How cool is that?

It just got me to thinking about the ways I can be more useful by donating time, blood, food, offering someone a ride, etc. I have no excuse for not being a better citizen .... or blowing off the Red Cross when they call for help.  No excuse whatsoever.

love, susan