No Excuses
Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 9:00AM Years ago I was on a regular schedule of blood donation but then I was taking long-term antibiotics for my adult acne and couldn’t donate so I got out of the habit.
Shame on me.
I went back in yesterday and thought about all the excuses I’ve been using. They all got shot down one by one.
First up: I hate scheduling appointments. Using the phone to schedule an appointment is one of those things I irrationally avoid.
I don’t know why.
But! When I pulled up to the blood bank yesterday they had signs all over the place saying “No Appointment Necessary” and “Walk-ins Welcome!”. So scratch that off the list.
Then there’s the fact that I kind of hate needles. Because they hurt and I am a weenie. At the blood bank though they let you recline on a really comfortable bed/chair thing with arm rests and a nice, calm tech talks you through the procedure and … guess what?
The anticipation of the needle is always the worst part. Yes it stings going in, but never as much as you think it will and then the pain goes away.
My third reason for not donating is that the site of blood kind of sort of makes me faint. Fainting is both unpleasant and embarrassing so I really try to avoid it. You would have been highly amused by me yesterday at the Blood Bank. I was studiously avoiding looking at my arm or the tubes of blood coming out of it. My first inclination was to look around the room which was a terrible idea because I was surrounded by people with blood flowing out of them. The solution was to just look at my iPhone and play Words with Friends or at the overhead TV which was showing The Talk.
I’m pretty sure that only blood could make me watch that show again.
I mentioned my fainting tendency to the tech before we started, so after I was done with the donation, she let me stay in my recliner and she brought me my snack which leads me to one of the reasons why you want to donate:
Blood Donor Swag my friends.
I got the clock/calculator combo because I came in on Leap Day. The tee shirt was given to me because I am a returning lapsed donor.
If you don’t understand how a college football team related to blood donation then you don’t live in Nebraska where EVERYTHING relates to a college football team.
Of course there is also a snack. I got to choose a cookie, goldfish crackers or Gordetto’s to go with my apple juice. (Fun Fact about Mindee: I loathe goldfish crackers. The very smell of them makes me wrinkle my nose in revulsion.) I chose the Gordetto’s because I knew I had a lemon bar waiting for me when I got home.
While I was relaxing, they helped me schedule my next donation and then I was done. The whole thing took only 35 minutes - only 8 minutes and 36 seconds of that was spent with actual blood flowing out of my body. Not bad. If you have time to watch a single episode of reality TV every eight weeks, you have time to donate blood.
To find out if you are eligible to donate blood, click here. Hint: you probably are. There are some medications that may make you ineligible. I couldn’t find a published list, but your blood bank will have that info.
If you do nothing else for Lent this year, go donate blood. You’ll feel good about it, you’ll help your community and an individual in need. (Click for some good stories. “Laura and Mark” were a couple from our church.)
It’s a small sacrifice with a big impact and you really have no excuse not to. :)
Reader Comments (15)
unfortunately i don't weigh enough...but i do insist my husband donate enough for the both of us =o)
I donate every 2 months (the required wait time between donations) and secretly, the swag is part of why I do it. I'm also a universal donor, like really universal, so they love and need me.
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-topic is where you can find all the eligibility requirements (including medications) for donating.
YAY for Swag! I've only ever been able to give blood once so I really respect people who go more than once. Go you for saving a life / lives Mindee!
so glad you posted this...I have not given blood for a few years because of blood pressure meds. I assumed it would make me ineligible. You know what that say about assuming. Turns out I was wrong and I can give blood. Guess what I will be doing next week.
Sandy - If I could pick a reason to be ineligible, that would be it.
PJ - Oooooh a universal! I'm just a boring old A+
Stephanie - thanks.
Brenda - Yay ! I hope you get a good snack!
How much i would like to donate my blood, they can't accept it.
I'm taking blood pressure maintance for almost 3 years now:((
Clayton told me to tell you that he would pay your for that shirt! Silly Colorado boy that loves BIG RED!!!
I've lived in Europe more than 5 years so am ineligible. Good for you though... My niece has been given gallons, literally, since August so I appreciate blood donors.
I love giving blood... In my particular neck of the woods it can be tricky... They don't have blood drives all the time, so you have to jump at the chances when they come up! My older daughter get excited every time we see a sign and try to make plans to go as soon as it's open.
Amen!
Sherene - that's okay. You have to take care of your health.
Becca - I'm afraid if he wore it out there he WOULD be bleeding Husker red!
Joyce - I'm sorry she's needed so much. :(
rebecca d - you're raising a great kid!
I donated in December and got a letter in the mail shortly after telling me I had tested false positive for hepitis. It explained that it was likely a lab error and that I did have hepitis (which my doctor later confirmed.) They did tell me that I could never donate again though. I was so sad afterwards.
I also hate needles. I have never actually fainted, but my face turns ghost white when I see one - especially one that I know is going into my body. So people always think I am going to faint. I can't even watch the finger prick. But, I have O+ blood which can be used by people with several other blood types. So I suck it up for the good of others who need it and donate a few times a year. I just always tell my nurse that if she screws anything up I won't ever donate again. So far, it has been successful.
I gave blood around Halloween last year for the first time since I fainted in high school after giving blood, see here: http://screweduptexan.com/2011/10/so-you-mean-theyre-kinda-like-vampires-mommy.html
I don't understand how sports are related. Sometimes, Mindee, we just feel worlds apart!