To give, or not to give

Last Sunday I got a call from a young man doing and Eagle Scout project and he wanted me to donate blood. I am now on a list of regular donors to the Red Cross (Yeah, I am pretty proud of that!) Seth was gonna be working from home that afternoon so I didn’t really think twice about saying ‘yes.’ When Tuesday came along I went to Thanksgiving Point and donated blood. I wasn’t nervous or uneasy. I just did it.

They wrap you up after you donate blood and you can pick from lots of different colors!

See my poke? Painless and barely noticeable.

Now lets go back two years ago. I always saw sign-ups at church requesting people to donate blood to the Red Cross. I often looked to see who was brave enough (which was always very few people) and I passed it on. Certainly I wasn’t going to have someone stick a needle in MY arm and take MY blood. You’ve got to be kidding me! Then one day my friend asked me why I never donated. I replied nonchalantly that I didn’t really have time and that more often than not I was pregnant or breastfeeding (Myth – You can actually donate blood when breastfeeding as long as it is more than six weeks after your baby was born) so I can’t. She told me that she doesn’t donate either because her blood doesn’t give. I totally didn’t believe her. She told me she would try if I would try. So I went along with her and yes, I was a little nervous. I don’t love needles, but don’t necessarily hate them either. But I did it and found it was really easy for me (not so much for my dear friend Sara…after 4 or 5 pokes they couldn’t get any blood from her arm and they had to stop before they bruised her further). The workers love me! No really, they do. I have “veins to die for” or so they tell me. One lady told me she could see my veins from across the room when I came in and she knew I was gonna be a good one (Is that really a compliment?).

Don’t they look great?! 🙂

So now, two years later, I sign up on every paper that comes around. Why? Honestly, because I feel really good when I am done. I feel like it is something really simple I can do to help other people. Plus, I am O+ which is especially needed. As I talked to the gal drawing my blood on Tuesday, she told me that so many people just won’t do it. They need more people but everyone has their own excuses. I heard a lady sitting next to me tell her that the last time she donated was 14 years ago and that it would be 14 more before she did it again. She was only doing it because this same young man that had called me had also called and asked her to do it for his project.

So, here is my plea to you to donate blood. There is no harm in doing it. You can donate blood every 56 days (that’s five times a year). The Red Cross has a list of Top 10 Reasons to donate blood and also the top 10 excuses people use to not give blood. It is worth your time to click my links and read them. Not only is it pretty funny, but it may be motivating for you.

So next time you see that slip going around your office, church, neighborhood etc. sign up and go donate some blood. I promise it isn’t nearly as bad as you might think and it gets much easier the second time around. For those of you that do donate regularly…”Good for you!” I think we underestimate just how important it can be in saving another person’s life. So get out there and donate some blood!! [A special thanks to Sara for sacrificing her arm to get my butt in gear!]